| Being an avid horse lover all my life, I must admit I had | | | | breeding program the stud was moved to another |
| never even heard of an Alter-Real until my current | | | | Portuguese town Alto de Chao. This is how the breed |
| research. And now I am intrigued. | | | | obtained it's name 'Alter' from the town and 'Real' |
| The Alter-Real is closely related to the better known | | | | which is Portuguese for Royal. |
| Lusitano. | | | | The initial breeding program started with Andalusian |
| It is termed a baroque horse. Which is a loose term | | | | mares imported from Jerez in Spain and the finest |
| used to describe horses of medieval descent. The | | | | Arabian stallions. |
| baroque is characterized by agile movements, | | | | Unfortunately, the stud was subject to several crises |
| powerful body, a muscular, arched neck, and typically a | | | | and during the years 1804-14 amid the Peninsular War |
| thick mane and tail; and known for their exceptional | | | | most of the stock was stolen or destroyed by |
| ability in the haute ecole classical dressage. | | | | Napoleon's army. What stock remained was then |
| The Alter-Real is generally about 15 to 16 hands high | | | | taken in 1834 when the King abdicated the throne. |
| with a smallish head which is either straight or slightly | | | | The stock was then infused with Hanoverian, Norman |
| convex. They are usually brown or bay though grey | | | | and Arabian blood which resulted in a decline in the |
| and chestnut is not unheard of. The shoulder should be | | | | quality of the breed. By the late 1800's the breed was |
| strong, muscular and well sloped. The body is relatively | | | | in a bad way. The introduction of some Azpata strain |
| short with a deep chest and the hindquarters broad, | | | | of Andalusian blood was the turning point in the breed's |
| powerful and well muscled. Though the legs are short | | | | decline and a small stud started. In 1932 this stud was |
| with big, flat knees and strong hocks they are agile | | | | taken over by the Portuguese Ministry, which have |
| with a most extravagant knee action and fairly short | | | | since undertaken much culling and refining using the |
| stride. | | | | finest stallions. |
| The Alter Real was founded in 1748 by the Royal | | | | Today the breed is continuing to increase in numbers |
| House of Braganza (the dynasty that ruled Portugal at | | | | and although there are not a lot of them the future of |
| the time) in Villa do Portel. Several years into the | | | | the breed appears secure. |