Opinions on Lusitanos

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Mega

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Hi guys
Am looking at possible routes to go with breeding my mare. I have always loved Lusitanos and was wondering what people think of them. Any foal would have a home for life (just like my mare) and would be for me to ride, temperant is paramount, but ideally I would love something that I could do dressage with in the future.
My mare is a heavy set dutch warmblood cross TB.
Thanks for your ideas (in advance!)
(Last foal she had was by Accondy, he is now a lovely eventing type and just about 16hh 6yr old.)
 
Mega, i cant give an experienced opinion on lusitanos, but what about andalusians (PRE's) they can be a little lighter boned, if thats what you want, and the temprement for the majority is to die for :) i know people have crossed them quite successfully with WB's and you would probably get the best of both types.

if you want info on PRE stallions try the BAPSH website, there is a stallions list, sectioned by colour, with some really superb looking stallions on there.

best of luck with your choice, the looking for a suitable stallion is the real fun part :)
 
The only experience of them is one of my liveries has had two luso x TB's.
Both were similar in that they were talented jumpers, but really stupid temperaments to deal with.
For example, we drive our tractor or car round the farm daily, so 99% of the horses here ignore them completely. Not so the luso crosses, as soon as they spot the car they are snorting and prancing round the field. The owner is a middle aged lady and they play her up something rotten, to the degree she has been carted off by ambulance three times. They know better than to try it on with my daughter a professional rider, but to me you need a little tolerance in a horse not one that takes advantage of their rider.
I am afraid they have put me off them despite their looks, but my experience is of course limited.
 
I love lusos but the crosses can be a bit of a lottery. There are some nice crosses around- Icon is a stunning stallion http://www.stallionsonline.co.uk/stallion_11273.html
There are lighter framed ones around who would refine the mare but choose your lines carefully and try to see other stock for a clue to temperament. Theyre actually generally big hearted and amenable horses but they don't suffer fools gladly and theyre also quite a lot more sensitive to ride.
 
Iberians generally (Luso's and PRE's) are fantastic horses with overall great temperaments. But as with all breeds there are exceptions. I have an 8 year old PRE gelding who is brilliant, he is on a working farm with tractors and combine harvesters whizzing by and he doesn't turn a hair. He's a bombproof hack but is as hot as they come and has boundless energy and lives on fresh air.

I put my Selle Francais x anglo arab mare to a fab luso (Quilate) and last year she produced a fantastic colt who looks like he's going to be a big boy. His dad is 17.2 hands and is glorious to look at . I chose him specifically for his fantastic temperament as well as his great breeding - he's out of Novilheiro x Orphee. The colt is laid back too.

If you are anywhere near Keysoe, then I'd advise you to go to the Lusitano breed show which is 16 - 18 September.

If you are interested in a PRE - as mentioned in a previous post - there is a 15.1 stallion called Macedonia Mac who stands at Brackenspa Stud in Lincolnshire
 
Thanks for the info, I'll look into the Andalusian PREs, Henry thanks for your opinion I will be extra wary now and will bare it in mind.
Icon looks fab, but perhaps a little big for me, 15.3 - 16.2hh ideally and I'm in Cheshire, travelled along way last time and not really up for it all again!
Again Herts05 distance to lincs, but thanks for the info and you've certainly given me lots to look into.
Any suggestions for stallions in Cheshire, Lancs, Staffs, Shrops or Welsh Borders would be fab.
Thank you.
 
I've got 2 x 4 year olds by icon, one is by a 16.1 mare and only stands at 14.3, the other is by a 16.3 mare, he currently stands at about 16hh, they are both different temprements but both are very willing to learn and the filly i sat on for the first time yesterday and rode round the field on my own today! Nice paces, both mine took their mums feet and markings but the luso is clearly in them, they aren't thick set. I think Icon is AI at West Kington as he is currently in Switzerland with Suzanne and the numbers on the advert are old, however if you need more info or want to see some pics pm me.
 
Personally I think your mare is too different from a Luso and you may end up with a frankenstien foal.. what I might consider is a Luso x TB or even Luso x Anglo Arab .. this I think would cross with your mare better.

MTA the temperament thing is something to be aware of .. much is down to training and the confidence / expertise of the handler but also Lusos do have a reputation for being clever and playing up with anyone who they do not respect or deam competent .. and I don't mean scared of just kind mutual respect.. very true of all horses generally tho.
 
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Mega, there are some luso's / PRE's in shropshire (newport/Telford area), i used one of them on my PRE mare who's now got a 3.5 month old foal by the PRE stallion, lovely temprements both of them and they are not too far away. if you want more info just PM me and i'm more than happy to give you contact info/pictures of the stallion i used, you are also very welcome to come see my mare and foal, both of them pure bred PRE's, i'm just on the n shrops / cheshire border.
 
Mega, look up Tori Peters who is based in lancashire. She competes lusitanos and is very well known in the Iberian world. She has a lovely stallion who may be worth your while looking at and she will be more than happy to speak to you and help you learn more about the breed.
Good Luck!
 
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