The shape of the horse's head, for example, is quite important. "We want to see a profile that is at least straight or tending towards the convex," he says. The shape and weight of the neck (a too-heavy neck is not desirable), shape of the back and barrel and natural carriage are all assessed. Both naturally elevated movement and a capacity for collection are desirable attributes.
Size is also a factor, adds Sánchez de Movellán. "Mares should be at least [15 hands] and stallions [15.2 hands]. Demand now is for larger horses. We never want to lose the physical characteristics of these horses, but if we are to pursue the athletic aspect of breeding, we need to breed larger horses."
About 8,000 purebred foals are born every year in Spain. Mares and young stock normally live on ranches in the country with plenty of freedom to run. Approved mares may start breeding at 3 or 4 years of age. The average retirement age for a broodmare is 20. Traditionally, mares are not trained for work as stallions are. However, Sánchez de Movellán says, "My philosophy is that the mares shouldn't simply be in the country and used for breeding. They should be trained, perhaps not to a high degree like the stallions, but trained just the same. I particularly like to teach the mares to drive."
One historic use of mares on the farm is on the grain-threshing floor. The traditional "cobra", in which up to 10 mares are collared together side by side, is still practiced on many farms as a demonstration of temperament. A handler, either on the ground or mounted (on a stallion, no less), works the mares in circles with a remarkable display of accuracy and obedience.
A Military Heritage
The ANCCE's mandate is to preserve and promote the breed at all levels but not to be involved directly in sales of horses. In an effort to buy and sell PRE horses worldwide, ANCCE faces special challenges that are a legacy of the Spanish horse's past as an instrument of war. The military has controlled the breeding and registration practices which remain in the hands of the Spanish Ministry of Defense, so breeders in Spain are frustrated by a lack of autonomy.
Manuel Gonzalez Lopez explains the problem: "The military manages the studbook in Spain. With cows, goats, sheep and pigs, the breeders manage their own programs and regulations. They tell the Ministry [of Agriculture] to make changes but not the horse breeders."
The military is responsible for processing the blood tests that are necessary for studbook registration of all Spanish horses. "It can take up to three years to get the certificate of origin from the military, and during this time you cannot sell the foal because you don't have the papers." There are about 70,000 registered PRE horses in 54 countries, though about 85 percent of these are in Spain.
Despite these difficulties, the popularity of the PRE is spreading throughout the world. Real Escuela director Romero knows why. "The breed is suitable both for children and adults," he says. "It is a horse that offers all of himself; he will never refuse the rider."
Dressage Today thanks Didi Arias and the ANCCE's Manuel Gonzalez Lopez for their help with the text and photograph for this article.
