Rio the andalusian stallion update! pictures and videos

StormyMoments

StormyMoments

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I havent done one of these in agggeeesss and i have just come back after a short break from here and i thought i would drop those of you that are interested an update!

Well where do i start? We have spent quite a large amount of time getting Rio to relax which may sound easy but its been a mammoth task! just getting him used to me ducking under his neck has taken 2 months as every time i did it he freaked and tried to run backwards. quite often he would break off but now he is used to me doing it although he is still a bit funny about other people doing it.

another thing we have worked a lot on is getting him to drop his head and relax when ridden. he has really got the hang of it now in walk and has the begginning of it in trot now :)

also getting him to slow down, steer, stop and also reduce how exaggerated his spanish paces all are which he is also doing quite well :)

i dont know if i mentioned in any of my other updates that he had his shoes removed but he has and hes getting on with it very well :)

(for those who dont remember what he was like when he first arrived - here you go!- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYHZgRHkHDA )

this is him having a mess about at the new yard :) -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLSX-0bvaGU&list=UUjTFvhEmqvTGluCXYgcvwyQ&index=2

and this is riding on new years day (first schooling session in 15 or so weeks) as we have worked on everything while hacking! -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ymtx0V5j-3I&list=UUjTFvhEmqvTGluCXYgcvwyQ&index=1

please ignore my riding im not going for pretty just relaxed :) i know my hands are low and my elbows are relatively straight but thats fine! also im not asking him to round up as we are getting him to relax and also i know hes really on the forhand but its not one of my conserns at the moment! also the reason why my hand is so high up his neck in canter is because i had my hand caught in his mane :o teaches me for not plaiting it!

and heres some pictures of the doofus :) (let me know if they dont work!)

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thank you :) i forgot to ask... is it me or do i look huge on him? hes 15.1hh and im 5'4ft and a size 10 but for some reason i look absolutely rediculous on him :o
 
StormyMoments said:
thank you :) i forgot to ask... is it me or do i look huge on him? hes 15.1hh and im 5'4ft and a size 10 but for some reason i look absolutely rediculous on him :o
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When he's walking out calmly you look fine on him. It's when he starts all that jigging around that you look a bit big on him, probably because he's so short-coupled. What are your plans for him?
 
Yes he is very short-coupled (only takes a 5'6 rug and sometimes a 5'9). Plans are to do dressage with him but as you can see its going to take a long while before hes ready to go out and about! Luckily hes stabled within hacking distance of Merrist Wood so he can be taken out with out all the cost of transport etc but still it wont be happening for a while :o
 
Love Rio :)

You don't look huge at all but he looks smaller than he is I think, as he is a hand bigger than mine and I'm a hand taller than you :o:p:D

Mine is a 5ft9-6ft lol.
 
you can have him ;) see you dont look that tall on her where as i think i look massive! whats really annoying is that he doesnt fit in pony rugs :( why do ponies get such cool rugs :'(
 
What a totally stunning boy!! He is smaller than I imagined him to be but there is still alot of him, you certainly dont squish him :p

Can I be reeeally nosy? Do tell me to bu**er off if not.

Are you keeping him as a stallion for his breeding potential or just to keep him as a performance horse?
What level of dressage are you looking at for him?
Just wondering :p :o hehe
 
its his big old chest he has... and his massive grass belly at the moment :o he is not enjoying being on a diet!

He's not being bred from no :o hes just going to be a performance horse... once he starts performing a bit better and we have got used to each other!

im not sure what level dressage im aiming at just see where we end up! he knows piaffe and passage, half pass, half pass in canter and pirroets etc just he isnt balanced enough to do them :o maybe once hes going better we will start pushing him a bit more :)
 
StormyMoments said:
its his big old chest he has... and his massive grass belly at the moment :o he is not enjoying being on a diet!

He's not being bred from no :o hes just going to be a performance horse... once he starts performing a bit better and we have got used to each other!

im not sure what level dressage im aiming at just see where we end up! he knows piaffe and passage, half pass, half pass in canter and pirroets etc just he isnt balanced enough to do them :o maybe once hes going better we will start pushing him a bit more :)
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Hello, Rio is a beautiful boy isn't he? Just a question: are you getting any instruction? And if you are, is that instructor experienced with Spanish horses?
 
He is beautiful, and looks quite the handful, but far easier to work on harnessing all that energy, than to try and create impulsion from a really laid back one:D

Another question, and LOL you can tell me to b*****r off as well, but why keep him as a stallion if he is not going to be used for breeding? Having had a breeding stallion here, who was a real sweetie to handle, but still it was a real PITA, having to remember where he was when turning out, or when we had loose horses turn up in the yard. Does a stallion give you that 'spark' or edge that a gelding may not? Just interested as I say, feel free to show me the door.
 
Lots of entires in many countries are not kept specifically for breeding. It's not a big problem is it?

SM, you don't look big on him. Many of us are just used to seeing massive warmbloods being ridden by peas and there does seem to be a subconscious phobia of seeing feet drop down past the belly of a horse :D
 
You can see some real improvement from the first video, so well done. He does not look an easy horse to ride and it's lovely to see him stretching down near the end. I know you said to ignore your riding - so feel free to ignore this! - but it looks as though you have quite a bit of tension in your leg at times and are bracing against the stirrup. I'm sure such a sensitive chap will be picking up on this so it might be something to watch out for? I was also wondering if you've done much with him on the ground? If not, it might be beneficial to work a little on him relaxing and softening from the bit in-hand, as currently he seems to be resisting the hand a lot (especially in trot and canter) rather than softening. I'm sure a lot of this is tension but reinforcing the idea of 'this is what I want from you' can only help! Apologies if these are things you're already working on but if not I hope it's of some help. You've got a fair way to go but I'm sure he'll be a cracking horse at the end of it. :)
 
tallyhohoho! said:
Lots of entires in many countries are not kept specifically for breeding. It's not a big problem is it?
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LOL, don't know if that was directed my way, but if it was, never said there was any problem, I'm just interested in why the OP is choosing to keep him whole, as idly as why people ask why I keep my horse at all, I just am born nosey.
 
