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The distinctive Menorcan horse is the pride of the island's many festivals, and is adept at bucking up and walking on its hind legs. Festivals commence with riders clad in traditional garb, bucking their horses, surrounded by thrilled crowds.

The Menorcan breed of horse plays a huge part in festivals on the island, and has been carefully bred for a particularly elegant shape and distinctive black color. It's a popular and respected breed internationally, and has been officially recognized as an indigenous breed since 1989.

Recent research on this breed has shown it may be of Berber origin and is one of the few totally black horses preserved in Europe. This horse is said to have never seen the likes of fieldwork, which was left traditionally for donkeys, a point which is said to have influenced its shape and elegant look. (Excerpted from: http://www.iknow-majorca.co.uk/)

The Mallorquina and Menorquina breeds are two endangered horse populations included in the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) list of domestic animals to be protected FAO, http://dad.fao.org/es/home.htm.