Bragado do Sorraia
(local/other name)

(most common name):
• Mertolenga
(local/other name):
• Charnequeira

The Bragado do Sorraia is a local name used as recently as 2002 for the most numerous color variety of the Mertolenga.

The Bragado do Sorraia originated in the Tagus (Tejo in Portuguese) and Sado river basins. The Sorraia River is between the Tagus and Sado rivers and its mouth flows into the nature reserve Reserva Natural do Estuário do Tejo.

Bragado (‘gritty’ in English) refers to the coat color which leans towards a red roan with spots on the inside of the legs. Its synonym, Charnequeira, is derived from charneca (‘heath’ in English). This variety’s coat color can alter dramatically from birth to adult.

There is also a rare horse breed in Portugal named simply ‘Sorraia’.

This page was last updated on: 2023-05-15

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