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Bloodlines and History Explained & The Ongoing Debate about the Name.

Just as the Arabian breed has the Polish, Russian, Egyptian and Spanish bloodlines and the crosses of the 4 in any way of that breed they are all still Arabians.   And the Quarter Horse breed to has different bloodlines and types such as the Racing bloodlines, Foundation bloodlines, Halter bloodlines Cutting, Reining and the crosses between these, they are all still Quarter Horses.  So to does the Andalusian have different bloodlines such as those from Spain and those from Portugal.  From Spain called the Spanish and from Portugal called Lusitano.

In the United States both those Andalusians from Portugal and Spain are all called Andalusian.  However, some Andalusian breeders and owners that have horses of Portugal breeding still call them Lusitano's because of their bloodlines and heritage.  Originally both Portugal and Spain used the same Stud Book, however a political rift between the two country's occurred in the 1960's and so Spain and Portugal  parted ways thus creating two different stud books.  The Andalusian of Portugal was then named Lusitano or PSL meaning Pura Sangue Lusitano.  In Spain Pura Raza Espanola or PRE, meaning Pure Spanish Horse.   Before this rift happened they were all Andalusians.  Up until a few years ago the Portuguese used Spanish horses in their breeding programs and may still do.  The description and breed characteristics are virtually the same between Andalusian and Lusitano.  The Andalusian follows military bloodlines and the Lusitano follows more bullfighting bloodlines (even though they are both used for bullfighting but predominately the Portugal bloodlines are used). 

In 1969 these beautiful horses were allowed to be exported from Spain.  In the USA they are ALL called Andalusians (or should be).  The registry in the United States is called International Andalusian and Lusitano Horse Association (IALHA)  "Dedicated To The Spanish And Portuguese Horse".    The dedication after the title of the registry does explain it however.  Here a mixing of the two bloodlines would be referred to as S/P or PSP, meaning a horse of Spanish/Portuguese heritage or Pure Spanish Portuguese.  

Keep in mind that PRE and PSL are not just titles but yet they are other registries in other country's (Spain and Portugal).  Some breeders and owners of Pure Spanish bloodlines from the U.S. want to have their horses revised by the registry in Spain so that their horses are called PRE .  However, some breeders in the U.S. call their horses PRE meaning that their Andalusian is in deed a Pure Spanish Horse, because they ARE.  When you hear of owners getting their horses "Revised" or that it is Revised or is eligible for Revision, this is what they are talking about, Spain's registry and being excepted into the Stud Book of Spain.  ALSO keep in mind that ALL USA Andalusians registered with IALHA do indeed trace their bloodlines to the Stud Book in Spain regardless if they go through the VERY expensive process of revision.  

This type of "inspection" is not done in the U.S. Registry.   If their horse passes the Spanish inspection then it is either inscribed to PRE registry or not if it does not pass Spain's guidelines.  Now, some breeders here in the U.S. do not like the revision because they go on measurements of the cannon bone as one of the criteria for passing the revision and believe these measurements are not a way to judge bloodstock (breeding stock).  But, some breeders believe these measurement requirements by Spain are to keep the breeds strong bone structure in tact and not breed weak legs into the horses by ignoring bone size.  After all, Andalusian's are known for being stronger bone and more sturdy than some other descendants of this breed.  But, other breeders argue that height of the horse and the required cannon bone size is wrong by Spain's standard for revision.  All this means if the horse is inscribed or revised, is that the horses are then double registered (IALHA and PRE registries) it does not make them better or more valuable than those Andalusians that are not double registered.......it is just a preference to some owners/breeders to follow the Spanish rules of registering their horses.

In 2007 there has been major problems with the group that started called the Foundation working with Spain and getting these Carta papers for their inspected/revised Andalusians.  We shall see how this unfolds.  It just might be that this inspection process in the US with Spain is ended and IALHA will be the only form of registry for the Pure Spanish horses.  It is a mess and the expense of getting papers from Spain is insane.  The age at which foals at the mares side have to travel the destination of these revision sites is hard on the nursing foals and the mares.   And now there are hundreds of Andalusian breeders who think their Andalusians are more expensive with this paper may never get them.  An IALHA registered Andalusian without a Carta from Spain is not worth less than one with it.  They are not less pure as some PRE breeders might like you to believe to profit from a sale...making you think one with a Carta is more desirable and more pure and more expensive because of that paper.  

Just as there is no confusion in the Arabian or Quarter Horses bloodlines and lineage, for example one might talk about their Arabians as by using the different names for the different lines and is  like stating the Polish, Russian, Spanish, Crabbet and "American" Arabs....they all Breed ARABIANS but Breed the different lines...not confusing there.  If a person bred Polish Arabs (Pure Polish bloodlines) but also had an out crop Straight Eygptian Blue, List, Al Khmasa stallion, and Pure Polish, pure Crabbet and  Polish/Eygptian, Eygptian/Crabbet. Crabbet/American.  All ARABIANS....but look again...the Pure Polish that is a Negatiw grandson....Negatiw can be found in Pure Russian pedigrees too.  Negatiw was by the desert bred Skowronek....Skowronek is the sire of the Pure Crabbet stallions *Raffles and *Raseyn.  You see, the Andalusian isn't so hard to understand either when you think of it this way regarding a different breed :-).  If an breeder of Iberian horses use PRE, PSL, and S/P they are just using them to state that their bloodlines are from that "Region or Country or area of the Iberian Peninsula" even though as, someone's horse has "Spanish-PRE" blood in it yet was not born in Spain but Portulgo...so it is referred to as a Lusitano.  You will also hear these horses referred to as Iberian, meaning they are horses from the Iberian peninsula, so don't let that confuse you.  

