Talk to me about PRE horses......

But Cortez, according to the history books, there were no horses in America until the Spanish arrived. The ones that evolved there died out at the end of the last ice age.

The first horses came with the conquistadors. The first mustangs were Iberian horses stolen, traded by the Indians and some escaped. Other horses arrived henceforth and the same thing happened, mixing with the gene pool. So they eventually were mustangs but this was much later on.

I know I am protesting about what it is bred for, it's only because I don't think it was bred for anything in particular. It was just a useful type of horse that was trainable and the Spanish are very proud of it.

Why would your riding ability fall short Oberon? People do tend to put these horses on pedestals and love to tell horror stories (which are more common with the imports) but they are just horses at the end of the day. They are not THAT special - even though I like them a bit more than any other horse, we all have our preferences :D...
 
My PRE was bred to look absolutely gorgeous.

He was also bred to do what he wants, when he wants, if he can be bothered and as long as it doesnt disturb eating or sleeping or being nosey and chatting to his adoring fan club.

If he was human he'd be Enrique Iglesias or Johnny Depp or a younger Antonio Banderas.

He's my best friend and I wouldnt be without him.

I love the breed but have seen some horror stories with them too!
 
Andalusianlover1 said:
My PRE was bred to look absolutely gorgeous.

He was also bred to do what he wants, when he wants, if he can be bothered and as long as it doesnt disturb eating or sleeping or being nosey and chatting to his adoring fan club.

If he was human he'd be Enrique Iglesias or Johnny Depp or a younger Antonio Banderas
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Oberon said:
Because I'm a terrible rider ;) :D
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Rubbish I am no expert horseman I can ride and I enjoy riding I am sure you are a far better horsewoman than me.

My little PRE has a heart of gold and is extremely courageous and learns far quicker than me.

He loves a crowed a few weeks ago me were at a local fait at one point we were surrounded by 100s of people he did not even bat an eye lid.

PRE's seem to love attention !

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Oberon said:
Sounds just like Arabs :)

I'll be the first to admit my riding ability would fall too short for a PRE though :(
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Tosh!! I very much doubt it. From our limited experience of the 2 we had in, they are very sensitive and like to know where they stand in the herd. Once they have gained respect for you on the ground, I think they'd jump off a cliff if you asked them too. From our traumatic start I wouldn't have an issue putting a near novice onto either of them and they are only 4, sure they can try it on but can't every young horse. I'm certainly a convert and not the best or balanced of riders but they really of fantastic and certainly no more tricky than a cob!
 
They are such a fantastic breed, the spanish type in general (lusitano's, Andalusions, PRE's)

I visited portugal twice last year to train with 2 top dressage masters, rode and worked with some beautiful spanish breeds, mainly Luso's. They can be very sensitive and tricky. You have to learn to be sympathetic yet sturn at the same time as they need groundrules and boundaries (they are cheeky and will test what they can and can't get away with) like any horse, a mix between trust, love and friendship needs to be the base of a partnership but the spanish seem to dote on their handlers that bit more, the bond between them and us when right is one to cherish, but if that bond/ partnership is broken its very hard probably impossible to re-gain, it can go awfuly wrong.

They are the most rewarding breed, will try their absolute hardest to please. It really is true when they say the spanish breed pour their hearts out.

One of my portugal trips I fell hook line and sinker for a beautiful 15hh luso I was training. He was a very nervous, sensitive soul but had the hugest heart, straight away we clicked and our partnership and trust grew with strength each day. On the other hand I was helping with a 17hh black andalusion stallion called "Gitano" (name says it all really) ...we just didn't get on, he used to drag me around, always tried to bite me, was a little (well big) bugger, towards the end of my stay we did gain a mutual understanding but our partnership was on the opposite scales of what myn and the little luso's was.

Sorry for the ramble but if I were to get another ned, most definitley will be the spanish breed, probably the Luso :)
 
Would also say that the way they ride are completely different to your normal warmblood, cob etc. I felt as if I was somewhat riding a pony, very short snappy paces. Does take some getting used to, when I came home from Portugal I had to try and adapt myself as riding my big, long strided cob x tb again felt very strange.
 
