Sanfratellano

The Sanfratellano or Razza di San Fratello is an Italian breed of riding horse. It originates in the comune of San Fratello, in the Nebrodi Mountains in the province of Messina in north-eastern Sicily. It is one of three Sicilian breeds or types, the others being the Purosangue Orientale and the Siciliano Indigeno.

History
The history of Sicily over the three millennia preceding the Unification of Italy in 1861 is one of repeated conquest and strife, with many different peoples and powers achieving total or partial dominance over the island for a time. These have included the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Ostrogoths, Byzantines, Muslim North Africans, Lombards, Normans, Swabians, Angevins, Aragonese, Spanish and Bourbons. It is likely that many of these invaders brought horses with them – from the Middle East, from North Africa, from the Iberian peninsula and from Northern Europe. The Muslims who were present in the island from 827 to 1091 brought very large numbers of horses of Oriental type, while the Lombards brought heavy war-horses. The San Fratellano is named for, and is believed to have originated in, the comune of San Fratello, in the Nebrodi Mountains in the province of Messina in north-eastern Sicily. The town is believed to have been founded by the Lombards in the eleventh century; a Gallo-Italic dialect with Lombard influences is still spoken there.

The modern history of the Sanfratellano began in 1864 with the establishment of a Deposito Stallone or military stud at Catania; this later became an Istituto di Incremento Ippico or horse-breeding institute. Specialised studs were established in 1925, but all breeding records for this period are lost. Shortly after this date, records show Oriental and English stallions in use to increase the size of local stock; substantial use was later made of Maremmano stallions. Five Nonius stallions were imported from Hungary in 1959, and remained in use for ten years. Further use was then made of Maremmano stallions, some of which were by this time significantly influenced by cross-breeding with Thoroughbred stock.

The Sanfratellano is bred principally in the Parco dei Nebrodi, not only in the comune of San Fratello but also in Alcara Li Fusi, Capizzi, Caronia, Castell'Umberto, Cesarò, Floresta, Galati Mamertino, Longi, Militello Rosmarino, Tortorici and Ucria. Its conservation status was listed by the FAO in 2007 as 'endangered'; in 2024 it was listed in DAD-IS as 'at risk/endangered'. A breed census in 2022 found the population to be 'stable' at 1494 head, including 973 brood mares and 260 stallions.

Use
The Sanfratellano is used as a riding horse, as a harness horse, for agricultural work, for meat and for the production of mules. Approximately half of all Italian mules are bred in Sicily.