What is the difference between a Pure Spanish Horse and a Lusitano?
The short story is that before 1966 stud books were shared between Portugal and Spain and many of the Lusitano lines today are heavy with Spanish influence. After the stud books split the Spanish no longer allowed Portuguese horses into their stud book. Genetic tests have been done looking for common markers which has proven they are the same genetic animal. Differences in phenotype have developed from the use of the horses. For a period some Spanish bred a very high stepping, ‘prettier” animal to ride in ferias and put in front of carriages. Not all breeders followed this trend however, like the Military stud. The Portuguese tended to always breed for function in the bull ring with character and functionality that required. Now both countries are changing to produce animals for International levels of sport, mainly dressage. The written standard for both horses is almost identical. In the United States the name Andalusian has stuck even though in Spain they are called Pura Raza Espano