Spanish horses have been about for centuries, their fortunes and numbers have gone up and down due to war and desease. The Spanish horse of today can be traced back to a small herd from the 13th century bred by the Carthusian Monks in Cartuja. Over the centuries they have been bred for Bull Fighting, Dressage, Driving, Stock horses and War horses. Because of their beauty, athleticism and stamina they were used as diplomatic gifts to kings and officials all over Europe. Spanish blood can be found in many breeds including many Europian Warm Bloods because of this. The Alter Real Lusitanos also come from Andalusian/Spanish blood, the two breeds are very closely linked. Spanish blood also features heavily in many American breeds. There are two stud books for spanish horses and at present they are at "war" with one another as to who is the "proper" Stud book. The Pure Bred Spannish Horse or PRE is considered the purest breed. An Andalusian may not always be a PRE. To be registered as a PRE both parents must be registered and graded Apto, which means fit for breeding, be careful buying, if you wish to breed, that the parents of your horse are graded. If you don't intend to breed then it doesn't matter. I bought a filly with cracking blood lines, she is a real beauty but she is registered as part bred because her mother failed her grading on height. I don't intend to breed so it doesn't matter but I got a quality horse at a lower price because she wasn't registered PRE even though she is pure bred. She was bred in England.
As to build, they vary according to the blood lines, some are bred for Dressage, some for bull fighting, some for driving, different studs select different blood lines to create a horse fit for purpose. Hence some are heavier than others. They are also selective in colour as well, some breeders breeding predominantly black like Boloix, others greys or duns. A word of warning, a black foal can turn out grey as it ages, check the blood lines if you want a black, on the British Pre web site there is a whole section on colours and genetics.
Now temperament, All horses are different and most of the time humans are responsible for bad temperaments, personally I have found Andalusians/PREs/Lusitanos to be noble, brave and intelligent. Don't rush and you will be rewarded, treat them with respect and they will respect you. I have met many, they have all been lovely horses, some have been abused (seretta marks on their noses, scars elsewhere) and they have been "nervy" but if you are gentle and slow you will gain their trust and they will respond. Some, the younger ones, will try it on, just like any teenager, again patience and a firm consistant manner and all will be well. My filly has been the easiest horse I've ever broken (a phrase I hate) and trained. Very clever, a little saucy at times but never nasty. I recently went to the big horse fair at Ponte De Lima in Portugal, there I saw a tiny tot, about 5 I'd say riding a big Stallion through the crowded fare, the stallion just ambled along following Dad, I also saw a Stallion taking two drunk lads home at about 1am, the horse looked drunk because it was trying to balance them and keep them on board, and I also saw a cart/carriage with two horses being driven through a very very crowded part of the show with push chairs and people right up close and they were completely un-phased, the driver must have trusted them implicitly. (All Lusitanos) Beware of unscupulous importers, if they are "cheap" there is a reason, it cost in excess of £1000 to import, and the Spanish and Portugeuse will keep the best for themselves, understandably. You will pay alot for a good one, like any horse, however some good horses are bred in England, you don't have the import cost so can spend more on the horse, you can also see it more than once when you buy, if you buy a part bred (pure Spanish with Non Apto parent) you can get a good horse like me at a reasonable price. Buying british also eliminates the trauma of acclimatising for an imported horse. Remember to look at the whole horse as a horse and not be swept away by their beauty, conformation is conformation whatever the breed. If you want to try an Iberian, there are holidays you can go on where you get to ride them, there's a place called Morgado near Lisbon I believe there is also a place near Liverpool! Go google. Sorry, I feel like I've written a book, hope it all helps. :)
 
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The wife said:
Tosh!! I very much doubt it. From our limited experience of the 2 we had in, they are very sensitive and like to know where they stand in the herd. Once they have gained respect for you on the ground, I think they'd jump off a cliff if you asked them too. From our traumatic start I wouldn't have an issue putting a near novice onto either of them and they are only 4, sure they can try it on but can't every young horse. I'm certainly a convert and not the best or balanced of riders but they really of fantastic and certainly no more tricky than a cob!
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I agree with the wife!! :)

There's trickier cobs on my yard than my spaniard!
 
