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The Mangalarga Marchador is one
of the unique breeds of horse in the world. It originated in Brazil in the
1740s. A Portuguese man, Joao Francisco, moved to an area in Brazil south
of Minas during the 1740s, and formed the hacienda Campo Alegre. On of
Joao's sons, the Baron of Alfenas, was presented with an Alter-Real stallion
called Sublime by Dom Pedro I, Emperor of Brazil, which became one of this
breed's foundation sires.
Sublime was mated with mostly
Spanish Jennet mares, and also with some Criollo and Andalusian mares. This
formed the base for the Mangalarga Marchador, which were originally called
Sublime Horses. The Mangalarga Marchador are important because they exhibit many
of the traits of the Spanish Jennet, which is now sadly extinct. One of these
traits is a very smooth action - the Mangalarga Marchador appears to move across
the ground with ease and balance, and is said to be one of the most comfortable
horse breeds to ride. They have peculiar gaits called the marcha
batida and the marcha picada, both of which are four-beat gaits,
allowing the horse to cover a huge amount of ground in a short amount of time.
Interestingly, the Mangalarga Marchador do not trot, but move from their fast
marching gait into a smooth canter.
These horses have become
extremely popular in Brazil, and are used widely for working with cattle, for
which they have a natural talent. They are very versatile, and can be used for
most riding pursuits, including endurance and cross-country. They have
remarkable temperaments, being very calm and kind, so much so that they are
suitable for children and novices, but can also be lively and energetic when
necessary.
In appearance, the Mangalarga
Marchador is an attractive, lightweight horse with notable Spanish
characteristics. They have a very attractive, fine head with a straight profile,
intelligent eyes, and ears with inward-turned tips. The neck is elegant,
muscular, and gently curved from the withers to the poll. The withers are
prominent, the chest is deep, the back is proportionate to the body, and the
quarters are muscular. They have a slightly sloping croup and good, sloping
shoulders. the legs are strong, muscular, and powerful with good joints and hard
feet. They can be any solid color, and stand between 14.2 and 15 hh.
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