The Menorquín or ca, Cavall Menorquí, italic=no is a breed of horse indigenous to the island of

Menorca Menorca or Minorca (from la, Insula Minor, , smaller island, later ''Minorica'') is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. Its name derives from its size, contrasting it with nearby Majorca. Its capi ...

in the

Balearic Islands The Balearic Islands ( es, Islas Baleares ; or ca, Illes Balears ) are an archipelago in the Balearic Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. The archipelago is an autonomous community and a province of Spain; its capital is ...

, from which it takes its name. It is closely associated with the

doma menorquina Doma menorquina is the traditional style of riding of the island of Menorca. It is closely associated with the Menorquín horse. Doma menorquina is based on classical dressage and resembles a combination of Haute Ecole (dressage) ("High School ...

style of riding.

History

was under

Moorish The term Moor, derived from the ancient Mauri, is an exonym first used by Christian Europeans to designate the Muslim inhabitants of the Maghreb, the Iberian Peninsula, Sicily and Malta during the Middle Ages. Moors are not a distinct or se ...

domination from 903 to 1287. According some sources, research has shown links between the Menorquín and

Arab The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...

breeds, while others have shown it to be of Berber origin, and yet others believe that it was brought to Menorca from central Europe by King

James I of Aragon James I the Conqueror ( es, Jaime el Conquistador, ca, Jaume el Conqueridor; 2 February 1208 – 27 July 1276) was King of Aragon and Lord of Montpellier from 1213 to 1276; King of Majorca from 1231 to 1276; and Valencia from 1238 to 1276 ...

. According to the Government of the Balearic Islands, it belongs to the eastern group of indigenous Iberian horses which also included the now extinct Catalan horse. The Menorquín was officially recognised as an indigenous breed in 1989, and is listed in the in the group of

autochthonous Autochthon, autochthons or autochthonous may refer to: Fiction * Autochthon (Atlantis), a character in Plato's myth of Atlantis * Autochthons, characters in the novel ''The Divine Invasion'' by Philip K. Dick * Autochthon, a Primordial in the ' ...

breeds in danger of extinction. The

FAO The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)french: link=no, Organisation des Nations unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture; it, Organizzazione delle Nazioni Unite per l'Alimentazione e l'Agricoltura is an intern ...

lists it as "endangered". In April 2011 the total population was reported to be 2995, of which fewer than 200 were outside the Balearic Islands. A breeders' association, the , was formed in August 1988. The breed has remained agile and slender as it was not employed for agricultural work, for which the

Balearic donkey The Balearic, ca, italic=no, Ase Balear, es, italic=no, Asno Balear, is a Spanish breed of domestic donkey indigenous to the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands, in the Mediterranean off the eastern coast of Spain. It is found mainly ...

was traditionally used.

Characteristics

The Menorquín may only be black, in all its variations; horses of any other colour cannot be registered. Limited white markings are permitted. It is harmoniously made, tranquil and obedient, noble and elegant. The average height is , and the minimum permissible height for males and for mares. The profile is slightly convex, the body and limbs long, the eye round and lively. It is strong and energetic, slender, powerful and muscular and suited to any type of saddle or driving use. Its most valued quality is its suitability for the traditional festivals of Menorca, where it is irreplaceable, and for the and movements of the

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Menorquin horse Horse breeds Horse breeds originating in Spain

History

Characteristics

See also

References