Girl Friday said:
Spanish horses have been about for centuries, their fortunes and numbers have gone up and down due to war and desease. The Spanish horse of today can be traced back to a small herd from the 13th century bred by the Carthusian Monks in Cartuja. Over the centuries they have been bred for Bull Fighting, Dressage, Driving, Stock horses and War horses. Because of their beauty, athleticism and stamina they were used as diplomatic gifts to kings and officials all over Europe. Spanish blood can be found in many breeds including many Europian Warm Bloods because of this. The Alter Real Lusitanos also come from Andalusian/Spanish blood, the two breeds are very closely linked. Spanish blood also features heavily in many American breeds. There are two stud books for spanish horses and at present they are at "war" with one another as to who is the "proper" Stud book. The Pure Bred Spannish Horse or PRE is considered the purest breed. An Andalusian may not always be a PRE. To be registered as a PRE both parents must be registered and graded Apto, which means fit for breeding, be careful buying, if you wish to breed, that the parents of your horse are graded. If you don't intend to breed then it doesn't matter. I bought a filly with cracking blood lines, she is a real beauty but she is registered as part bred because her mother failed her grading on height. I don't intend to breed so it doesn't matter but I got a quality horse at a lower price because she wasn't registered PRE even though she is pure bred. She was bred in England.
As to build, they vary according to the blood lines, some are bred for Dressage, some for bull fighting, some for driving, different studs select different blood lines to create a horse fit for purpose. Hence some are heavier than others. They are also selective in colour as well, some breeders breeding predominantly black like Boloix, others greys or duns. A word of warning, a black foal can turn out grey as it ages, check the blood lines if you want a black, on the British Pre web site there is a whole section on colours and genetics.
Now temperament, All horses are different and most of the time humans are responsible for bad temperaments, personally I have found Andalusians/PREs/Lusitanos to be noble, brave and intelligent. Don't rush and you will be rewarded, treat them with respect and they will respect you. I have met many, they have all been lovely horses, some have been abused (seretta marks on their noses, scars elsewhere) and they have been "nervy" but if you are gentle and slow you will gain their trust and they will respond. Some, the younger ones, will try it on, just like any teenager, again patience and a firm consistant manner and all will be well. My filly has been the easiest horse I've ever broken (a phrase I hate) and trained. Very clever, a little saucy at times but never nasty. I recently went to the big horse fair at Ponte De Lima in Portugal, there I saw a tiny tot, about 5 I'd say riding a big Stallion through the crowded fare, the stallion just ambled along following Dad, I also saw a Stallion taking two drunk lads home at about 1am, the horse looked drunk because it was trying to balance them and keep them on board, and I also saw a cart/carriage with two horses being driven through a very very crowded part of the show with push chairs and people right up close and they were completely un-phased, the driver must have trusted them implicitly. (All Lusitanos) Beware of unscupulous importers, if they are "cheap" there is a reason, it cost in excess of £1000 to import, and the Spanish and Portugeuse will keep the best for themselves, understandably. You will pay alot for a good one, like any horse, however some good horses are bred in England, you don't have the import cost so can spend more on the horse, you can also see it more than once when you buy, if you buy a part bred (pure Spanish with Non Apto parent) you can get a good horse like me at a reasonable price. Buying british also eliminates the trauma of acclimatising for an imported horse. Remember to look at the whole horse as a horse and not be swept away by their beauty, conformation is conformation whatever the breed. If you want to try an Iberian, there are holidays you can go on where you get to ride them, there's a place called Morgado near Lisbon I believe there is also a place near Liverpool! Go google. Sorry, I feel like I've written a book, hope it all helps. :)
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Excellent post, I also agree that prices in the UK have not changed for about 10 years, you can now buy a backed but green 4/5yo for around £4k, I personally know of two (one PRE and one 3/4 PRE) that are well under that and in fact I will be going to see very shortly - luckily they are both grey so OH will not notice the additions to the herd :p

It makes me chuckle when people say it is cheaper to buy from Spain, it does not make me chuckle when said people try to register their horses in the UK, only to find that what they have bought is in fact not a PRE at all.
 
My friend owns a PRE mare that I've helped look after for the last four years and ride when I like (my friend doesn't ride), she's in her mid teens. I also own an arab. In some ways they are very similar and in others they are not. She's sharp but not spooky, hot and sensitive. She's much easier to sit on than an arab, long, wide neck, massive shoulders and whilst her legs go round like a windmill, her body remains smooth, there's not much bounce. She likes to work, likes to please and enjoys a good gallop! Whilst my arab thinks life is all about having fun, the mare is a bit more serious. She has a very high opinion of herself and is definitely the alpha! I think someone has been hard on her in the past because she can worry sometimes and I feel like she wouldn't dare do anything naughty. It's taken her a long time to completely unpack her bags, settle in and show affection for those of us who care for her.
 
Ok, not a PRE but my retired competition horse is a Lusitano x TB and was bred in Portugal. Id love to have another part bred or try a pure Iberian, but I do think part breds make them a bit more suited to non-dressage disiplines (I like to jump and mine was an absolute jumping machine). I do think they're sharp. Mine certainly was as sharp and sensitive as they come but he would do absolutely anything to please me so it was a brilliant combination and he's my horse of a lifetime. But I can see that type wouldn't be for everyone and could probably be easy to mess them up if you weren't confident etc.

I couldn't afford a pure bred realistically, they're crazily priced IMO.
 
I wanted one for my next horse, but i think they'll be out of my league money wise. I don't want a foal, and if you don't want one of them all i've seen is anything backed is 7k and up, or you could pay 4k (or more) for something that is recuperating from injury. I don't really want something part bred tbh. Anything that i remotely want is gone in a flash as they are often too far for me to go and have a look.

