Andalusians

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RachelB

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Wow. I just have to share... today at work I got to ride one of the liveries I have always loved, an Andalusian mare, sweetest pie ever, some of you may have seen videos of her a while back when Bossanova posted some. Oh my GOD I LOVE that horse!!! It was like a whole other world riding her - I sat on her and thought "right I'm ready to move off now" and she moved without me consciously shifting at all. I share an Anglo Arab and he is really sensitive, but this mare is something else and in an entirely good way. I know I never sit straight and she decided to point this out to me by refusing to move in a straight line - I just kept accidentally going sideways! She finds lateral work so easy (but then the challenge is to get her straight). I also did a very accidental flying change by cantering a circle, and I must have shifted my weight ever so slightly and she turned to the other rein and changed! Once I'd straightened myself out and found the right buttons, she worked really well and always tries hard to please.
I just had to share my experience as I'm so inspired, even by riding her for only half an hour (I could have played all day!) I think, when I start horse shopping later in the year, I am going to have to beg, borrow or steal enough money to be able to afford a PRE! I'm in love!
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Well, I can relate to you totally.

Today I went to ride classically trained Lusos (not PRE's I know, but Iberians nonetheless). It was just exceptional. The stallions that I rode - quite apart from having stunning looks - were so sensitive and intelligent and yet incredibly gentle and generous. I have literally never ridden any horse like them and I am totally hooked on Iberians. I'm horse hunting and without doubt it'll be either a Luso or PRE (I'm torn at the moment). What a privelege though, to spend some time with such magical animals.
 
living here in Andalucia we are spoilt for choice ! Yes they are beautiful and my horse gigilo is also full of charm and like most Spanish men loves himself !! The prices here in Malaga are very reasonable and you can get a lot of horse for your money but be wary of some dealers.
 
I absolutely echo gigs - BE WARY OF SOME DEALERS, especially those that operate over here - they are probably doubling or tripling thier money.... I am lucky that I have my Spanish upbringing and contacts, and I am appalled by some of the prices that are bandied around over here - madness.
 
Echo what everyone else has said about dealers, some of the prices charged are unbelievable. The other thing about buying from Spain is that what you get is not always a PRE, a lot of people get stung on the paperwork, which is fine if you have not paid over the top, but becomes a problem if you want to enter any Iberian classes or shows or if you want to breed. An Andalusian is not always a PRE.

There are several British breeders over here who will sell you a full papered PRE (UK and Spain reg) either graded or eligible for grading. I just sold a fully papered 4yo for less than £5k, and last year I bought a 16hh spanish bred fully graded 5yo mare, from here in the UK for £4500, so you can buy over here for sensible money, you just have to know where to look.
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Thats what I love (and hate about mine). Its like he knows what Im thinking used to freak me out I think leg yield and must shift mybalance a tiny bit and he flies accross the school!!!!! I try to catch him out sometimes but cant!

Never ridden such a sensitive horse (in a positive way)
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i used to work at a classical dressage yard and i was very lucky to ride a grand prix level mare,i did one time flying changes on her in my first lesson and was so proud of myself!!! amazing feeling,they are soooooooo light and are like riding pegasus (which i think is what he was!)
I would love to have one when i win the lottery!!! They are graceful,stunning and have amazing presence.
 
I regularly have lessons on my friends luso stallion, he is very much the same, he does exactly what you ask him to do.
I have to really concentrate on my riding, poor lad gets really confused with me on board, hes fantastic
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Debs x
 
That's what I found today - you almost think something and the horse interprets it perfectly. You do have to think so much more about your weight - they react to it so sharply - so it does concentrate the mind on EXACTLY what you're doing with your body. Incredible.
 
Gorgeous arent they...I was saving up to get a Lustino from Portugal - flying over, picking a baby and having them shipped here....would spend yrs saving but well worth it....love the spanish Andalusians as well....lovely horses...
they are dream to watch as well as ride arent they....
 
Oh yes - I'm utterly smitten. Actually, I've been told about the horse festival in Cascais Portugal, in June and wondering if I could get over there for it. How many horse will BA let you take on as hand luggage????
 
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they are dream to watch as well as ride arent they....

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Definately, I love watching my boss ride the Luso stallion as well (well, and the Andy mare!)
 
