Campolina Facts - The Fairytale Horse From Brazil

Aug 27, 2025

The Campolina Horse is a distinctive-looking horse breed, characterized by its large, unusual head and regal body. The breed almost resembles an Andalusian horse, with a large nose.

The founder of the Campolina breed named the breed after his name: Cassiano Campolina.

The Campolina horse breed is one of the few horse breeds in the world whose origins are so well-documented that you can trace the names of the stallions all the way back to those that formed the first official offspring of the breed.

Mr Campolina started the breeding program on his farm, Fazenda Tanque, in Entre Rios de Minas in 1857. But the real breakthrough didn't come until 1870 when a friend gifted him a black mare in 1870. The black mare was a Brazilian-born Berber horse which he crossed with a pure Andalusian stallion. The gray colt that resulted from this breeding is known as the foundation stallion for the breed as it was used as the breeding stallion for the next 25 years. Mr Campolina was passionate about perfecting the breed and believed that the , genetic improvement would increase with the introduction of outside breeds. Therefore, other breeds such as the Anglo-Normand Breed, American Saddle horse, Clydesdale horse, and Holsteiners were introduced to the herd. The Mangalarga Marchador breed was eventually introduced too to make the breed more elegant.

9 Facts (You Didn't Know) About The Campolina Horse Breed

Gaited Horse Breed
The Campolina breed has a fourth ambling gait, which makes it very suitable for trail riding with its great stamina and comfortable, smooth gait.
Odd-Shaped Head with a Roman Nose
Campolina horses have a big head with flat forehead and a large nose with a convex profile. Also known as the Roman nose horse breed.
From Brazil
The Campolina Horse Breed was founded in Brazil, where it is the most known and popular today. It is one of the larger brazilian breeds and its popularity is increasing every year.
Traditional colors
The breed can be found in any color with face, leg, and primitive markings with zebra stripes, a dorsal stripe, or a shoulder stripe.
Long Ears
The campolina breed features long, expressive donkey-like ears
Sweet Nature
The Campolina horse breed has a good temperament with a willing energy to work and learn. They are therefore perfect family horses and very suitable for both leisure riding and as a show horse.
The Campolina Breed Standard was not created until after the founder's death.
Mr Campolina didn't get to experience the creation of the Campolina breed standard, which happened when the herdbook was closed in 1934, many years after his death. The Campolina Breeders Association was formed in 1938 and its popularity in Brazil has only increased every year.
Campolina and Appaloosa horses are often mistaken
People often mistake the Campolina and the gaited appaloosa horse (walkaloosa) as the same horse breed, as they are both relatively small, strong-legged, gaited horse breeds resembling the Andalusian. However, they are completely different breeds and do not have the same origins, even though they have similarities.