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The Alentejo is
the hottest, driest region of inland
Portugal. Without the rivers and
streams that exist within this
province, it would be a desert. Hot
in summer, lush in spring and
enduring subzero temperatures in
winter, it is one of the least
polluted areas in Europe. The
Alentejo is a very important region
for horse breeding.
The stud owes its existence to King
Joao V (Duke of Braganza) whose
dream created a stud equal to the
best of all the European Royal
Studs. A key influence was his wife
Maria Ana of Austria, who was an
enthusiastic devotee of the Spanish
Riding School of Vienna. Equally
influential was his son Jose, a keen
exponent of classical equitation and
who had always aspired to breeding
top quality Royal mares. At this
time throughout Europe the breeding
of high bred horses was being
actively encouraged and the purpose
of this royal stud was to supply the
Portuguese Court and Royal Manage
with suitable Haute Ecole and
carriage horses.
Alter do Chao (on
the estate of Coutada do Arneiro dos
Duques) was inevitably chosen in
1748 as horses from this area were
considered the finest in Portugal.
It is an idyllic location for the
breeding of horses; the grazing
particularly suited to a very fine
line of horse.
Around 40 of the
best mares were imported from
Andalusia which made up the
foundation herd, but over the years
Colonel Bartolomew Aranda selected
more than 150 Andalusian mares to be
bought to Portugal. The choice was
influenced by the superb qualities
these horses displayed in the Haute
Ecole. Spanish and Portuguese
stallions covered these mares. The
resulting colts were then bought to
Portuguese mares.
It was at Alter
that the 4th Marquis of Marialva
oversaw the selective breeding and
laid down the principles of the
Haute Ecole.The Couldelaria de Alter
is currently a state stud under the
Ministry of Agriculture.
It is the oldest
stud in Portugal but has not escaped
times of decline. The Napoleonic
Invasions and Peninsular war
resulted in a huge loss of equine
lives.
At the beginning
of the 19th Century, the bloodlines
weaken owing to poor breeding
criteria. There was also a period of
unfavourable crossbreeding,
particularly with Arabs. Only when
new Andalusian blood was
reintroduced at the end of the 19th
Century was there any real
improvement.
Portugal ousted
her monarchy at the beginning of the
20th Century. Nearly all the records
at Alter were destroyed. The
government made a decision to close
the stud and the stallions were
taken away to be gelded. Disaster
was avoided due to the eminent
Portuguese horse expert, Dr Ruy de
Andrade, who bought two of the
stallions and a few mares at
auction. This was enough to
ultimately allow a recovery of the
breed. In 1942 he presented to the
Ministry of Agriculture a small stud
of the original line.
The Alter horses
are a well defined breed nearly
always bay, standing between 15-16
h.h, strong, powerful and exhibit a
high stepping action. They are most
noble, thoroughbred and are
excellent saddle horses.
This quote says it all about the
aristocratic Alter Real Lusitano
horse.
“Regularly
corpulent and also well shaped,
sweet tempered, brave, noble and
elegant, a beautiful horse, light
footed, strong, regular even running
at trot and gallop; steady, most
noble and perhaps beautiful as no
other.”
General Joaquim Antonio Vito
Moreira (Equerry of the Royal
Family)
References
1. Alter
Real 1748- 1998 by Gemma van Dijk.
2. Alter Stud Brochure produced by
the stud itself
3. Lusitano Horse: Son of the Wind
by Arsenio Raposo Cordeiro.
4. The Royal Horse of Europe by
Sylvia Loch
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