| The Andalusian lineage dates back to prehistoric | | | | breed were imported to Lipizza (then Italy, now |
| times. Cave paintings, discovered on the Iberian | | | | Slovenia) to be bred with native stock and form |
| Peninsula and dated 20000 to 30000 B.C., show | | | | the foundation of the famous Lipizzaners. |
| the Iberian Horse clearly. It is thought that as time | | | | Periodically the Spanish Riding School of Vienna, |
| progressed, the breed was influenced by strains | | | | Austria would re-introduce an Andalusian to the |
| of horses from the French Celts, Carthaginians, | | | | bloodline, in order to maintain the original qualities |
| Romans, several Germanic tribes, and the Moors. | | | | which were so desirable in the Lipizzaners. Their |
| This noble breed was cited by the Greek | | | | efforts helped to establish the school as a living |
| philosopher and commander of the army, | | | | monument to the art of classical equitation and |
| Xenophon, as being a deciding element in his | | | | the Andalusian breed was an important factor in |
| army's victory over Sparta. The noted | | | | this. |
| commander, Hannibal, used Andalusians when he | | | | Many breeds of horses have been improved, |
| invaded Italy. Both of these esteemed warriors | | | | through careful crossbreeding, by the introduction |
| waxed eloquent in their praise of the Spanish | | | | of the Andalusian strain to their bloodlines. In fact |
| Horse. | | | | the Andalusian has been instrumental and the |
| Richard de Belisme, Duke of Shrewsbury, is | | | | most influential strain in strengthening, creating, |
| credited with importing Andalusians to Britain in | | | | and improving breeds around the world. Not only |
| 1188. During the reign of Richard I, the knights of | | | | the Lipizzaners, but most of the German |
| his Court favored the steed for combat and | | | | warmbloods, the Connemara of Ireland, the |
| tournaments. And the Duke of Newcastle wrote | | | | Cleveland Bay of England, the American Quarter |
| in 1667 of the great attributes of the breed. | | | | Horse, and the Paso Fino of South America have |
| In 1580, some of the finest specimens of the | | | | at their roots the blood of the Andalusian. |