with a straight or slightly convex profile, a broad forehead, and sometimes a prominent jaw. The neck is sturdy and broad at the base, the withers pronounced, the chest well-developed, and the shoulders sloping. The croup is long and broad and can be either flat or sloping. The legs are strong with large joints. The hooves are black and extremely hard, a feature for which the breed is famous. Stallions are rarely gelded, since they are very docile and can be ridden without problems. They are quite similar to the Friesian horse or to modern breeds such as the Warlander, Georgian Grande Horse, or the Spanish-Norman horse . Uses Murgese horses are generally used for trekking and cross-country riding, although they have also traditionally been used for farm work and light draft work. They are still popular on small farms where they are sought for their multi-purpose usefulness. The ancestors of the Murgese influenced the Lipizzaner, through the stallions Neapolitano and Conversano (two founding stallions of the Lipizzaner breed), and many were exported to Spain and to Northern Europe where they influenced the development of breeds such as Frederiksborg horse and Kladruber. References External links Cavallo delle Murge Genetic study of Murgese horse from genealogical data and microsatellites - Inbreeding Study Horse breeds Horse breeds originating in Italy