Agree, I love Iberians. I have a 1/2 Luso and he's definately got the temperament, he's so intelligent (often over-thinking things) yet so honest. There's nothing he wouldn't try to do for me. He's got the high front leg action so sitting trot is near impossible!

I bought him from a Luso stud where they had 2 stallions. I was actually going to purchase a Luso mare not long ago but it fell through. When the time comes for me to buy a new horse, itll almost certainly be a PRE or Luso pure bred, however it'd need to be one of the slimmer built ones so as to jump!
 
He's got the high front leg action so sitting trot is near impossible!
Um sorry but this is rubbish, yes he may have a high knee action but that has very little to do with whether you are able to sit to his trot! The more he steps through his back and to the hand the more swing he will have with his hindleg legs and therefore the more engagement and ground cover he will have. This will let his back come up and then he will be easy to sit to. [your inability to sit is a symptom not a cause]
The Iberian horses are indeed very interesting to ride and produce and many are produced in not too good a way and placed under the 'classical' umbrella. They are taught to do 'tricks ' and SOOOOOO many people have fallen foul of the 'sales patter'
having spent the past two and a half years re-training an' advanced' horse i would gladly love to see all these wonderful ' grandprix ' horses you all talk about. i dont question that they are lovely horses but i do question the story you are being told about the work they are actually doing!!!
I will now get a torrent of abuse for the above but this is the experience, and it is extensive, that i have had and i am sooo fed up with nice people being fleeced with respect to the Iberians.

however it'd need to be one of the slimmer built ones so as to jump!

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I have a PRE that have taken hunting and he jumps, cant say he is one of the Slimmer built'???' ones??????
 
The mare that Silmarillion rode is an utter sweetheart but had no formal dressage training before being imported. I feel this is probably a good thing- as you say, they tend to teach the tricks and ignore the basics!
Our luso stallion had been nicely trained but had lots of weaknesses as essentially he needed to be saleable. We've spent the past 3 years building up true strength in his back and now he is a top quality horse genuinely working at PSG.
I know one that hunts, jumps, hacks and was inter I dressage (cover page of CdK's lastest book)
I'm lucky that I regularly get the chance to ride a british trained luso stallion who has won at grand prix. He's in a different league, he is exceptional.
 
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The Iberian horses are indeed very interesting to ride and produce and many are produced in not too good a way and placed under the 'classical' umbrella. They are taught to do 'tricks ' and SOOOOOO many people have fallen foul of the 'sales patter'

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I 100% agree with you there, which is one of the reasons I would never ever buy a backed horse from Spain, too many tricks and not enough basics!
 
I can honestly say I have never ridden an Andy whose trot I could not sit to...

Agree about the tricks and lack of basics and there are VERY few that can make it to PSG as although they are predisposed to lateral work (tricks again!) that does not make a PSG horse...but it seems that more and more people think that they all can
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I think we're all getting rather up ourselves here, and more than a tad snooty. Who was talking about PSG??? As I understand it, we were commenting on what wonderful horses they were to ride (not just interesting - there's nothing wrong with a bit of passion), as in fun, exciting, different. I for one have absoluetly no pretensions at riding PSG, and neither do I look down my nose at any horse that isn't up to that level. That's exactly what I dislike about the horse world - how quick someone is to air their perceived superiority and spoil the magic and elation for one who has had a wonderful experience with a horse.
 
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I for one have absoluetly no pretensions at riding PSG, and neither do I look down my nose at any horse that isn't up to that level.

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If you knew me you would know that I am exactly the same - the thought of me riding at PSG level is, quite frankly, laughable!!!
 
my YO has 3 lusos and they are all from spain and trained by the bullring riders.
i rode her mare and she also pointed out i was sitting crooked by refusing to move straight.i only had to think halt or half pass and she would move, its was amazing how much i had to concentrate on my seat as that is how they are ridden. i never realised how little i use my seat compared to the spanish riders!
how ever its not the horse breed that is the most important thing-its the training and ANY horse can be trained that way!
the iberians are made for collecting though, the work some can produce is outstanding.


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they are holding a competition at arley moss in cheshire next weekend so anyone is welcome to come!some of the british team will be there and they are doing the flat on saturday and the obsticals sunday
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cant wait!there are iberians and other breeds competing.
 
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