CELTIBERIA

Once upon a time, there was a kingdom.........the so called, Iberian Peninsula, had on it's west side, by the Atlantic, a piece of land where all the rivers from Europe, would flow into the sea, and where everything was greener and full of life.

They called this far west corner of Europe, the "Lusitania". The wildlife in this kingdom, was very unique, especially between the river "Mondego", up North, and the river "Guadiana", down South, and then into the "Sorraia Valley".

In these valleys, there was a specie of wild bull, that they called the "Auroque", they were known for their bravery, but also for their nobleness. These bulls would attack anyone in their way..........

They were not just a bull. They had the looks of a Purebred, shiny skin, very sensitive, and strong balanced bodies. They could chase everything, with no fear, for several miles.

But there was also a horse. "The Sorraia", a Pre-Historic kind. They were little light horses, that could move incredibly fast, in just a few feet of ground. But they were also hard to teach. Fact that was related with their rudeness of mind, caused by their primitive background.

There was another kingdom in the Northwest of Europe. These islands were what we call nowadays, Ireland and Scotland. From there the Celtic tribes were exploring new worlds, and they came down and penetrated in the Iberian Peninsula...........

There they founded a tribe, the Iberos, that soon, together, would create the greatest warriors on Horseback of all times, "The Celtiberios".............

At the time before Christ, Moorish tribes were penetrating from North Africa, into the South of Iberia, and soon they had all the Peninsula in their hands, but a little part up North resisted!! Why?

There they were! The great "Celtiberios".........And so they kept, that piece of land, for a long period, even with the Moorish tribes constantly flogging the border lines.

In some of those battles, many horses from the enemy, would end up in their hands. And so a new breed was found......

Off their "Sorraias" and off the Barbs and Arabians, that the enemy brought from North Africa, they improved a horse that was already fast and brave, adding the refined lines, endurance, power and above all, the Nobleness of the Arabian Horse........This horse was soon called the "Lusitano" from "Lusitania"............

And so, they began to work this improved horse, like they always did, except that now they could finally see, all the centuries of battles and training techniques, applied to the right kind of Horse. By using the wild bulls as enemies, they would fight them on horseback, training the Horse, with an incredible mobility, how to move forward, sideways and backwards, anytime it was asked, at any speed, and the most important being in a situation of constant danger, those horses would always keep the nobleness of heart, bravery, kindness, beauty, and a lot more............

It's impossible to describe, in these few lines, such greatness when both breeds combine..........

These kind of warriors, were like Centaurs, they would wear light armor and shields, carry swords, and lances with a brittle end that would break and stay in the enemy's body, and also some throwable weapons.

When the first King of "Lusitania" was crowned (Don. Afonso Henriques), they started to reconquer the land back........

They would break, at the same time, the enemy's lines in different places, and cause the surprise effect. Attacking, not at full gallop, like was in use all over Europe, but with a gallop "Dirt to Dirt", perfectly under the rider's control, that would make the way around the enemy, easier and efficacious.

Note, that in these battles, the disproportion, between the Celtiberios and the Moorish soldiers, was 100 Moorish fighters for 2 Celtiberios.

And so, soon they had all the West side of the Peninsula, under their control again.

Some of the Moorish people, that was living in the Peninsula, never left, and they were accepted and assimilated, but the Celtiberios culture. And obviously, like the Horse, a new breed was added to the Celtiberios blood, and the Nation of "Portucalle" was found..........."Portucalle" that later they called, "Portugal".

The first Lusitanos ever bred, were also called the "Sons of the Wind".............

The son of the South wind, was the Arabian, that together with the North winds son, the "Sorraia", would creat the wonderful Horse.........

Many people believe, that in these battles, the wind would blow from North and South at the same time, putting together, two breeds and cultures, that would later create the oldest borderlines in Europe, Portugal..........

None of these events would have been possible, without the greatness and nobleness of this incredible animal, "The Horse".........

We owe to the horses, something that we can never pay back. An old saying says "That once your blood gets mixed with the Horses, an eternal alliance is found".............

In the reconquest of "Lusitana", from North to South, many battles were fought, but now with a Horse, that could give them more land.

And so, they penetrated into the Moorish territory, in North Africa.

Between all the battles fought in their own territory, since the reconquest started, the Celtiberios never lost a battle, until that day...

By the time King Sebastian was in the throne, and what a brave soldier he was! With just 17 years of age, he decided to move further into the enemy's territory.

With a cavalry of 7,000 men, King Sebastian moved into the desert sands of North Africa, where they were surprised by a 41,000 Moorish cavalry. They were not surprised, with the numbers, because they always fought with disproportion's, but they were amazed, how those horses of the desert could move in those deep sands. They were not trained like the Lusitanos, but they would gallop over the sands, with such lightness, that it looked like someone that walks over water. The trained Lusitano was not able to gallop "Dirt to Dirt" in such deep sands.

These facts were described, by some terrified soldiers on foot, that got away. Like a Sandstorm, all the Celtiberios were killed in the battle field, including King Sebastian. No one ever saw him again.....the young King fought with an immovable faith..They called this battle, "Alcacer Quibir", a war lesson.........

This was just a short and fast, but true story of the beginning of Portugal, but it's also the beginning of an amazing Horse,
"The Lusitano"........

Personally, I think, this story is enough to justify, to those more sensitive, the Art of Fighting Bulls on Horseback in Portugal. Not just because the bull is not killed, but also as an Art, where you can still see, the true spirit of cavalry.......

To finish, we have to honor, and thank for all our victories, to the Father of All Breeds, the

"ARABIAN HORSE"

written by Joao SerraCoelho
a Cavelleiro of Portugal