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The horses of this relatively new breed from Mexico are sure-footed and have a particular feel for cattle herds.
Breed:
Azteca horse
Group:
cold-blooded horse
Height at the withers:
140 - 155 cm
Appearance:
medium-long, elegant head with a straight profile, wide forehead and expressive eyes, well-positioned, medium-long neck, wide chest and good belt position, short and wide back, well-proportioned physique
Colour of coat:
all colours except dappled horses, often brown
Character:
friendly, calm, eager to work
Gait:
sure-footed, expansive, fast
Origin:
Mexico
Prevalence:
Mexico; rare in the rest of the world so far
Suited for:
recreational riding, equitation, trick riding
Did you know? The Azteca horse breed is named after the influential Azteca people who settled in Central America, in the Mexican valley, between 1320 and 1520. Although the Aztecs were overthrown by the Spanish conquerors, their culture still has a great impact on Mexicans today.
Azteca horses originate from Mexico
The Azteca horse breed is still a very young breeding line from Mexico that started in the 1970s and was eventually recognised as an independent breed. The goal was to create a powerful Mexican national horse breed that is sturdy and fast, and that can be put to work on the haciendas. For this purpose, the elegant Spanish horse breeds Pura Raza Española and Andalusian horses were crossbred with powerful, low-maintenance Quarter Horses. The first generation that emerged was then paired with horses from one of the two breeds. In addition, Criollo mares were also crossbred – however, no more than a quarter of the Azteca horse’s blood may come from the Criollo bloodline. Criollo horses are crossbreed horses from South America that are among the world’s toughest and most resistant breeds. Due to their highly robust nature, they are used for breeding Azteca horses. And just like Quarter Horses, Criollo horses also have a well-developed “cow sense”. This means they have a particular feel for the cattle, and they are able to separate individual animals from the heard without a lot of guidance by their riders. Thanks to these characteristics, Criollo horses are the ideal working horses for the South American environment. They have been used for cattle herding on the ranches for a very long time. And since they originate from two breeds with a “cow sense”, Azteca horses also inherited this particular skill, which makes them perfect for working with cattle herds. However, the new Mexican horse breed was not only meant for work purposes. They were also meant to be reliable partners as sport horses and for recreational riding. As we can see, the breeders did an excellent job.
Azteca horses are known to be particularly sturdy
Azteca horses are sure-footed with fast, expansive movements and a well-balanced nature. They combine the strengths of very special horse breeds: The Iberian horses’ graceful appearance and talent for dressage, the Quarter Horses’ strength, agility and calm nature, and the Criollo horse’ tough and sturdy nature. This makes the Azteca horse a reliable and versatile riding horse. Horses of this breed are very eager to work, and they are easy to guide. Azteca horses have a harmonious, rather square body shape with a strong neck, muscular shoulders and hard hooves. Typically, this horse breed has small ears. All in all, Azteca horses can be used for many different disciplines and situations. As an example, stunt and trick riders are becoming increasingly interested in this breed. However, Azteca horses are not yet independently bred in Europe.