History
Additional information about the history: a young and majestic breed, rich in traditions.
The Menorquina breed or “Pura Raza Menorquina” (P.R.M.) is a relatively young breed because it was just recognized officially as its own breed in 1987. After a field study completed by one of the most prestigious zoologist in Spain, Dr. Antonio Sánchez Belda, it was concluded that the “Menorca” horse met all the requirements to be included, registered and recognized as its own breed.
Despite the recognition in 1987, the Menorquina horse, sometimes also called “Menorquín”, already existed many centuries ago in Menorca. It was confirmed by Cayo Plinio II in his writings about Nature & History of the year 77 AD, that Menorca distinguished itself for having good livestock breeding. Menorca has always been considered a horse-island. The main role of the Menorquina horse in religious and knightly natured festivals, which for us as Menorcans, have been passed down from generation to generation, explains the very existence of the Menorquina horse as it is.
People connected with the rural life (read farm life) of Menorca have always been aware of the existence of an inborn breed called the “Menorca” breed. They knew exactly which horses were known as “Menorcas” and those that were not, without the need for any document or paper to prove otherwise. In those times, words had as much value as a document.
Therefore, we must search the history of Menorca in order learn more about this breed. Menorca is an island and with it’s strategic location in the Mediterranean Sea, has provided a communication of different cultures. This indicates that the Menorquina horse has been influenced by the several different cultures that established themselves in Menorca through past centuries, even if only very briefly, contributing to the creation of the current breed. Based on this theory, a comparative study of the Menorquina breed and three other breeds that arrived in Menorca over the past centuries. It is based on the Arab full-blood, the English full-blood and the Pura Raza Español or the Andalusiër. The conclusion of this study showed that the genes of these three majestic breeds are all present in the current “Menorca” horse to some extent. Would you like to receive detailed and technical information about this study? The minorcan horse breed: blood groups and biochemical polymorphism
