Corte wrote in 1562: "in Italy the horses of the Kingdom of Naples are greatly esteemed; [there] many fine coursers are born ... suitable for use in war and in the manège and for every service that the rider may require".
[1] Some sources state that by 1950,[4] the original Neapolitan horse was deemed extinct, but its lines were incorporated into other breeds, most notably the Lipizzaner.
His limbs are strong, and well knit together; his pace is lofty, and he is very docile for the performance of any exercise, but a nice eye may discover that his legs are something too small, which seems to be his only imperfection.
At the beginning of this time, the horses were likely small, coarse, and heavy, suitable for carrying heavily armored warriors.
The body was deep and broad, but short-backed, with wide round hindquarters and a crested, powerful neck set on high.
[8] La Repubblica reports that the attempt is based on a single stallion, Neapolitano "Il Vecchio", which belonged as a foal to Marshal Tito and passed when old to a Serbian farmer, from whom it was purchased and imported to Italy in 1989.
[9] The Napoletano as it is known today is one of the 15 indigenous horse "breeds of limited distribution" currently recognised by the AIA, the Italian breeders' association,[10] under the terms of ministerial decree D.M.
[1] According to the breed standard,[12] the Napoletano may be bay, black, "burnt chestnut" or grey, and must stand at least 150 cm (14.3 hands) (59 in) at the withers.
The head is "proud and square", the forehead broad, the eyes large, the profile straight becoming convex over the nose, the nostrils flattened, and the ears small.
"[12] 1989 – The stallion Neapolitano "Il Vecchio", which belonged as a foal to Marshal Tito is imported to Italy,[9] with the hopes of rebuilding the Napolitano breed.
Dove nascono corsieri bellissimi, & bonissimi ginetti, & infiniti cavalli da due selle, li quali tutti sono assai belli, & boni per l'uso della guerra, & dei maneggi, et d'ogni servitio, che à cavalliero convenga"