Many of brazilian horses are of mixed origin and often used in cattle-ranching. But brazilians also breed and enjoy riding quality horses in disciplines that range from classical dressage to horseback archery.

Apart from popular imported breeds such as Quarterhorses, Lusitano and Arabs, Brazil also values its national breeds: the Mangalarga Marchador, the Mangalarga Paulista, the Campolino, the Crioulo and the Brazilian Sports Horse (BH).

The Mangalarga Marchador (MM) is seen as Brazil's national horse: more than 350.000 have been registered. The MMs descend from Iberian horses and have been bred since the early 19th century. They are known for their versatility, friendly temperament and hardiness. As gaited horses they give you a very smooth ride and they are of course ideal for trail riding and cattle drives.

The Crioulo or Criollo of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay is the horse of the "gauchos" and famed for its stamina and hardiness. Crioulos are small, squarely built and agile horses with good acceleration, which is why they are used for polo (today often cross-bred with thoroughbreds for even greater speeds).

And then there are the wild naturalized breeds. These are the descendents of Iberian horses, who escaped in colonial times and adapted to life in remote regions. The "pantaneiro" horse can be found on the floodplains of the Pantanal. In the savannas between the Amazon Delta and the Tepuis, in the state of Roraima, the "lavradeiro" horse roams. On the Ilha de Marajó island, an island the size size of Switzerland) in the mouth of the Amazon, there are two small breeds the "marajoara" and the "puruca" (which is of part Shetland parentage).

But of course there is more to do on horseback than just riding on trails. There are several excellent stud farms and schools for clinics in dressage and show jumping, you can find out about working equitation or even learn horseback archery, a skill that goes back to the original centaurs of the Asian steppes.

Text by Ariane Janér