Rio the andalusian stallion update! pictures and videos

Stormy don't feel the need to explain yourself. Your doing nothing wrong, ove followed the updates from the start. Rio is looking beautiful as always, think your doing it right :D
 
I am no expert on Spanish horses, I've ridden a few Andys in my time but not on a regular basis. I did used to ride a Lusitano stallion for a while and he was a lively boy too but was a very respectful ride so had no trouble from him. Spanish horses are different and I could never give advice on how to get the best from them however if I were to get one Cortez is someone I would take advice from ... just saying ;):)
 
OP he is such a lovely boy :)

I think he does look better in this ridden video than the first ridden video you posted after import, so well done on that front he is starting to relax! but like you have said still a long way to go.

I have a difficult PRE I imported a few years ago and he is now stabled at a PRE specialist and classical training yard in Surrey after 'normal' instructors and fancy pants warmblood dressage riders failed to help with him. They actually have both liveries and clients for lessons from Guildford way (and even further!). They have been amazing with my hot hot hot sensitive PRE who had a blind panic bolt button and everyone prior to thm ended up on the floor. The owner teaches 7 days per week and she is VERY good and so experienced with iberians. You can take you own horse to her or have lessons on her stallions (15 of them alone). They are very well known and respected in the BAPSH association. Let me know if you would like their details, I can PM you :)

Have you joined the BAPSH facebook page?
if not you must do, everyone is very lovely and helpful and I have received a lot of support from them because of my problem PRE. So much so that I am looking to buy a second PRE stallion at present and some BAPSH board members have been helping me look at videos / talk to contacts and have even offered to fly over to Spain with me :):):)
It is a great community and there is the breed show at Hartpury every year, when we all get together, it is a fantastic weekend with showing and dressage classes! of course there are other shows throughout the year also, so will be good to meet up with you :)

Sorry have gone on a bit :D

Let me know if you would like their details :)
 
Why do people import "difficult" PREs from Spain when you can buy a not-difficult one bred here?
 
tallyhohoho! said:
Why do people import "difficult" PREs from Spain when you can buy a not-difficult one bred here?
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I assume that was directed at me....if so.....

I didn't of course know, as I said I purchased him unbacked. However it was then clear during backing him they had attempted and failed backing him in Spain. Yes he is a worrier type, however I was not put off by that as I have had lots of young horses. His issue is with riding work.....which I would have not known at the time as an 'unbacked' horse.
 
SpanishNeddy said:
I assume that was directed at me....if so.....

I didn't of course know, as I said I purchased him unbacked. However it was then clear during backing him they had attempted and failed backing him in Spain. Yes he is a worrier type, however I was not put off by that as I have had lots of young horses. His issue is with riding work.....which I would have not known at the time as an 'unbacked' horse.
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Oh no, not at all, forgive me. I mean lots of people buy a Spanish horse from Spain and I am just GENUINELY interested as to why....

Is it because they are better? More choice? Do people know that there are PRE breeders in the UK?

Considering that a Spanish horse is a Spanish horse and the two types can be found here with practically the same relatives, I just wonder what the attraction is.

Do the breeders here need to do more to promote the breed? Or is the reason just that its better to import one. I don't know, I just thought I would ask the question :)
 
I dunno... I fancy, some day (not soon, hopefully), getting a PRE or Lusitano and all the threads about them on this forum have convinced me to get a British-bred one. I have yet to see someone on here saying how sane and easy-going the Spanish-bred horses are.
 
hes 8 years old :)

i didnt go out of my way to buy a difficult spanish horse... i wasnt even looking for a horse... especially not a spanish one and he just happened to be there and was offered for him to be bought for us. no other horse, just him. Given the chance to own a horse like Rio we obviously jumped at it and this is where we have ended up :)

A lot of PRE's over here are very gangly and arent built like Rio. Rio is the short stocky bull fighting type not tall and slender... if i wanted tall and slender i would have bought a luci. Rio also has impeccable breeding and given the amount a lot of breeders expect from horses that arent of the same quality as Rio and are more often than not double what i payed i think i would rather buy over there... although with Rio he was a bargain and his price was dropped right down so we could have him :o
 
Lol! Sorry SM, that made me laugh a bit. Are they? Last time I went to the breed show in the British Bred Class, they looked every bit as Spanish as a Spanish horse. Some even went to SICAB and did pretty well.
 
Well you would pay triple if the stallion was APTO, had some "qualifications" and was proven but you don't see that many at high prices.

You can get a 3or 4year old colt here for around £3k and probably better through negotiation if you really wanted a stallion. Breeders do sell them backed and ready to go on.