I am distressed that I can't see the new ridden video, can anyone help... New link? I am an avid Rio fan and would like to nose at how he has settled ;)
 
Spanish horses in particular are vastly changed by castration, losing a lot of their "brio", muscle mass and presence. I have gelded a few for sale to new owners who were not confidant in their ability to handle or keep a stallion, but would never do so with my own horses. The huge majority of male horses in Spain are entire.
 
I don't think you look any bigger on him than I do on her (in fact I think I look bigger on mine) but then I should look bigger cos I am and she is smaller :o lol

I'm glad I have it in writing I can have him tho that's great :D:p

I get the why are your dogs entire are you going to breed them question endlessly too. Maybe I am maybe I'm not, it depends how good they are, but they are no problem being entire and I've not had a problem in 12 years of having them entire so if it ain't broke :) (they are working dogs).
 
Cortez said:
Spanish horses in particular are vastly changed by castration, losing a lot of their "brio", muscle mass and presence. I have gelded a few for sale to new owners who were not confidant in their ability to handle or keep a stallion, but would never do so with my own horses. The huge majority of male horses in Spain are entire.
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Interesting to learn, different traditions in different countries.

Sorry to be a little off topic OP, promise I'll go away in a minute, Spanish mares then not usually used for performance? Are they ridden a lot or more used for breeding.

I have only met (as far as I know) a couple of Andi's in the flesh, one stud and one gelding, and it was like two different breeds, the stallion was short, muscly, stocky and just had fantastic presence, and screamed 'look at me' The gelding was taller, lankier, and although a nice boy, had nothing to make you look twice.
 
Im keeping him entire because he causes no problems being a stallion. I could see him also loosing his wow look at me bit that he gets from being a stallion... I didnt import him for thousands of pounds just to get him gelded... If he were gelded he would be worth fraction of what he is now. If i ever had to sell him (i realise this sounds cold and i do appologise) i would rather he was worth a few thousand as a potential breeding stallion than a few hundred if he were a gelding given the state of his schooling :o

For those who asked about lessons. Im currently on the hunt for a new instructor as i moved out of my old instructors area and she said she couldnt think of anyone she knew who had worked with an iberian.
So if anyone has any recommendations for instructors in the guildford area would be really helpful!
 
Big Ben said:
Interesting to learn, different traditions in different countries.

Sorry to be a little off topic OP, promise I'll go away in a minute, Spanish mares then not usually used for performance? Are they ridden a lot or more used for breeding.

I have only met (as far as I know) a couple of Andi's in the flesh, one stud and one gelding, and it was like two different breeds, the stallion was short, muscly, stocky and just had fantastic presence, and screamed 'look at me' The gelding was taller, lankier, and although a nice boy, had nothing to make you look twice.
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Mares are seldom ridden in Spain (I was once told that only women and servants ride geldings, and mares - look of horror!), though they are sometimes driven. Mostly used for breeding. And mares look entirely different to the boys, especially since they shave off their manes and the top half of their tails.
 
I'd highly recommend some clinics with Peter Madisson Greenwell. I did some training with him and what he doesn't know about Spanish horses probably isn't worth knowing.

He does a clinic already in Hampshire, and if you can arrange a venue and enough people will discuss running a clinic with you if he has space, though he is very busy. He teaches all abilities and all horses so don't be put off by the fact he is well known internationally. He is a fantastic teacher and very down to earth! He would certainly give you enough to work on in between clinics.

Info here http://www.elcaballodeespana.co.uk/Elcaballo/Clinic_2.html

Eta. I'd recommend his book on Spanish horses too if the breed is new to you. It's very informative on keeping and working with their particular temperament, and has stunning photos! http://www.amazon.co.uk/Living-Work...8851/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1357325096&sr=8-1
 
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Yours is like mine with added testosterone. Black, Spanish and bags of energy, gorgeous! I couldn't view the most recent video on my phone unfortunately.
 
StormyMoments said:
Im keeping him entire because he causes no problems being a stallion. I could see him also loosing his wow look at me bit that he gets from being a stallion... I didnt import him for thousands of pounds just to get him gelded... If he were gelded he would be worth fraction of what he is now. If i ever had to sell him (i realise this sounds cold and i do appologise) i would rather he was worth a few thousand as a potential breeding stallion than a few hundred if he were a gelding given the state of his schooling :o

For those who asked about lessons. Im currently on the hunt for a new instructor as i moved out of my old instructors area and she said she couldnt think of anyone she knew who had worked with an iberian.
So if anyone has any recommendations for instructors in the guildford area would be really helpful!
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Sorry, I'm in Ireland and not that hot on UK geography, but it would be very helpful if you could get some help with him from someone who understands the breed. I see that you are trying to "reduce his exaggerated Spanish paces", now why would you want to be doing that? Those ARE his paces, and trying to change him into something non-Spanish will simply not work and may very well make him miserable.
 
Cortez said:
I see that you are trying to "reduce his exaggerated Spanish paces", now why would you want to be doing that? .
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This was my thought as well. As you say if youd payed ££££££ to get him over here why then try to change his characteristic paces? For the record I know virtually nothing about spanish horses so I appologise if this sounds stupid.

Good luck with him hes a lovely lad
 
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