SPANISH-NORMAN HORSE STUDBOOK

Contents
1. Introduction & Brief History
2. Spanish-Norman Horse Breed Standard – 2021-02-24
3. Spanish-Norman Horse Studbook Structure – Main & Appendix

Introduction & Brief History

The Spanish-Norman blends the genes of the Purebred Spanish Horse (Pura Raza Española or PRE), once known as the Andalusian Horse of Spain, and the Percheron of France to replicate the phenotype of the courageous horse that thundered across the battlefields of Europe. These were the noble horses, bred for courage, strength and stamina that left an indelible imprint on the history of the western world.

Above: Linda & Alan Hamid’s beautiful PRE Stallion Embajador IX was the Foundation sire of the new breed

Research by Dr E. Gus Cothran of the University of Kentucky, USA, shows that early Spanish horses influenced the development of the now lost Norman horses of medieval France. Norman horses infused with Barb blood contributed to the equine type that would eventually come to be known as Percheron, after the Les Perches region of France. Both the horses of Andalusia and Normandy possessed an infusion of Barb blood from the Moorish invasions and blood typing studies by Dr.Cothran  have located similar genetic markers in both breeds. The common North African ancestry of the PRE and the Percheron results in a magnificently successful blend to produce offspring which approximate the type of the old Norman horse, prized for carrying the knights to victory centuries ago.

In 1991 Allan and Linda Osterman Hamid of Hamid Hill Farm, Ltd., Woodbury, Connecticut founded the first Spanish-Norman Horse Registry in the USA to record the pedigrees of this unique replication of a historic breed. Sadly this American studbook ceased to operate in January 2018.
The first Spanish-Norman Horses born in the UK in 2005 were registered by BAPSH Ltd in a special section of the old PRE Partbred Studbook (now the PRE Fusion Horse Studbook) as there was no separate studbook available. Most of the British foals born in the next 10 years were also dual registered with the Spanish-Norman Horse Registry, USA, which recognised BAPSH as the guardian of the breed in the British Isles. Numbers of Spanish-Normans in the UK have grown slowly  but steadily, and on 24th February 2021 the Spanish-Norman Horse was recognised by DEFRA as an official breed in the UK with its own Breeding Programme and UK Studbook. The demise of the American Studbook has led DEFRA to grant world Mother Studbook status to the BAPSH Ltd Spanish-Norman Horse Studbook.

Above: Romantico HHF, son of Embajador IX, was the first Spanish-Norman Stallion bred and kept by Hamid Hill Farm; he was born 27/03/1992 out of the Percheron mare Gardenia. In this photo Romantico HHF is wearing authentic armour and ridden by his knight, Garry McAllister.

SPANISH-NORMAN HORSE BREED STANDARD

Above:  Silversons Theodore – 3yr old gelding, exemplifies the powerful and beautiful physique of a good quality Spanish-Norman Horse. Bred by Claire Lilliman.

General Description
A versatile heavyweight athletic sport-horse, the Spanish-Norman physically embodies the heritage of its noble ancestors. From the regal Purebred Spanish Horse comes its elegant beauty, boldness and natural collection. From the Percheron comes its strength, size and bone density. Endowing this breed with the unique combination of presence and docility.
Head – A substantial head with depth through cheek and jaw when viewed from the side but maintaining the Spanish elegance of sculptured nasal bone and fine inverted comma-shape nostrils viewed from the front. Large expressive triangular-shape brown eyes. Ears medium size, mobile and well attached.

          
Above Left: Silversons Ulysses, Spanish-Norman Approved Breeding Stallion demonstrating a top quality male head. Owned by Annike & Cees Blais, Germany. Above Right:-Silversons Samara, 3yr old Spanish-Norman Filly with a lovely feminine head. Both Bred by Claire Lilliman, UK

Neck and Body – long graceful arched neck, inserted high and clean into a well defined wither and laid back shoulders that blend smoothly into a short back. Broad strong loins connect smoothly into large strong muscular hindquarters.

Front-limbs – large well developed  symmetrical joints correctly aligned from side and front view. Short substantial cannon bones. Sturdy pasterns sloping at about 45 degrees. Large strong deep round hooves.
Hind-limbs –  powerful well developed musculature on thigh and second thigh.  Large well developed  symmetrical joints correctly aligned from side and rear view. Hock joint must be particularly large, strong, and well-defined with a robust achilles tendon attachment.  Substantial cannon bones with clearly defined tendons. Sturdy pasterns sloping at about 45 degrees. Large strong deep round hooves.

Below: Rancar Charlotte – Excellent Front-limb construction.
Bred by Amanda Tomlinson.

Movement – They are bred to move freely from the shoulder with elastic, fluid movement, featuring engagement and elevation with extension.
Height – 15.3hh to 18.0hh, with some taller examples.
Colour – Predominantly Grey, with some Bays and Blacks, but all solid colours are permitted.  Minimal to zero white markings preferred
Mane and Tail – Long and luxuriant.
Aptitudes – Spanish-Normans have the potential to excel in a variety of equine disciplines including jumping, Eventing, dressage and driving. They perform in medieval games and historical re-enactments, are also excellent pleasure, parade, and exhibition horses.
This breed is the perfect athletic heavy hunter able to carry substantial weights with ease whilst taking part in almost any equine sporting or pleasure riding activity one can choose.