I know this was a one off chance for you and he's lovely :)
 
Tallyho I have no idea about Iberian breeding but I do know about quarter horse breeding and I know there is a noticable difference between many of the European quarter horses and the ones bred over here in north America. With the quarter horses they come in a number of different strains because so many people have them for so many different jobs. Quarter horses are still very much 'used' over here, they're worked therefore many breeders will breed for type (through bloodlines). I suspect the same can be said of Andalusians and Lusitanos. The breeders in their respective countries will have, as we do, a wealth of stallions available to them whereas in the UK the gene pool is probably far more restrictive unless they opt for AI breeding with overseas semen.
 
Sm I think your doing a fab job with Rio, he clearly looks more relaxed than in the first video and whilst id also agree getting a trainer familiar with the breed will help you no end and you've got a long way to go, your definatly making progress and getting to know these horses is no easy or quick task believe me!
Also for someone that wanted to know of a sane imported spanish stallion Ive been very lucky and had 2:), both are sharp, sensitive and quirky but equally the most amazing, honest and genuine horses ive ever had the privelage or riding and owning, they really do strive to work and please you and are very rarely naughty in my experience, just sensitive and need tactful riding. I wouldnt even say my current boy is that sharp to be fair, when he came over he was very tense and like a coiled spring that went everywhere at a bounce! but 8 months on he's learnt to relax, go forwards and trust the rider, and have been told by several people is like a different horse to just a few months ago who is now frequently scoring 70% in prelim and novice tests (he couldnt even canter properly before, just ask spanishneddy!),
I wouldnt hesitate to import again, there are plenty of reputable spanish horse agents over there that speak perfect english and can help source the right horse. And from what i (and several people i know) have experienced theres been a lot greater choice, quality and for far better prices than ive ever found in the Uk. Also seeing as a most of the uk bred horses have spanish bloodlines, and sometimes even spanish bred parents on both sides whats the difference anyway, apart from maybe saving on importation costs!
 
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I know nothing about the breed in depth, but, if I was wanting a certain breed, I'd personally be more inclined to go the origin of where the breed originates from first off. If I compared the gypsies over here, to the ones bred in the states, I'd go for one bred over here.

But that's just inexperienced me :)
 
Are the British bred much calmer than the Spanish bred? I do love them, they're my favourite breed looks wise, I'm just no way near experienced enough to deal with their temperament! Maybe one day....
 
Well yes, finding a "finder" is half the battle and there are reputable agents here that will find you a PRE here or in the UK depending on your requirements.

Spring Feather, yes I think AI is definitely an options and breeders tend to import stallions anyway and I believe plenty of importing/exporting goes on although definitely more importing as there are riche pickings in the native land as in any breeding programme.

And yes, absolutely, they do a job there in Spain and eat different things. By bringing them to the UK they will then most likely go on to a career in dressage which baffles me as the Spanish way of going is not desired or rewarded in dressage so you have to train the movements out of them, like SM is having to do, like so many others.

Yet buying one here, to do the work required, here, makes life that much easier as they can be trained to do English riding, in England. Hope that made sense. Just had two bowls of ice cream and the sugar is getting to me!
 
Holly_09 said:
Are the British bred much calmer than the Spanish bred? I do love them, they're my favourite breed looks wise, I'm just no way near experienced enough to deal with their temperament! Maybe one day....
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Not sure if the actual "breeding" has anything to do with it. They are naturally intelligent and tractable but ultimately, as with any horse, it is the way they are handled and trained.

There are good establishments and not so good ones. The ones bred here just have the advantage of being used to the mud :D
 
Spanishneddy, I know the place you speak of, I have been having training there for around two years, before I got pregnant! Who is your horse may I ask?

I echo spanishneddys thoughts op, Lomond equestrian centre is a highly specialised Spanish centre, with a superb teacher who teaches up to advanced on her array of stallions, most rescued and rehabbed or homebred and all working at medium or above. She will also train you on your own horse. Definitely worth giving her a ring or popping over - only about 30 mins from Guildford.

I have a French bred Spanish youngster, still living in France with my dad, who I bought as a foetus! My current horse is an Arab, so I like them hot and sensitive, but wanted something a little bigger, and with a little more talent for, and hopefully interest in dressage!