As far as the U.S. - PRE, PSL, PSP, SP, Lusitano, Spanish etc.....none of these is their NAME.  It is their bloodlines, heritage and what registration they carry!  Andalusian is the name that was chosen for us to call them in the U.S. not PRE.   The name in both the PRE and PSL registries was "Andalusian" and consisted of both lines before Spain and Portugal separated  their studbooks in the 1960's.

So if you feel it is important (or if you are asking about an Andalusian for sale), explain that your horse is an ANDALUSIAN of Spanish Heritage/bloodlines or Portuguese Heritage/bloodlines or Spanish/Portuguese Heritage/bloodlines.  Or say it is a "Spanish Andalusian" , Portuguese Andalusian" or "Spanish/Portuguese Andalusian".  If your horse is double registered (IALHA and PRE or PSL) then say that too.  Don't talk as if they are each separate breeds and add more confusion to this political mess.

Quote from long time breeder: "BOTH" PRE (Pura Raza Espandola) and Pure Spanish are the Very SAME thing. They are both the same. One being no more or no less Pura Raza Espandola then the other..............Tranlation:
no one of the other being more of less PRE then the other.........Translation 2......................
no one more or less a Pure Spanish horse then the other.  I call both my revised and non-revised Pure Spanish horses PRE." un-quote.

Help solve the confusion, by telling other people that don't know this information, to do this also.  There are many  people fairly new to the breed purchasing  Andalusians every year, help them understand this also.  Or when people ask about your horses explain this to them if the question comes up.  But be consistent and inform them correctly.  

From the book:  Royal Horse of Europe

by Sylvia Loch 
Page 27.  Here is what she said:
 
"Andalusia has always attracted foreigners. At the heart  of the sherry
industry are many  Anglo-Spanish families, and names such as Croft, Sandeman, Williams and  Humbert, Terry and Osborne abound, reminding us of the English families who  first came over to this part of Spain in the eighteenth century to organize the  production of the special white grape for the then highly lucrative export of  sherry.
It  was, however, the ancient monasteries of Andalusia which first became the organized  centre of horse breeding in the province. Alongside their carefully tended vineyards,  the Catholic monks were responsible for the establishment of a planned breeding  program for the Iberian Saddle Horse, and from the fifteenth century onwards,  the monasteries developed horses of pure blood as a work of dedication to the  Church and the Crown. Spain's might as a great Catholic power had always been  recognized as being attributable to her horses
and cavalry, and the monks of Andalusia preserved the excellence of these horses as an act of devotion. This was further encouraged by the  Inquisition. In recapitulation, therefore, the term Andalusian - even  in 1986 - may refer to an Iberian Saddle  Horse bred by one of the Andalusian families with bloodlines dating back to the records of ancient  monasteries built in the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella (1479-1516). It  may also refer to a Portuguese-bred
Iberian horse, or an Iberian horse bred as far north as  Santander.
Spanish Because of the misinterpretation of the term Andalusian,  it was decided by the Spanish Breeders'  Association in 1912 that with the introduction of a national Stud Book, from this date onwards all pure-bred  Iberian horses, which previously had been called Andalusian should be known as  Spanish. This was largely augmented to appease breeders from areas  outside Andalusia who felt that the stud farms within the Andalusian belt  enjoyed an unfair advantage,
particularly as regards foreign trade. Many breeders were against the adoption of the term  Spanish, for within the country the name  Andalusian was traditional and its historical significance dated back  over a thousand years. It was also felt that the term Spanish could imply any type of horse bred in Spain, including the  Galician or the heavy Breton horses popular in the north. Despite much  controversy, the Spanish advocates won the day, and today the official term in the Stud  Book is Pura Raza Espanola - Spanish pure breed."

 Regarding this from the Royal Horse Europe from a long time Andalusain breeder in the USA says: Quote: "The name very much  started in the Iberian peninsula! There is much more here in this book I  encourage you and everyone else to get their own copy or read this one they have  :) The confusion  came in when Spain and Portugal were at odds.  Politics... need I say more?  It was brought to our shores and well here we are.... 
Again... I have no  problem with folks getting involved with revision from
Spain or Portugal.  My statement has always been:  The International Andalusian & Lusitano Horse Association (IALHA, our USA registery) is not them. Their
(the IALHA) bylaws  are set to govern our association/registry. Why they feel
the need to get  involved in revision when revision is not a part of our
registration process is  beyond me. We have room here in the USA and Canada for the
Cria and PSL  and all they want to do here, if folks so which. But why our $$'s
is going  toward any of this..... well, its beyond me." un-quote.