Lisa D’haenens

“Our journey into Lusitano breeding started with a single ride.”

In Belgium, Lisa D’haenens and her partner Koen Mertens are building a small but passionate Lusitano breeding project, MD Lusitano’s.  Their story with the breed started not through breeding, but through a simple riding experience that left a lasting impression.

“I once followed a Working Equitation clinic where I had the opportunity to ride a Lusitano mare,” Lisa explains. “Compared to the warmblood horses I was used to riding, it was such a special experience that I decided I wanted a Lusitano for myself.”

That first encounter with the breed quickly turned into something much bigger. “From that moment on the ball started rolling,” she says. What began with one horse gradually developed into a small breeding project. Today the couple owns several Lusitanos and is taking their first steps as breeders. “This year we had our first homebred Lusitano foal,” Lisa explains. “And next year we expect three more foals.”

Although their breeding program is still young, their enthusiasm for the breed is clear. “This will be our second year as breeders,” she says. In total the couple currently has seven Lusitano horses, combining both breeding horses and riding horses. Alongside their breeding plans, Lisa also focuses on riding and developing her own horses. “I have a mare who is now sixteen years old and that I have been riding for some time,” she explains.

This year she also purchased a young gelding with the ambition of competing in sport. “I bought a four‑year‑old gelding that I hope to start competing with next year,” she says. The choice of this horse was made very deliberately. “Because I want to use my mare for breeding, I was looking for another horse to ride myself,” Lisa explains. “Preferably a gelding, because they are often a bit more stable, especially during the competition season.” Her priorities when selecting the horse were clear. “I was looking for a fairly big horse with a very good character and three good basic gaits.” The horse she eventually selected carries the Figueiras bloodlines.

“The sire of my horse is Xacal das Figueiras,” she explains. For Lisa, the next step is to gain experience with the horse in sport. “Next year I would like to start competing in dressage and also ride Working Equitation competitions,” she says.

With their first foals on the ground and new plans for the future, Lisa and Coen are still at the beginning of their journey with the Lusitano breed. But their story shows how quickly a single riding experience can grow into a true passion for the Lusitano horse.