The Breed Standard:

1. TYPE - With rounded outlines the silhouette can be fitted into a square, weight around 500 kg.

2. HEIGHT - Medium, to be measured at the withers at the age of 6 years - average mares 1,55 ms (15.1 hands); males 1,60 ms (15.3 hands).

3. COAT - Any solid colour. Grey is the most common.

4. TEMPERAMENT - Noble, generous and proud, but always gentle and mentally strong.

5. MOVEMENTS - Agile, elevated forward going, smooth and carries the rider in comfort.

6. APTITUDE - A natural ability to concentrate and learn quickly. Besides its original use (combat and bullfighting) it shows great ability for classical dressage, jumping and high school.

7. HEAD - Well proportioned, of medium length, narrow with clean lines. Slightly sub-convex profile with the forehead in advance of the bones of the eyebrows. The eyes elliptical in shape, big and alive, expressive and confident. The ears are of medium length, fine, narrow and expressive.

8. NECK - of medium length and arched, the junction between head and neck is narrow, the neck is deep in the base and well set between the shoulders, rising up from the withers without any indent at the join.

9. WITHERS - Well defined and long, with a smooth transition from the back to the neck. Always higher than the croup.

10. CHEST - of medium size, deep and muscular.

11. RIBCAGE - Well developed, long and deep with the ribs obliquely arched into the joint with the spinal column which promotes a short and full flank.

12. SHOULDERS - Long, slanting and well muscled.

13. BACK - Well defined and tending towards the horizontal making a smooth union between the withers and loins.

14. LOINS - Short, wide, muscular, slightly convex, well connected with the back and croup with which they form a continuous line.

15. CROUP - Strong and rounded, well balanced, slightly slanting, the length and width should be of identical proportions, the profile convex and clean with the point of hip relatively unobtrusive, giving the croup a transverse section of elliptical shape. The tail emerges from the same line as the croup, being of long, silky and abundant hair.

16. LEGS - The forelegs are generously muscled and well set on the horse. The upper arm straight and muscular. The cannons slight and muscular. The fetlocks are clean, relatively big and with very little hair. The pasterns are relatively long and sloping. The hooves are of strong construction, well defined and proportioned without being too open; the line of the coronet is not very evident. The buttock is short and convex. The thigh is muscular and tends to be short, making the gaskin in the same vertical line as the hip bone. The leg is slightly long from the hock making the point of the hock in the same vertical line of the point of the buttock. The hocks are large and strong. The back legs should present a picture of relatively closed angles.

(with acknowledgement to the Lusitano Breed Society of Great Britain)

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