The Mangalarga Marchador

Considered the National Horse of Brazil, the Mangalarga Marchador is descended from the Royal Alter stallions of King D. João VI of Portugal, whose family fled to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil in 1807 when Napolean’s armies threatened Portugal. These royal stallions, most notably a stallion named Sublime, were bred with Barb mares and the breed has remained in a pure form for almost 200 years.

The first foals produced from this cross were called Sublime horses. The name Mangalarga comes from the Hacienda Mangalarga, a breeding farm which promoted the horse to local Brazilian ranchers. The horses’ smooth gait, the marcha, resulted in the second part of the name, the Mangalarga Marchador.

The Mangalarga Marchador is very versatile and can be found working on ranches, jumping, playing polo, endurance racing and trail riding. In 1994, two 60-year-old Brazilian men completed an 8,694-mile trail ride to prove how tough the Mangalarga Marchador was. For a year and a half they rode all day and rested at night, making it into The Guiness Book of World Records.

The Associaçáo Brasileira dos Criadores do Cavalo Mangalarga Marchador (ABCCMM) holds annual tests and competitions where conformatiom, gait and performance are judged. Gait classes are long and difficult. Performance tests include reining, cross-country and endurance tests over distances from 32 to 62 miles.

The Mangalarga Marchador ranges in size from 15 to 17 hands, with horses smaller than 14.2 not being accepted for registration.

The Mangalarga Marchador gained popularity all over the world, finally arriving in the United States in 1991. Grays, bays and chestnuts are the most common colours, but they can also be found in black, palomino, paint and grulla. The coat is fine and silky and the mane and tail are full. Their heads are well-shaped, typical of many Spanish breeds. But perhaps their best features are their smooth gaits at any speed, their kind nature and extreme intelligence.

The Mangalarga Marchador has two special gaits – the marcha picada and the marcha batida. The marcha picada is a broken four-beat pace, very smooth and with very little up-and-down movement. The marcha batida is a smooth broken trot, where one leg is always in contact with the ground.

For more information about this breed, contact:

The Mangalarga Marchador Horse

Association of America

4903 Dorr St., Toledo, Ohio 43615

866-MARCHADOR