Garrano, Portugal’s noble horse

This indigenous breed from the Iberian Peninsula, akin to the Sorraia and Lusitano breeds, also known as Equus ferus caballus, a technical name derived from Latin, plays an important role in this region at the social and agricultural level. Meet this Portuguese noble horse.

An indecipherable silhouette approaches with grace from afar, on the horizon, like a mirage. Two animals with a familiar countenance bring a new day and invite us to explore a new biodiversity theme. Who are they? Arvak and Alsvid, horses from the Nordic mythology, pulling the sun’s chariot and lighting the way to our BIOgaleria: we give you the curious Portuguese Garrano horse.

We begin with this epic and mythical tale, thus setting the tone for the historical and fantastic world of horses and their central role in the social, structural, and technological evolution of humanity. This breed has played a prominent role in history, a beautiful figure, at times indomitable, whose existence will be duly acknowledged when the dust of its own history settles in. Portuguese at its core, the small Garrano, from the Latin Equus ferus caballus, shares, however, a Nordic origin.

The Garrano breed is also linked to other Iberian breeds, such as the Spanish Asturcón and Pottoka. These horses, with an average height of 1.30 m (reaching a maximum of 1.35 m), share many similarities with ponies. See, for example, the Celtic pony, another prominent Iberian breed.

The origin of the Garrano horse, like all horses, dates back millions of years. In 1867, fossils of Eohippus, a primitive ancestor of modern horses and more than 50 million years old, were discovered. The Equus ferus caballus comes from this lineage, a descendant of Celtic ponies brought to the north of the Iberian Peninsula almost three thousand years ago.

A horse-riding footprint

Garranos are small horses with thin heads, weighing about 290kg. Males reach up to 1.35 m and females about 1.28 m. Despite their small size, they have muscular bodies with strong croup and limbs. The coat is dark brown, with a dense black mane and tail. They are intelligent animals, with their hooves firmly on the ground, thanks to their robustness, but they also have a docile and lively trait, granting them great agility, and their paws are strong enough when stepping on any kind of boulder.

They have been there all along in the Iberian Northwest, especially in cold and humid mountain regions. It is believed that their origin is linked to the Gerês region and the Celts who introduced them to this territory.

Before the mechanisation of agriculture and the popularisation of motorised means of transportation, these horses were used in all kinds of agricultural work. The vast majority were used by rural communities for traction, transportation, and farming tasks. Over the centuries, the strong presence of Garranos in the mountains made them skilled mountaineers, able to transport people and goods safely over difficult and uneven terrain. Its resistance was legendary, and they have also been used by mule drivers (drivers of pack animals who crossed the land from the Middle Ages to the mid-twentieth century), covering about 200 kilometres in just over six hours.

The multiculturalism of the peoples who crossed this Iberian region on the edge of the Atlantic lies not in the humans alone. Horses, due to historical migrations, interbred and reproduced with other breeds brought in by different peoples like Romans, Arabs, and even Germans, as a result of Viking incursions in the Iberian Peninsula. Although the invasions of the Goths, Visigoths, Suevi, and Vandals occurred mostly on foot, contact with other cultures left subtle genetic marks. More importantly, it reinforced the symbolic role of horses in legends and myths.

Oddly enough, the greater the respect for an animal in a given culture, the greater its presence in the collective imagination. In the case of Garranos, this is reflected both in their functional importance and in their symbolic importance.

It is even believed that horses of Celtic origin contributed to the recovery of this breed during the Christian Reconquest and the foundation of Portugal. Like the Portuguese and the Spanish, Garranos are also the result of a rich mix of cultures and influences. This breed is considered today a cultural and genetic heritage.

Whistling love songs

Garranos usually reproduce between March and July, and deliveries occur in different types of habitats. The mares start breeding from the age of three, and the fourth year is considered the best year to deliver the first offspring. In general, they are very fertile until the age of twenty-one. Males follow a similar pattern and are fertile after the age of four and also until the age of twenty-one.

Gestation lasts about 350 days, and the minimum interval between births is one year. Interestingly, just nine days after giving birth, they go into heat again.

Horses, and by osmosis, Garranos, are often associated with a wild and adventurous image. This perception contrasts with the surprisingly stable and well-organised reality of their social structures.

There are three different types of groups,

• Harems: composed of a dominant male, one or more females, and their offspring.
• Multiple groups: formed by several males and females, with their foals.
• Singles groups: composed of young males who were expelled from the other groups by the dominant stallions. These are unstable and constantly moving groups.

Stallions have the function of protecting harems and multiple groups. However, contrary to what one might think, there is no patriarchal hierarchy. True leadership falls on a mare, guiding the group in the search for quality pastures and water. In dangerous situations, coordination among all is essential. The leading mare organises the defence against predators, placing itself and the others in a circle to protect the offspring. The heads are turned inwards, and the rattles are turned outwards. This defensive formation enabled them to effectively kick predators such as wolves, supporting stallions in protecting the group.

When the foals reach maturity, they are expelled by the stallions and join the groups of singles. These young males travel across several regions in search of newly expelled mares from their groups, thus establishing new social structures.

During the winter, Garranos take refuge in the sheltered valleys, and in the summer, they prefer the highest areas of the mountains, taking advantage of the heat and the pastures of the slopes.

Horses on the easel

One must know how to pose for history and become eternal for its elegance. Fortunately, Garranos have always been experts in this particular field. Several archaeological and historical sources point to the presence of this breed in the life of the Bronze Age and Iron Age peoples.

In the region of Viana do Castelo, there are several rock engravings of equines, representative of the true wild horses that were there in Portugal, Garrano ancestors. These engravings are mainly found in coastal or mountain areas, such as in the valleys of Âncora and Lima or Breia. However, the most famous representations are in the Côa Valley, a true sanctuary of prehistoric rock art.

Earth in sight

During the Portuguese Discoveries, Garranos crossed the Atlantic Ocean and whinnied at the sight of new lands.

They trotted across the American continent, helped in the creation of new cities and the development of several local economies, and introduced their genetic code there. We are faced with a horse breed used to treading new paths and looking for new leads in the horizon.

Did you know that…

• Strabo, a Greek geographer who lived in the 1st century BC, described the Iberian Peninsula as a true land of horses, full of several breeds, including the Garrano ancestors, the Celtic ponies.
• It is speculated that King Afonso Henriques and his army rode Garranos.
• The word “garrano” comes from “gher” meaning “small” thus leading to the word “guerran”, as these horses are called in Galician.