The current racial prototype of our P.S.B. horse, as described in the Annex to the Regulations of the Registry-Roll of Pure-Breed Horses and Mares, does define the horse, marks out its geographical area, studies its general and regional characteristics, points out its abilities, etc., with great accuracy, clearness and skill, which is why we are going to follow, to the greatest possible extent, its expositive order; but, with the greatest respect, we shall comment on certain aspects on the basis of the works making up the contribution by other authors whose reputation is widely recognized.

The regulations state: «Pure Spanish Breed Horse is to be defined as that whose parents are entered into the official Registry Roll», provided that its ethnic, morphological and physiological features match up with the following racial prototype:

Definition: The Spanish Horse, entered into the Registry-Roll of Pure Spanish Breed Horses and Mares and known by the acronym P.S.B., has its origin in the Mongolian wild horse; it is eu-metric, mesomorphous, of a sub-convex profile, with brilliant and energetic demeanour, capable of raising up and extending its body in a noticeable way; of a balanced constitutional type, with a forceful temperament, a noble and docile nature, answering and reacting in a fair way, essentially rustic, frugal and resistant, accepting any type of breaking-in, constitutionally collected, extremely fit for dressage and showing a dignified demeanour, and, in the main, with black, chestnut and dapple-grey hide.

a. General characteristics

Eu-metric. This term was used by Barón to define, in the different species, a middle-size volume resulting from the optimal combination of surface and mass, and which in current horses ranges from 450 to 550 kilograms.

Mesomorphous. That is to say, of average proportions, some of whose length and width parameters seem to be apparently equal (as it happens in the rump), and whose height is almost always equal to the length of the body.

Constitutional type. Orthosthenic or balanced; in perfect nervous and hormonal equilibrium, of a well-proportioned shape and with a highly conspicuous sexual differentiation.

Forceful temperament.

Noble and docile nature.

Answering and reacting in a fair way. If a classy P.S.B. horse which has only received «stable breaking-in» is hit in the rump with the hand, he collects itself, gets nervous but never kicks. If a horse already carrying a rider, with a certain degree of submissiveness, is brusquely hit with the spurs behind the elbows, never answers defensively or rudely; on the contrary, he curls up beneath the rider’s legs, collects itself, feels uneasy, as though he were asking the rider what does he want, and keeps an eye out for any help or movement. In the manoeuvrability tests (Marathon), in the harnessing trial, he is the one reacting with the utmost speed, and relaxing and submitting himself most easily to the coachman’s hand.

Essentially rustic, frugal and resistant. He endures without any problem the hard, long and rainy winter nights in the marshlands, with the water up to the stirrups, out in the open, tied up to the door of a marshland hut, and ready, at sunup, to run cows and to separate calves. In the speciality of marathon harnessing, he is the first in the long-distance trials.

Accepts any type of breaking-in. Showing a learning ability quite uncommon in other breeds, he lets himself to be broken-in in half the time other horses do, as a result of his good nature, his love of work and his ease to carry out any m