The Siciliano Indigeno or Cavallo Siciliano is an Italian breed of light riding horse native to the Mediterranean island of Sicily in southern Italy. It results from the admixture of Oriental and African Horses, with the contribution of African Horses being the greatest. Spanish and Norman horses also contributed to the formation of the Breed.[citation needed] It is one of three Sicilian horse breeds, the others being the Purosangue Orientale and the Sanfratellano.

Height at the withers : Stallions: 155-160 cm Mares: 153-158 cm Chest Circumference Stallions: 178-185 cm Mares: 175-187 cm Cannon bone circumference 18-21 cm

The horse is well represented with perhaps 8,000 specimens living in Sicily today. The Siciliano Indigeno is also being used by mounted regiments of the Carabinieri police force, as it is an ideal cavalry horse.[1] The Sicilian horse was considered to be one of the best cavalry horses during the period of the Great Italian Wars and was praised in the treatise "Il Cavallarizzo" written by Claudio Corte in 1562 a few years after the end of the Great Italian wars.[2] The breeding association has declared that only horses born in Sicily will be considered for registration as “Siciliano Indigeno”. This policy virtually guarantees that the horse will not become of International or even national significance, as it will be impossible to breed outside of Sicily. This is perceived by the breed's admirers as an unfortunate decision, because the animals are considered beautiful and useful. [3]

References

  1. ^ Sicilian horses used by Mounted Carabinieri Regiments
  2. ^ "A ancient horsemanship Italian book. Original title: Il Cavallarizzo di Messer Claudio Corte di Pavia, nel quale si tratta della natura de' Cavalli del modo di domargli, e frenarli, e di tutto quello, che à Cavalli, e à buon Cavalerizzo s'appartiene". 1562.
  3. ^ Gianni Ravazzi, L'encyclopédie des chevaux de race, De Vecchi, Bergame, Italie, 2002, 70 p. (ISBN 2-7328-8417-0)