Mangalarga Marchador horses

Profile: The Mangalarga Marchador is the national horse of Brazil and its genealogy is rich with horses from the Iberian Peninsula. Sublime, the foundation stallion of the Marchador, was a product of horses brought to Brazil by the Portuguese royal family in the early 1800s. Sublime was put to mares of the gaited Spanish Jennet, Criollos, Andalusians and the Barb. These were called Sublime horses, but the breed’s name was later changed to Mangalarga Marchador; a nod to the first hacienda that embraced the breed. In Sao Paolo the Marchador was crossed with Thoroughbred, Arabian and American Saddlebred, which led to another registry; the Mangalarga Paulista. The Mangalarga Marchador remains a pure breed, unchanged since the 1800s. The horses are used for polo, jumping, endurance riding and leisure pursuits.

Characteristics: The profile of the Mangalarga Marchador is very upright; reminiscent of its Barb ancestry, with strong hindquarters, highly arched neck and noble head. The Mangalarga Marchador is a gaited horse (the word Marchador refers to this) with two specific gaits: the smooth marcha picada and the marcha batida. Marchador are found in all solid colors with gray and chestnut most prominent, and pinto. Height ranges from 14.2 to 16 hands high.

For more information: US Mangalarga Marchador Association