So, i'm going to go after something else and the Spanish will remain my lottery dream i think. I do love them, but i also love others and I can't justify the mark up of a spanish horse.
 
mariew said:
I wanted one for my next horse, but i think they'll be out of my league money wise. I don't want a foal, and if you don't want one of them all i've seen is anything backed is 7k and up, or you could pay 4k (or more) for something that is recuperating from injury. I don't really want something part bred tbh. Anything that i remotely want is gone in a flash as they are often too far for me to go and have a look.

So, i'm going to go after something else and the Spanish will remain my lottery dream i think. I do love them, but i also love others and I can't justify the mark up of a spanish horse.
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Have you tried looking in Spain? There are plenty available for less (a LOT less..) than you would pay in the UK, and they are generally better handled and trained.
 
I can only speak from my experience with Lusitanos, having spent a good deal of time working over there on a stud farm in Portugal.

Incredible horses but I believe particularly with Lusitanos there were a few “bad” stallions extensively bred from and some of them (like any breed) really do have a screw loose

We had a lot of horses come through the stud, some rescues who had been treated incredibly roughly. I’ll never forget this guy, Luca, who had such a bad start in life he never came right under saddle despite so much care and consideration. Just had a tendency to panic with dangerous consequences but you could not find more sweet horse. Such a shame.

They are so brave, fun and intelligent. I absolutely love their spark and my own Connie always reminds me of a little Spanish/Portuguese horse with a similar type of attitude. If I wasn’t so addicted to connemaras I’d have one of these for sure!C20D96FF-FD9C-48FD-9096-3B919EB3450D.jpeg61B2E4C5-CAE2-4EA5-B357-300EFE7AEF5A.jpeg
 
God Michen , Luca looks just like mine a few years ago, even down to the pink nose mark, younger though judging by his black legs, mines faded out to mostly grey now. He is an absolute pig on the ground, rude and pushy without ever being dangerous as such. It's like manners weren't important in his training. Bring his saddle out however and a different horse emerges almost instantly and he really is quite something to ride and although i prefer my Arab there is something very special about riding him, especially if there are people around, he's so vain , you can almost feel him sucking himself up and giving an extra leg flick.
There are some really , really nice ones over here for under 3k
 
I'd love a PRE as my next horse after Chilli, but would be a bit put off searching as I wouldn't even know where to start as I'm no expert at horse hunting having had all my horses so far find me!
 
I have a PRE mare and a Lusitano cross. I live in North West Spain where there is lush green grass 9 -10 months a year. Most horses here live out here, and the conditions are comparable with the UK.
I bought my PRE as a 9 year old for €600. I bought my Lusitano cross (she has some issues with arthritis) as a 14 year old for €800 including transport from 200 miles away. We paid more for her despite her issues because we needed a 100% bombproof horse. I posted a thread on here today... I have started hacking her bridleless.
As for character, I think it depends on the horse. They are both fast learners. My PRE came to me underweight, reactive and sharp. But with work she has really settled down. She doesn't spook, she hacks alone, she isn't reactive any more. She is very affectionate and extremely well mannered to handle and a joy to ride.
My Lusitano cross is a bit more aloof, but she is a wonderful horse and never sets a foot wrong on the ground or under saddle.
If you are buying from Spain, know that the Spanish don't take any nonsense from their horses. I have seen some unpleasant things, but at the same time the horses here seem to be very tolerant and well behaved. Where I live plenty of people have geldings as well as stallions. And most are very well socialised.
Most people advertise on something called Milanuncios.com. But there is a breeder near my village, Antonio Duran, try googling Yeguada Duran, he sells beautiful weanlings and yearlings for €5000. You may have heard of one of his stallions, Vagabundo. World champion.
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If you don't want to spend that much, then a quick search on Milanuncios.com will turn up hundreds and hundreds.
My friend just transported his horse to the UK for £900 door to door. You will definitely have more choice buying in Spain, buy then you may find it is more hassle too.
https://www.milanuncios.com/venta-de-caballos/pura-raza-espanola-276340482.htm
Just one advert on Milanuncios.com.
 
Goldenstar said:
Should not have read this as I have an empty stable I would love a trip to Spain.
The stable has been empty since January that Is a record for me.
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Come visit me and I will help you find a PRE! Don't worry about them adapting to the UK climate. Buy from this part of Spain and they will be used to 150km hr winds in winter, driving rain, temp of -10C and plenty snow. It's wild here in winter. Lol. And most horses are out in the hills roughing it out!
 
i read somewhere an authority on pres said, i think it was juan llamas, that when you cross an iberian with arab and tb you get a superb horse that loses non of the true arrogance of the pure bred, that sums up the best of those horses for me, and they are surely not a horse for the faint hearted, but would set on fire the heart with desire of any bold rider to ride or own one

i`m not sure if i would find a purebred exciting enough after part breds, they are true working horses who could take you anywhere and do anything almost. [but would love to experiment with pres]
 
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