Iberian Warhorses

Timeline

1. c. 700–1492Jerez–Córdoba stables · AndalusiaUnder Moorish rule, Iberian horses absorbed Arab and Berber bloodlines, forming light warhorses suited to mounted archery and charges; the royal stables of Castile and Portugal further standardized riding and breeding systems in the 15th century.
2. 1493–1580Mexican Plateau · MexicoConquerors such as Cortés brought Iberian warhorses to the New World, where they bred wild in Mexico and the Río de la Plata grasslands; by 1580, American cavalry were commonly using Iberian-bred horses for patrols, campaigns, and postal relay.
3. 1580–1590Flanders and Portugal · Western EuropeAfter the Iberian Union of 1580, Iberian warhorses were exported via Lisbon's stables to Flanders and Italian battlefields; meanwhile, cavalry units in the Philippines and American colonies relied on Iberian horse supply, making the warhorse a key species in the military logistics of a global empire.