What is a Spanish Barb?

To best understand the Spanish Barb it is best to have a good understanding of the breed history and the breed standards. The history of the breed is described here and the breed standards are listed next.

Breed Fact Sheet

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Breed Standards

The breed standard for the Spanish Barb horse is a criterion which the individuals of the breed are judged. The standard also serves as a basis of comparison by which horses are measured either for acceptance, placement, or rejection, in relation to being numbered within the registry. Every aspect of the breed standard has been designed to promote the IDEAL for the breed, an ideal by which the goal of complete restoration in quality and excellence is attained.

The overall appearance of the Spanish barb is one of balance and smoothness with depth of neck and body, roundness of hip, short, clean legs and a well-set, distinctively refined head.

Standard height of the Spanish Barb is 13.3 to 14.3 hands. A few individuals may mature slightly under or over but will not represent the norm.

Colors

Head

Ears

Eyes

All colors are found within the breed:

Dun / Grulla
Chestnut
Back
Bay
Roan
Palomino
Buckskin
Gray
Brown
Pinto (both overo and tobiano)
Other color variants

The head is distinctively Spanish in type.

Lean, refined and well formed
Averaging 19-22 inches from the poll to an imaginary line across the top of the nostrils

With a broad flat forehead

Profile is straight or slightly convex.

Short to medium, curved inward and slightly back at the tips
Measuring from 5 to 5 1/2 inches in stallions and 1 inch longer in mares

Set well forward on the head
Primarily brown
Blue eyes occur occasionally
Prominent bone structure above the eye is characteristic

Muzzle	Chest	Shoulders
Refined Short and tapered Set off by a shallow mouth Firm lips, Nostrils are crescent shaped Ample size for air intake when enlarged during exertion	Strong, medium in width Sufficiently muscled inside the forearm to form an arch Ribs are well-sprung, never slab-sided Heart girth is deep, varying from 67 to 74 inches in circumference, depending on the height and overall size of the horse	Well-angled In balance with the back and heart girth.

Back	Legs	Hindquarters
In proportion to the length of the shoulder, forelegs and depth of girth Loin is short, straight, strong and full Croup is round and sufficiently full in width and length to be in balance with the body	Straight, strong, well formed Long muscling in the forearms and thighs Short, clean cannons and the bone is dense Circumference of the front cannons average 7 1/2 to 7 7/8 inches In the summer feathering is either lacking or curled tightly against the lower leg Joints are well developed, strong and free of excess flesh Chestnuts on the front legs should be small, smooth and non-protruding Chestnuts, when they appear on the hind legs, should be extremely small and flush with the leg Ergots are either lacking, very small, or appear as a callous Pasterns are strong, medium in length, slope and have good flexibility which contributes to the smoothness of the gaits Hooves are ample, well shaped, with an excellent frog formation and thick walls which are extremely hard	Not heavily muscled Flank is deep Tail set is medium to low

Under normal conditions the mane, forelock and tail are quite long and full. An exceptionally full mane will sometimes fall naturally on both sides of the neck. The classical style characteristic to the Spanish Barb and all Iberian/Barb descended breeds is displayed by their natural carriage, action, intelligence and temperament under saddle. These somewhat elusive traits remain an important part of their heritage and appeal and are basic to the successful restoration of the breed.