- Mangalarga Marchador - |
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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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