Horse Breeds: Mangalarga Marchador

Bred from horses originally from the Iberian Peninsula, the Mangalarga Marchador is the national horse of Brazil. If there is a foundation stallion of this noble breed, it would have to be Sublime, who himself was a product of horses brought over from Portugal in the early 1800s. Sublime was eventually put to mares from several different breeds already present in Brazil, including Andalusians, Barbs, Criollos, and Spanish Jennets. The resulting offspring, and their offspring, were referred to as Sublime horses, but the name was eventually changed to Mangalarga Marchador. This name was not chosen randomly, but was picked to honor the first hacienda to embrace the breed in Brazil.

In Sao Paolo, the Mangalarga Marchador was crossed with American Saddlebreds, Arabians, and Thoroughbreds to achieve a slightly different look. These horses and their descendants are not Mangalarga Marchadors but rather Mangalarga Paulistas. The original Mangalarga Marchador is still pity and unchanged, and has remained so since the 1800s.

Standing between 14.2 and 16 hands high, the Mangalarga Marchador has a lot in common with a well-bred Barb. They are very upright horses with strong hindquarters and a highly arched neck. The head should have a noble appearance and the ears should have an alert set to them. Being a gaited horse (hence the term 'Marchador'), this breed has two specific gaits. Both gaits are natural and fairly smooth, the marcha picada being a lateral gain and the marcha batida being a more diagonal gait. Picada is usually just a tad smoother, but it can be hard to tell the difference for the inexperienced.

Though this interesting breed can be found in all solid colors, chestnut, gray, and pinto are the most common. Today they can be found participating in many sports, including polo, endurance riding, and jumping. They are also popular for leisure pursuits and can be fun on a trail ride, especially because their gaits are natural ones, meaning all Mangalarga Marchadors can move in at least one of the recognized gaits without having to be taught to do so.

In the US, the US Mangalarga Marchador Association is one of the few associations to truly preserve, regulate, and register these beautiful horses. They work closely with their Brazilian counterparts to ensure the same standards are imposed regardless of where the horse is bred.