Help for uneducated PRE purchaser

[Lajc91]

I've been today to see a PRE who I am considering buying! he is lovely, so nice to ride etc was imported last year, seems perfect for me going forward BUT...... I know nothing about them! So.... I am going to make an idiot of myself by asking some really stupid questions!
1. When riding him i didn't feel he moved any differently but in the videos he looks off? do the spanish horses move differently from our typical warmbloods etc and if so, do people often mistake them as being lame?
2. He has a dish 🙄 is this common in their breeding? Would this put you off purchase? I'm looking to do unaffiliated dressage and just have fun!
3. Anything I should be particular aware of going into a vetting or asking to he specifically looked at? I'm assuming a lot of vets here dont have a huge amount of knowledge re PREs so would like to be aware of any issues to ask to be checked!
4. Hes been gelded late, seems a puppy dog but has a huge cresty neck, is there anything I can do about this?
any help will be very much appreciated! sorry for being a bit dim here 🙄🤦‍♀️

 

[DabDab]

First question is hard to answer without seeing the video. In general lame is lame, but PREs can hold quite a bit of tension over their SI and quarters when they are a bit tense, which can make them look intermittently short behind. Best to assess at a proper vetting and take some more video to compare.

Dishing does appear more in PREs and Lusos than other breeds in general but it's not a trait that they all have. Wouldn't put me off personally.

No particular vetting requirements that I can think of.

Depends if the Crest is fat or just the way he is muscled. PREs can be prone to becoming over weight, particularly when they've been imported from somewhere without our grass where they are in a decent amount of work. So it is something to look out for. Equally PRE stallions do often have a pronounced crest as a result of their conformation and the way they have been worked, so it could just be his musculature.

Good luck, sounds exciting

 

[MotherOfChickens]

First question is hard to answer without seeing the video. In general lame is lame, but PREs can hold quite a bit of tension over their SI and quarters when they are a bit tense, which can make them look intermittently short behind. Best to assess at a proper vetting and take some more video to compare.

Dishing does appear more in PREs and Lusos than other breeds in general but it's not a trait that they all have. Wouldn't put me off personally.


Depends if the Crest is fat or just the way he is muscled. PREs can be prone to becoming over weight, particularly when they've been imported from somewhere without our grass where they are in a decent amount of work. So it is something to look out for.

re the grass thing-DD is absolutely correct, Iberians mostly have the constitution of native ponies, they are extremely good doers and rich rye and clover doesn't suit them. so if you do get him bear that in mind. If he was late cut I'd want to know how much turnout he's had with others if you are keeping him in a standard livery yard.

 

[milliepops]

I think some of them don't have a natural suspension in their movement like a WB might do, so they can look a bit different when they're working.

 

[be positive]

re the grass thing-DD is absolutely correct, Iberians mostly have the constitution of native ponies, they are extremely good doers and rich rye and clover doesn't suit them. so if you do get him bear that in mind. If he was late cut I'd want to know how much turnout he's had with others if you are keeping him in a standard livery yard.

Early this spring I met a new client with her imported PRE's, almost the first thing I said regarding their management was to beware of the grass where they were kept, she looked at me as if I was totally mad because she was used to having to feed them a lot to maintain their weight, sure enough within a few weeks of the grass coming through the gelding, he was cut very late so extremely cresty, had laminitis and the rest spent the summer being restricted, having no hard feed and being very carefully monitored, so I agree with treating them like native ponies.

The one in full work is a delight and has come on in leaps and bounds being quick to learn, bright, willing and lovely to deal with, she is at times stiff over her top, she dishes although this is less when she is genuinely relaxed and working properly, her neck is cresty even though she is now a little under weight and unlikely to change much as it is probably genetic from her dad, the now gelding.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Early this spring I met a new client with her imported PRE's, almost the first thing I said regarding their management was to beware of the grass where they were kept, she looked at me as if I was totally mad because she was used to having to feed them a lot to maintain their weight, sure enough within a few weeks of the grass coming through the gelding, he was cut very late so extremely cresty, had laminitis and the rest spent the summer being restricted, having no hard feed and being very carefully monitored, so I agree with treating them like native ponies.

metabolically they are very similar-lack some of the waterproofing even when they've been over several years and their coats adjust ime, Its not just the grass its the hay-over there hay is more like straw. they need work and lots of it for mind and body-OP they are the collie/GSD of the horse world, gelded or not.

 

[Cortez]

Why would you want to get rid of a crest? A full, tall neck is one of the glories of the Spanish horse. PRE's are noble, sensitive, willing horses, but don't suit everyone. If you are happy with very responsive, quick-thinking horses that appreciate educated riding, then this could be the one for you. They are very prone to putting on weight, as others have mentioned, and do best with lots of work.

Dishing is very common (UK breeders have been trying to get rid of this; don't know why as I rather like it), as is the slight tendency for rhythm disturbance / lack of suspension (well, more a different way of going from the WB's). They also tend to have small, upright feet - find a farrier who won't try to "English-ize" the hooves as I've seen more Spanish horses go lame from this than anything else.

 

[ester]

Surely it depends if that full, tall neck is actually fat and a precursor to laminitis. There are certainly plenty of PREs that come up on the EMS discussions/pages.

 

[shortstuff99]

I would also be wary of a ridden imported PRE a lot of the riding and handling is done very differently to the UK and I have seen a lot of owners and horses struggle with this change. However I do love Iberian horses and I love their sensitivity. I have just got a lovely new filly by Poeta de Susaeta

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I would also be wary of a ridden imported PRE a lot of the riding and handling is done very differently to the UK and I have seen a lot of owners and horses struggle with this change. However I do love Iberian horses and I love their sensitivity. I have just got a lovely new filly by Poeta de Susaeta

congrats shortstuff. the change in management is why I mentioned turnout, if he's been managed normally he'd have not had any (particularly in a group) since he was brought in for backing at 3. Chucking them out onto British grass for 12 hours a day can be a shock. Both of my lusos were fairly relentless in 'playing' with others too-fine with keeping the weight off my natives but didnt go down so well in livery yards and other's horses/rugs. They are also kept quite strictly in terms of manners/behaviour and have seen plenty of people come unstuck with their recent import which suddenly has fewer boundaries and lots of sugar. Ulcers also an issue some of those that have made the trip over.