Bullfighting is now illegal in some Spanish provinces but is allowed in others. The sport continues to be as controversial as it was in King Philip II’s time.
THE ANDALUSIAN LEGACY
In Spain, the Andalusian horse is known as the Pura Raza Española (PRE). About 80 percent of PREs or Andalusians are gray, with bay and black being the next most common colors. Andalusians typically stand from 15 to 16.2 hands.
The breed standard calls for high, elastic strides; rounded muscular hindquarters; an arched neck; a straight or slightly convex face; and a thick, flowing mane and tail. This type is often called the “baroque” horse. The Andalusian’s temperament should be docile, honest, brave, and quick to learn.
Andalusians were not exported from Spain until 1962. They are still fairly rare in the United States, with about 8,500 registered. The breed’s flashy looks and trainability make it a natural choice for circuses, liberty acts, and Hollywood productions. In the Lord of the Rings movies, Gandalf’s magical horse, Shadowfax, was played by a pair of Andalusian stallions named Domero and Blanco.
Whitney Sanderson has loved horses since she was a child, riding in a 4-H club and reading series like The Saddle Club and The Black Stallion. In addition to always having a horse or two in the backyard, she grew up surrounded by beautiful equine artwork created by her mother, Horse Diaries illustrator Ruth Sanderson. Whitney is the author of Horse Diaries #5: Golden Sun and Horse Diaries #10: Darcy, as well as another chapter book called Horse Rescue: Treasure.
Ruth Sanderson grew up with a love for horses. She has illustrated and retold many fairy tales and likes to feature horses in them whenever possible. Her book about a magical horse, The Golden Mare, the Firebird, and the Magic Ring, won the Texas Bluebonnet Award.
Ruth and her daughter have two horses, an Appaloosa named Thor and a quarter horse named Gabriel. She lives with her family in Massachusetts.
To find out more about her adventures with horses and the research she does to create Horse Diaries illustrations, visit her website, ruthsanderson.com.
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