Lusitano as an allrounder

[Coblette]

Potentially going to view a 6 yr old Lusitano tomorrow, is it too nice a horse to just be an allrounder?! Also can you tell me any pros/cons about the breed and anything specific to look out for? I want a nice fun & forward but safe horse to do a bit of everything on!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Well mine was bold, jumped like a cat, was as sharp as heck and adorable. Amazing hack as he really enjoyed it and nothing phased him. He was huge fun once I upped my game and learned how to ride him. Good doers generally with good feet and metabolisms like native ponies. Soundness is an issue-have known quite a few over the years and almost all have had issues, with mine it was stifles although I lost him to melanomas.

 

[Coblette]

Thanks, can I ask how long you had him for?

 

[Cortez]

I'll second MoC's description, Lusitanos can be awesome all-round horses, although obviously better at those things for which they are best suited. As I have oft repeated on here, Iberian horses are not for everybody though, and you should take particular note of this passage: "once I upped my game and learned how to ride him".

 

[Identityincrisis]

I often wonder why people say 'just' an all rounder?! To me if a horse is an all rounder he is WAY more valuable to the majority of people than a low-ish level horse who has 'specialised ' in dressage or jumping. I bought a youngster and people said what are your goals, when i replies 'make him a great all rounder ' tbey looked like that was the dullest thing ever!

 

[shortstuff99]

Might be worth joining this group too

https://www.facebook.com/groups/lbsgb/?ref=share

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Thanks, can I ask how long you had him for?

from rising 4 until 11. I had him backed by people who know the breed, he was a weak 4yo, a snorting fire breathing dragon from 5-6 lol and then a fun sharp horse. He had lameness issues from 9, rehabbed to a light hack then the melanomas started and I had him pts at 11.
He really was an absolute poppet on the ground always, my non horsey oh was completely safe handling him and his daughter, who is disabled would talk to him for hours while fell asleep on her shoulder. He became very intolerant of dogs as he got older thanks to livery yard dogs and would really go after them if he could.

I adored him even though our early years together weren’t always easy, I don’t think I’ll have that relationship again. I still get an Iberian fix from riding some stunt horses and they really can’t be beaten in my book, as much as I love my ponies (imo they are quite pony minded to ride, just a little more generous and with a better work ethic).

 

[stangs]

Owner will tell you if horse is “too good” to be an allrounder. Personally I don’t think any horse is too nice for something - they're horses, they’re happy with just freedom/forage/friends - though some need a little more riding than others.

Might be worth keeping in mind that they were originally bred to be bullfighters, but, again, owner will know what’s best for the horse.

 

[TheMule]

They can make excellent allrounders, but how easy that will be does depend on how they've been produced- what kind of a home is it in at the moment?

 

[eahotson]

I often wonder why people say 'just' an all rounder?! To me if a horse is an all rounder he is WAY more valuable to the majority of people than a low-ish level horse who has 'specialised ' in dressage or jumping. I bought a youngster and people said what are your goals, when i replies 'make him a great all rounder ' tbey looked like that was the dullest thing ever!

Love that reply.

 

[ycbm]

I don't think "too nice" should come into it if you like the horse. I had a PRE, very similar genes. I didn't get on with her, I'm too "busy" mentally and physically and she needed a calmer owner and rider. Although she looked spectacular and had a huge stride, I found her paces felt flat and short and that didn't suit my riding. She was sharp as a knife to the aids, I actually spent the year I had her after backing her damping everything down. She was every bit an EMS prone native pony in her management needs, very restricted grass and forage and supplemented with straw. I've heard lots and lots of stories of unsound ones, my trainer won't touch one with a bargepole because of it, and I've now heard of 3 struggling with melanoma at a very young age.

Try the horse and see if you like it, but bear in mind if it's grey that 80% of greys will get melanoma at some point and Iberians anecdotally seem very prone to them being early and bad.
.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Re the melanomas, it’s very unscientific of me to say so and I don’t fully understand the colour genetics but those that begin dun and grey out seem to be prone, I’ve heard stories of quite a few of these being lost young Ie before 10yo.
People will say that greys will often have them but die of something else, but its a wretched thing with very limited treatment options. I won’t ever own another grey because of them and I love a grey.

 

[ycbm]

People will say that greys will often have them but die of something else, but its a wretched thing with very limited treatment options. I won’t ever own another grey because of them and I love a grey.

Some people were incredulous three years back when I tested my spotted horse for grey and said I would sell him if he was going to grey out. I simply could/would not face going into my own older years fighting melanoma in a grey horse, and the vast majority of them get them.

Luckily for the owners of greys trying to sell them, lots of people love a grey
.

 

[Caol Ila]

My PRE is three and mostly being a mom (not my choice), but she is developing into a lovely, kind willing horse who really loves her groundwork sessions (and 10-20 minutes holiday from the baby... she's one of those women on maternity leave who can't wait to go back to work). She's smart and sensitive, and things would probably go very pear shaped very fast if roughly handled, but I don't think she'll be too hot or sharp so long as we plod along at her pace.

I know she can jump four foot from almost a standstill, although I have never jumped four foot in my life. She will be a reasonable trail horse, although I doubt she'll achieve the ATV capabilities of the Highland. I hope she will be a willing dressage horse, at whatever level we can attain, and can hop the odd fence and potter around on some trails.

 

[siennamum]

Rusty (pictured) is pb lusitano, but looks the spitting image of his Grandsire who is Luso. We all love him, he is the friendliest most human horse imaginable and loves attention of any kind. He is incredibly smart, v tuned in to his rider and so will pick up on nerves and will learn bad habits as quickly as good ones. he has fab paces and a real jump and is as bold as they come, BUT he is structurally difficult - huge shoulder and super short back makes fitting a saddle really tough (and expensive), v crooked as he is so base narrow and long legged and is now semi retired having had multiple soundness issues from the age of 7. I now have an Irish Cob x which is (fingers crossed) the most straight forward and sound chap on the planet.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Re saddle fit, they aren’t the easiest nor the hardest-rode mine in a wow. He was short backed, round rib caged, big shoulders. He would field hop for fun and watched him jump 4ft electric fencing from a stand still as well as a bounce of post and rail fences-he was a very careful jumper. Also very good at smashing ice on water troughs.he was very surefooted -mine was a baroque type with a lot of Veiga blood.

 

[Cortez]

I have had dozens of Iberian horses, mostly greys, only three have had melanomas - and one of them is a bay. Thankfully none of them so far have ever progressed to be a serious problem (although I do know of people who have had to put down horses because of it) and most of my horses have lived into their twenties. I must be extremely lucky, because none has ever been seriously lame either (furiously touching wood and crossing fingers……), but then it does depend on what you are doing; mine live rather placid lives and we don’t do a lot of runny-jumpy stuff.

 

[Coblette]

Thank you all very informative. I have my heart set on an Irish Draught but really struggling to find the right one so am exploring other options but the soundness issue have cropped up a few times & some especially imported ones seem to be quite sensitive. Think I need to be patient and just wait for an ID to find me ?

 

[Goldenstar]

There’s nothing just about a good all rounder .

 

[Coblette]

There’s nothing just about a good all rounder .

I know to me they are worth their weight in gold but a lot of horses I call about, the producers/sellers seem put off and as though the life I’m offering isn’t good enough and the horse needs to be out competing every week ?