I chose to geld my boy at about 18months as he was becoming a handful for my dad to manage, and I saw no reason to keep him entire, with the hassle that can bring in terms of livery and management. He looks fabulous as a two and a half year old now, so I'm not worried cutting him will undermine his presence. I plan to back him lightly myself in France, then hack him quietly about for six months before bringing him over. I'm hoping this will help give him a calm and relaxed start to his ridden career, in line with his life to date! If anyone is looking for a foal/youngster, I can highly recommend his breeder, elevate de bligny in south west France!
 
tallyho! said:
And yes, absolutely, they do a job there in Spain and eat different things. By bringing them to the UK they will then most likely go on to a career in dressage which baffles me as the Spanish way of going is not desired or rewarded in dressage so you have to train the movements out of them, like SM is having to do, like so many others.

Yet buying one here, to do the work required, here, makes life that much easier as they can be trained to do English riding, in England. Hope that made sense. Just had two bowls of ice cream and the sugar is getting to me!
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Oh i wouldnt say that, Res is very much a spanish horse in terms of his movement, has the high knee action, extravegant movement and natural ease of collection, and i wouldnt dream of ever trying to change or train that out of him. The reason i bought a spanish horse, is simply put because i love spanish horses, their movement, beauty, presence and nobility amongst other things are what made me fall for them in the first place, and spend a considerable amount of time and money going to spain to buy the right one. Unforturantly the breeding both in spain and the uk does seem to be heading towards the modern sporthorse, 'warmblood' type, which i personally think is a real shame as we're losing the old fashioned, warhorse pre's and what is to me anyway the essence of what a spanish horse is, in favour of something more commercially acceptable. Yes we have been doing well out at dressage ourselves and as i said he has improved and has now learnt not to panic whenever you put your legs on, but that doesnt mean ive changed his paces and we still practice the stuff he finds easy and fun such as passage, spanish walk and all the lateral and collected stuff, as far as i know none of that is required at novice level dressage yet!
 
StormyMoments said:
hes 8 years old :)

i didnt go out of my way to buy a difficult spanish horse... i wasnt even looking for a horse... especially not a spanish one and he just happened to be there and was offered for him to be bought for us. no other horse, just him. Given the chance to own a horse like Rio we obviously jumped at it and this is where we have ended up :)

A lot of PRE's over here are very gangly and arent built like Rio. Rio is the short stocky bull fighting type not tall and slender... if i wanted tall and slender i would have bought a luci. Rio also has impeccable breeding and given the amount a lot of breeders expect from horses that arent of the same quality as Rio and are more often than not double what i payed i think i would rather buy over there... although with Rio he was a bargain and his price was dropped right down so we could have him :o
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I am sorry SM but you are soooo wrong. There are many many British bred Spanish horses who are every bit as quality as anything brought from Spain. Yes for a fully trained one you will pay more money, as you would with ANY breed but youngsters can be bought very reasonably from the UK, they are better handed, you can have your own vet assess them and, if backed, have been done properly. As for them being gangly????? I have a VERY baroque British bred, I also have a 'gangly' import so that throw that out of the window. I am afraid you are showing some ignorance of the breed with your statements, and I mean no offence by that.
 
Holly_09 said:
Are the British bred much calmer than the Spanish bred? I do love them, they're my favourite breed looks wise, I'm just no way near experienced enough to deal with their temperament! Maybe one day....
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Certain lines can be hotter than others, Bocado lines are hotter in the PRE, just as Viega lines are hotter in the Luso. Other lines are 'calmer' for want of a better word.

Some lines are very sharp as youngsters but as they mature you could put a granny on them - a good one to look out for is anything with Granero IV in the bloodline, sharp as youngsters but very very kind with a fantastic work ethic.

I have both British breds and imports, one British bred is a hot little bundle, the other is sharp and sensitive but would go to the ends of the earth for me. I compete one imported and have to say that she, although not naughty as such, is a 'complicated' and 'enthusiastic' ride :)
 
Tallyho!
In answer to your question in my opinion there is a far greater choice going to Spain than buying from UK....for sure.
I've been looking for about 2.5 months and I have been looking in the UK as well but there is a very limited choice. My precisely there has been one in the UK that has been a possible for me, I decided agains him in the end as recently backed. Apart from him I've had nothing else I've been interested in UK wise.

My main gripe in the UK is that the breeders do NOT advertise their stock. Therefore for people that do not know of the breeders or are new to the breed they look at normal avenues, like horse mart etc, and they see not much for sale........SO they go to Spain! this happens A LOT!

I would say UK bred tend to be quieter, yes. From what I have seen all the UK bred are definitely easier than imports.

They are a wonderful breed, I adore them. I'm truly lucky to be on a yard FULL of Iberians and to have the amazing support I have :-D
 
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