Spain has always been heavily dependant upon horses, more than any other country her fortunes have 'ridden' upon the prowess of her famous fighting war horses. Due to Spain's history it is perhaps not surprising to find that the military, with their need for remounts alongside Spain's national sport of bullfighting, have been key factors in shaping the development of all horses in Spain.
To this day, in the form of the Cria Caballar, the military are still the controlling body ensuring that regardless of the mechanisation of modern warfare, should the need arise, Spain can call upon her famous fighting horses in the certainty that they are still unsurpassed in battle as their fore-bearers that carried the might of the Conquistadors.(Nb.see footnote)
The Spanish Arabian
In the 1800's when Arabian horses were selected from European stocks with a view to improving the Andalusian, it was the needs of the military and bullring that influenced the type of horses to be imported. The Spanish sought animals as near as possible similar in type to the horses of Spain, they selected not just for looks but for performance. Many came from countries like Poland and Russia, who like the Spanish had a long history of breeding remounts for their cavalry as well as plying their Arab horses to heavy duty work (ie. in Poland an Arab used as a farm plough/cart horse also doubled as a military remount!)
It is this similarity of physical appearance of the traditional Spanish Arabian that more than anything holds the key to the breeding of the Hispano-Arabe. Generally when using Arabs to cross with other breeds, one expects the Arab to be pre-potent and clearly set it's dominant stamp upon the resulting offspring. However, when crossed with the Andalusian (bearing in mind that since the 1800's this already has some Arabian blood) it would appear that it is the 'Iberian Factor' that is dominant. In reality what is happening is the reinforcement of mutual physical characteristics that have already been selected to exist independently in both breeds. The external factor that created this similarity was the performance needs of the military.
Footnote.
In 2006 the Cria Caballar stepped down from controlling the grading of the Pure Spanish Horse, thus handing over the future development of the breed to The Spanish Breeders Association. If this is to prove detrimental or not to the Pure Breed, only time will tell. However, in the long term without a doubt changes will come about as the military 'needs' factor that for so long has played a key part in the development of these horses is now removed.
Interestingly the Cri Caballar has not relinquished control of the Pure Raza Hispano-Arabe, making a clear statement that this is now the Horse of Spain on which the fortunes of the military, at least, are still riding. What better tribute could be paid to the horses that Alvaro Domecq championed all those years ago!
**see Horse Thoughts link to blog as policy has now changed and breed is now registered as a sports horse with ANCADES and the Stud Book held by UEGHa' **