Below: Rancar Grace – 8yr old Spanish-Norman mare, demonstrating a lovely outline and powerful big trot. Bred by Amanda Tomlinson

Download Spanish-Norman Horse Breed Standard
a) SNH Breed Standard with Photos
b) SNH Breed Standard Text Only

SPANISH-NORMAN HORSE STUDBOOK STRUCTURE
The Breeding Book has a Main Section with one Appendix.

SPANISH-NORMAN HORSE – MAIN SECTION

Horses/Foals resulting from certified matings which follow the Generational Mating Strategies and maintain the required 50% to 75% of PRE blood combined with Percheron blood will be Eligible for Registration into the Main Studbook:-
The Spanish-Norman Horse must remain within the range of 50% PRE to 75% PRE blood but the preferred proportion is the 50/50 balance.
Breeders should calculate the PRE blood % of each planned foal before covering takes place to ensure that they meet the Breeding Programme requirements, and they are encouraged to contact BAPSH Ltd for assistance if required.
The Generational Mating Strategies to be followed by breeders to ensure the steady development of the Breeding Programme are detailed in the next section  ‘Aims of the Spanish-Norman Horse Breeding Programme – Breeding Strategies’.

SPANISH-NORMAN HORSE – APPENDIX
1. PRE sire or dam is Not Approved for Breeding.
NOTE: In certain circumstances PRE Mares without Breeding Approval  may receive permission from BAPSH to produce SNH foals.
2. Spanish-Norman Horse sire is Not Approved for Breeding
3a. The Foal tests positive for PSSM1
3b. The Breeder does not supply a PSSM1 Negative Certificate for the SNH or Percheron lineage and does not PSSM1 test the Foal.
4. Incorrect procedures with Covering Certificate or Foal is not at foot with dam, but Foal has No DNA Type and parentage test.
CHANGES TO REGISTERED INFORMATION ABOUT OWNERS, eg New Address or Surname, OR TO INFORMATION HELD ABOUT A HORSE, eg Gelding, Sale/Purchase, Death, MUST BE NOTIFIED TO THE BAPSH Ltd REGISTRY OFFICE WITHIN 30 DAYS – CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND LINKS TO FORMS.

SPANISH-NORMAN HORSE – MAIN STUDBOOK
REGISTRATION PARAMETERS – MORE DETAIL

CLICK HERE to go to FOAL/HORSE REGISTRATION PROCEDURE and FOAL/HORSE REGISTRATION APPLICATION FORM

Rancar Frank at 3 mths old with his Percheron dam, Hasholme Nanette.
Bred & owned by Amanda Tomlinson

A Foal (or Horse) will be registered into the Main Studbook providing:-
a) the Foal’s parents meet the Main Studbook Breeding criteria, and the Foal has a minimum of 50% Approved for Breeding (Apto) PRE blood. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION on Breeding Requirements, Permitted Procedures and Covering Certificates.
b) the Foal is DNA typed and parentage tested if any of the following criteria have NOT been met with:-
i) the BAPSH Ltd Covering Certificate, or the Percheron Stallion owner’s written confirmation of Covering, has been submitted to the BAPSH Registry Office by 1st December of the year of covering, and;
ii) the Foal must be 5 months old or less when the Registration application form is completed by the Vet, and;
iii) the Foal must be at Foot with its mother and this must be certified by the examining Vet.
c) the Foal does not have PSSM1 gene. If the Percheron dam or lineage parent/s is/are certified PSSM1 negative then the foal does not need to be tested for PSSM1.

Imported Horse Criteria for Entry into Main Studbook
All Spanish-Norman horses which were registered with the (inactive) Spanish-Norman Horse Registry, USA,  will be accepted into the BAPSH Ltd Spanish-Norman Horse Studbook when their Registration application with BAPSH Ltd is completed. When IMPORTING A HORSE FROM THE EU OR OTHER COUNTRY – THE IMPORTED HORSE MUST BE REGISTERED WITH THE UK PIO FOR THAT BREED OR TYPE WITHIN 30 DAYS OF ARRIVAL IN THE UK
CLICK HERE for more INFORMATION on registering IMPORTED Pedigree Horses

Entry of other Purebred Equine Breeds is Not Permitted
Equines of another Purebred breed cannot be admitted directly into the Spanish-Norman Horse Studbook, but breeders may continue to introduce new PRE and Percheron blood into their breeding program via the Foundation Generation and Second Generation Mating Strategies until 2035 when this permission will be re-assessed.
The UK Studbook is not open to any other breed.

UPGRADING FROM SPANISH-NORMAN HORSE APPENDIX TO MAIN STUDBOOK
Spanish-Norman Appendix registered horses may be upgraded into the Main Spanish-Norman Horse Studbook once they or their progeny comply with the following requirements, the failure of which has led them to being placed in the Appendix:-
1) The PRE parent or Grandparent lacking Breeding Approval, is Approved for Breeding by the ANCCE-LGPRE.
2) The Spanish-Norman Horse Sire is Approved for Breeding.
3) The Appendix horse has a full DNA Type and Parentage compatibility test completed and the Certificate sent to the BAPSH (in cases where the Covering Certificate/foal at Foot criteria were not met with).
4) The Genetic Tests for inheritable defects are completed and are Negative.

Below: Spanish-Norman mare, Silvana, working soft, light, and round at an Arthur Kotas Clinic in 2018