Andalusian's as eventers?

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Kelpie

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I love Andalusian's but have never seen any at any ODE's....... has anybody else?

or Fresians for that matter?

Once you get to a certian level, it seems to be the TB's and the TB X's that dominate eventing but does this mean that other breeds do have a point beyond which they cannot go?
 
TBH I haven't seen many even show jumping here - they like the warmbloods, PREs tend to be for dressage and Doma Vaquera. Eventing doesn't see to be a hugely popular discipline here.

The only thing I can comment on - and I'm sure someone will come along with better/contradicting info - is that conformation wise they have quite long sloping pasterns and can be long in the back, which makes them very comfortable to do groundwork on but they tend not to be used for jumping. It's not what they were bred for.
 
Jesters quest is half andulsian, I think he has a number of brothers /sisters competing at a good level in eventing throughout europe as well.

I'm sure that there must be loads more in Spain/Europe
 
i think partbreds would be ok, same as any other breed.

however, i think purebreds would struggle at the higher levels with the galloping and possibly with the big spreads as they tend to have a very expressive 'up' canter, not a long galloping stride.
 
Jesters Quest is actually part lusitano.

I'd happily event a part bred andy or luso but you'd struggle to find a pure bred suitable for the job. They can often jump very well.
 
i agree with TheMule, i'd happily event a part-bred (crossed with tb, arab, or trak - something with lots of 'blood') but a pure bred is the wrong sort of shape and musculature to cope with galloping and jumping at speed for 6 mins +, surely? however, at the lower levels, i'm sure a purebred could do well.
 
from a lower level point of view
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I have seen a couple unaff. Both had cracking jumps but a slighly individual style, both seemed to jump from quite close.

I have seen icon about too, part arab though.
 
I do know a Lippizaner that evented up to the equivalent of Novice. He did well at the lower levels but struggled at the faster speed and I think that was probably his scope limit. It's very difficult for the horses with a lot of "knee" in their movement as they're so hard on themselves when they gallop, it's not just a speed/stamina issue.

I did see an Andalusian at a sport testing that jumped very well. However, I'd have to say I don't think any of us would have picked him out as a purebred so I'm guessing he wasn't actually a great representative of his breed. Perhaps with the increasing influence of breeding for modern sport in those breeds we'll see more horses coming out of them built along the competitive lines.
 
I've got a 1/2 Iberian - he's a Luso x TB and he's a super eventer and SJer. He did his first CIC* this year and is consistently placed at novice. Took him a while to get the speed up for novice however he has had the fastest time twice this year. I guess thats the TB side of him. He is built lightly which helps. He also does 1.20m BSJA with almost £1k wins so certainly useful for that.

I find he is extremely willing, he doesnt have a bad bone in his body. I believe lots of Iberians are like that. For my next horse, I am wondering about a pure Andalusian or Lusitano however I think crossed with a TB is ideal for making them lighter (and faster) for eventing. Saying that, there was definately a pure Lusitano who did Badminton of Burghley this year or last - a grey with a girl riding it. Cant remember who...
 
interesting, thanks all.... the story of Novilheiro seems pretty interesting although maybe a bit of a one-off?

TB's are nice and all that but they're just not where my heart is.... so I'm torn between the eventing I love and the breeds I love! Maybe a cross is the compromise to go for?
 
I was thinking of Novilheiro!

Apparently Andalusian/Lusitano x TBs are supposed to make very good jumpiers/eventers but heard that purebreds can tend to get a bit stong and think they know best - not to mention their action is hardly capable of the best ground covering which is a slight disadvantage (upright shoulders can't help).

Was interested by someone's comment above about them possibly being long in the back? I thought most iberians were quite short in back?
 
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The only thing I can comment on - and I'm sure someone will come along with better/contradicting info - is that conformation wise they have quite long sloping pasterns and can be long in the back, which makes them very comfortable to do groundwork on but they tend not to be used for jumping. It's not what they were bred for.

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I agree. I had a fab pure bred Lusitano and only had him for dressage. I occasionally popped him over a small jump or two to mix things up for him (and even took him hunting once or twice), but he really wasn't built for it.

I sold him eventually when I wanted to concentrate more on eventing my youngsters. Still miss him
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- he was a legend, but I get the school reports from his new owner which is nice.
 
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QR I think Jesters Quest might actually be full Lusitano (prepared to be corrected, though).

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JQ is by a thoroughbred stallion, out of an iberian mare
 
My horse is some kind of offspring from Novilhiero I think - thats what I was told anyway, no proof! My horse is (alledgedley!!
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) a 1/2 Luso, 1/4 TB and 1/4 NF.

He does have a longer back but copes fine with SJ and XC - would go Novie/int I think with an eventer - but I do bsja, and I'd be looking to up to Newcomers, have done 1.30m in a puissance. TBH I think it depends on the temp and attitude of the horse far more than confo (unless its hideous). Here's mine anyhow
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Ive seen a pure friesian out at intro BE - seemed to do ok though I don't know what they got xc.
And my friend wangs around the countryside doing unaff hunter trials etc on her andalucian (sp?) stallion and he certainly isn't slow!!!
 
I had a beautifully put together Part Bred Andy mare who looked PRE and had a lovely jump but she was sooo lazy. She really never got fired up enough to go BE eventing although she made a lovely RC horse. I wouldn't choose one again (personally) but then that was only a sample of one - other people may have different experiences?
 
QR Andies may tend to be a little long in the back (depending on the breeding, cartujano tend to be more compact) but a luso certainly shouldnt be! lusos for that reason, among others, tend to be better jumpers, they are bold, athletic and yes, they sometimes think they know best
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There's no reason some couldnt event to a reasonable level, its just that they arent generally bought to event or jump. The only question mark may be the speed I guess, they can accelerate like you wouldnt believe but over distance that knee action costs a bit.

JQ, Icon are part bred lusos, Novilheiro was a full luso and the highest earning sjer of 1983, he was also a GP dressage horse and won his first, and only ODE
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Tinselface, your lad looks lovely.... may I ask how tall he is?

(another thing that fascinates me is the relationship between horse height and jumping ability....)
 
I think he is 16.1 now, was bought as 16h but has grown since being a VERY gangly four year old.

Time and money dictates how much I can do with him, but I think he would be capable of doing a 1.20-1.30 course - maybe more thats only as high as I've jumped to. I jump up to 1.25 at home (holding my breath cos I'm a chicken
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) and he did the 1.30m as a 5yo...
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My friends horse is a 15.2 tiny TB and he has a massive pop in him, sadly the fact that he likes to ditch people on the floor means he isn't reliable, which mine is - albeit a bit lazy and very clingy with his best friend
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Im very interested in this topic as I have a rising 4yr old Andalusian X Welsh Cob. She is lovely chilled back sort. Which is good for me since she is my first youngster. Do you reckon this mix could make a good jumper? As I have seen a lot of very good welsh cob jumpers?
She is a bit podgy as this was the middle of last summer.
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For me, laid back and willing is the best way, you can always add oats to a laid back horse, not always so easy the other way round (esp if you read all the posts on here about unrideable horses etc
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