Well, we returned to Es Castell square on Sunday lunchtime to see what all the sand had been put down for and were very pleasantly surprised when four of the beautiful Menorcan horses (and riders!) arrived to show us their fancy footwork.
As I have said previously, I am not a great horse lover but there is definitely something special about these magnificent creatures and I just couldn’t tear my eyes away from them. They are both majestic and “pretty”, if that’s the right word to use, and so elegant. It is virtually impossible to see or hear the riders/owners instructing these horses to change direction, change their footwork etc. – they just appear to know when and what to do.
Below is a little information about the history of the Menorcan horse.
The Menorquina breed of horse is from Menorca and is famous for its exciting performances at traditional festives and fiestas throughout the island. The horses are descendents of the Spanish Andalusian and Arabian breeds.
The origin of the Cavall de Raca Menorquina (the horse of the Menorquina race) can actually be traced back to two significant periods in the history of Menorca.
- In 1301 the establishment of the cavalry troops by King Jaume II of Majorca, where the horses that were used as cavalry mounts were agile, strong and manageable. These are all traits which are still as important in the Spanish breeds of today and which are typical of the early ancestor of the Menorquina horse, the Andalusian.
- The second important period was in the 1700’s – the arrival of the English. The English brought horses of thoroughbred blood and the influence of this can be seen in the elegant heads and long legs of the Menorquina horses.