Portugal has started in XII century in a time when the horses were playing a major role in the battles through its use in two ways (Ferreira, 2001):

-"Gineta" where the rider fought throwing the javelin and then turning and running and hand-to-hand combat with a sabre or a lance and shield (Graciosa, 2004). The horse needed to be fast and agile and not necessarily very big;

-"Brida", brought by the northern European warriors, where the rider had a thick heavy armour and a long lance and would make use of his horse chock power to invest. In this case a big horse would be beneficial.

Later with the development of fire weapons a new way of riding was necessary where again the importance was a fast and agile horse.

The King D. João V (married with D. Maria, from Austria and great admirer of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna) started a Stud at Alter Real where a horse which matches the standards of the Lusitano breed has been bred since 1748. The mares and stallions for the establishment of the Alter Real Stud farm were bought in Spain. The stallions from Alter Real Stud farm were used at the "Picaria Real" which was the established school of Equestrian Art. The son of King D. João V, King José, made the Alter Real Stud farm and the Picaria Real to thrive (Graciosa, 2004).  In the XIX the Picaria Real was closed down and in the XX century it was re-started again under the name Escola Portuguesa de Arte Equestre (Portuguese School of Equestrian Art) .

King D. José riding his Alter Real horse "Gentil"

King D. João I

In 1885, Bernardo Lima, in his book about the Portuguese horse breeds as used the term Lusitano for horses born and bred in Portugal. In, 1889 was created the Portuguese Stud Book. In 1942, the veterinarians from the National Stud decided to use the name Lusitano for horses born in Portugal and with characteristics that allowed them to be inscribed on the Portuguese Stud Book.  The Lusitano breed has started officially just in 1967.

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