Spanish Trotter

The Spanish Trotter,,, is the national breed of trotting horse of Spain. It is reared almost exclusively in the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean, predominantly in the island of Mallorca, but also in Menorca and Ibiza.

History

s were held in the Balearic Islands from the latter part of the nineteenth century. Trotting horses were bred by putting local Mallorquín and Menorquín mares to imported stallions, usually of French Trotter or Orlov Trotter origin. Some Anglo-Norman mares and stallions were imported from France in about 1920. Breeding is now usually by artificial insemination with semen from French Trotter or American Standardbred stallions.
A breeders' association, the i=no, was formed in 1970. A stud-book was started in 1980, and an official breed standard was approved in 2011 by the Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Medio [Rural y Marino], as the Spanish ministry of agriculture was then called.
In 2005 there were approximately horses recorded in the stud-book. In 2023 the total number of the horses in Spain was, including brood-mares and 129 stallions; of this total, or 93% were in the Balearic Islands. About 85% of all Spanish Trotters are in Mallorca.
Genetic study has found little recent influence of the Mallorquín and Menorquín on the Spanish Trotter,.despite their contribution to its early development.

Characteristics

The horses are usually chestnut; they may also be bay or roan, or – more rarely – black or grey. Average height at the withers is about for mares and for stallions and geldings.

Use

The Spanish Trotter is bred only for competitive performance in trotting races. There are three hippodromes in the islands. Races are almost invariably in harness to a sulky, with the horse performing an ordinary diagonal trot; occasionally the horses may instead be raced under saddle. The fastest time recorded for the breed over 1 kilometre is 69.15 seconds. The horses are obedient and manageable, and are also suitable for recreational riding.