PRE/Spanish Horses

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Tillybub

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Hi, are there any PRE owners out there? Booking first trip to Spain to view a beautiful horse. How did you go about sourcing your horses? Did you use an agent or did you do it all yourself? Is there anything to be wary of? Have never imported so this is all kind of new! Have been recommended a transport company so think that part is sorted, and I know the vetting/x rays are a must. Any feedback/information would be greatly appreciated.
 
I am not a PRE owner at the moment but if I was buying a baby I would buy from MillPark Andalusians here in the U.K. Mandy breeds beautiful horses who are all really well handled and well started with fantastic looks and temperament.

ETA - didn't read your post properly, you're already looking at one. In that case, I can't help! Hope it works out!
 
Nothing is definite, this horse may not suit but god I can't stop watching all of the videos! Will look into Millpark as I suppose buying in the U.K. means the horse will already be settled into our climate and be used to the grass lol! Thanks for your reply.
 
Have a look at the GBPRE facebook page, lots of info and help on there and people to ask questions of. I've had PRE's for going on 30 years, from all possible sources, ask me anything you like!
 
I bought my Spanish horse in France where there are many. On that occasion I bought from a school/dealer. I went to look at a draught x type and came away with 2 others, 1 Spanish, one homebred French. Whoops!
However I did take my UK horses to a livery yard in Spain for 5 months or so and learned a lot.
Firstly if looking at a gelding probe as to why it is gelded. Spanish male riders tend to favour stallions so no horse is cut routinely. Horse attempting to mount a mare whilst on a ride was deemed acceptable, rearing twice and then having a good gallop round a school when the YO fell off led to a severe beating, followed by castration!

Look at its papers before you do a deal. Some only have a health card (tarjeta di sanitario) but that will show how many owners the horse has had. The one I bought had had 9 owners in 9 years, 8 of them were Spanish and it had travelled to France on that document! I still can't carry a whip when on her as somebody clearly beat her, though she is now desensitised to a stick being laid across her.

Also ask about the tack and training aids. I have seen a cavesson type noseband with sharp points on the inside used to discourage a horse from being too keen: imo all it did was cut the horse across the nose! Also make sure it can be ridden in English tack if that's what you intend to use. If not, buy a saddle etc in Spain whilst you're there.

Finally check the shoeing. The farrier we had to use was extremely poor though supposedly qualified despite being illiterate and thus unable to drive. My own farrier in the UK once told me he'd been approached to fly out regularly to one Spanish yard and do their horses feet, such was the difference in his quality of workmanship. Regular poor quality shoeing can lead to hoof problems as I am sure you know.

Best of luck.
 
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Spanish bred horses are terribly prone to EMS. it can take a long time (years) to condition a Spanish bred horse to English pasture, and some never manage to at all. (English bred horses don't have this problem, and are less prone to EMS). You will need to check what food he is given. Often straw chaff makes up a high percentage of the forage ration. A low carb diet is a must, and despite what they are fed in Spain, a lot of Spanish horses (when imported to the UK) are sugar intolerant.

Turnout is often very limited in Spain, so you have to basically teach your horse (gradual habituation) how to be in a field for any length of time. If the horse is older when it is imported it can be quite difficult to get then 100% happy in a field.

It can be tough importing a horse, and personally I would choose a British bred PRE if I wanted that particular breed, to reduce the associated risks.
 
I have two that I have imported from Spain, and three others still in Spain. They are fantastic horses. All of ours have come from our trainer over there (who we met when on a riding holiday with Los Alamos, near Vejer de la Frontera in Andalusia) as he's completely trustworthy and will happily swap a horse that isn't right.

I've had no issues with EMS and I have many friends who've brought horses from the same place and also had no issues. As with any change of diet, you need to introduce them slowly to grazing as they have never had anything like English grass. One of mine can't handle rye grass - he used to get very spooky when fed it, and now he's barefoot he gets very footy if he has any. I keep him muzzled in spring and autumn and restrict his grazing to when the grass sugar levels are lower. In general I'd keep any Spanish horse (in fact, any horse!) on a low sugar diet. Mine are on copra, oats (when needed), linseed and mineral balancer.

We use Parkers but I've read good things about LOC and Easthelm. As Cortez said, the GBPRE Facebook group is a great source of information.

In terms of how they are kept in Spain, I agree that the shoeing is absolutely awful. Mine are both doing well barefoot so consider that as an option, otherwise find a good farrier and not one who immediately changes their hooves to look more 'English' (I'm sure this is why my first PRE got navicular - now he's barefoot his feet look far more 'English' but on his own terms!). Some of the Spanish trainers ask for 'collection' far too early, and in reality hold the horse in front so the horse learns to take very short steps while looking a bit pretty. One of mine couldn't step down a kerb from a pavement to the road as he'd never learnt to loosen his shoulders or stretch his back! He has a fantastic walk now but it's taken a lot of long rein walking out on hacks.

Best of luck viewing your horse. Go in with open eyes and be just as critical as you would when viewing a horse in the UK - don't be taken in by long flowing locks!
 
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