Origin
Italy
History
Information about the origin of the Sanfratello breed is vague. Local traditions claims that the Sanfratello horse is a descendant of the work and war horses of the Lombards who arrived in the 11th century to Sicily.
The Sanfratello is usually identified as a local breed with Thoroughbred and Oriental bloodlines, related to the local Italian breeds known as Sardinian, Murgese and Sicilian.
The Sanfratello lives in the Ebrodi hills in the province of Messina, leading a wandering life, encountering every climatic and nutritional difficulty without artificial shelter. Natural selection over the centuries has developed in the breed characteristics of strength, endurance and rusticity.
There are only a few hundred Sanfratellani in Sicily. The herdbook, a kind of breeders' census, has only been kept since 1990, when the Italian government's horse breeding association took an active interest in preserving this unique breed. Worldwide, there are estimated to be fewer than 800 Sanfratellani living today.
Description
- Head:
slightly heavy with an almost straight profile - Conformation:
-neck, slightly short, generally straight and crested
-shoulder, muscular with good slope
-thorax, generally large, deep
-withers, well formed and well attached to the shoulder
-back of medium length
-croup, large, muscular, sloped
-legs, well muscled, strong with clearly visible tendons, the fetlocks having some hair
-hooves, strong and solid - Average height:
15 to 16 h.h. - Colour:
bay or dark brown with various shades - Temperament:
it has a strong personality - Today:
the Sanfratello is considered a valuable new export for sporting purposes. Breeders have improved the breedīs characteristics over the decades through crossbreeding with Thorougbred and Arabian stallions. Athletic and strong, the Sanfratello is best adapted for difficult cross-country riding.
