j1ffy
Well-Known Member
I've brought four PREs over from Spain - three were mine, one belonged to my ex and was sold (he was the only entire we brought over, but his balls didn't last long!). I competed the first to BD Elementary and also did a bit of everything, the second I competed to BD Medium and we'd have gone further but he had a field accident as a 5yo that we think caused a neck injury. My third is my current youngster in my avatar.
I've had no issues with them adapting to this country. They can be very sensitive to grass and certain types of feed, particularly if they have been stable-kept in Spain, so it's important to introduce them slowly to grazing and / or bring them over in winter. Bear in mind that Spain is a large country with a varied climate so don't listen to generalisations on what they do / don't eat there, it will be region and yard specific. Mine all came from a yard that fed rough hay, unmolassed sugar beet and oats - so fairly basic. My first boy developed navicular, I believe as a result of a very 'English' farrier trimming his hooves to the wrong ideal on arrival, which we've managed through a barefoot self-trimming approach. I've kept the others barefoot too and their hooves are excellent, but two of them are very sensitive to any type of chaff so I keep them on copra and a powder balancer (currently Oxydane) but I'd do the same for any breed of horse now.
If you've been working at a dressage yard with PREs, you'll be familiar with the training challenges. I was a dressage novice when I got my first PRE and had to learn how to encourage him to stretch over his back and stop the 'choppy' tendency. You'll be aware that they are very quick learners so they adapt easily with correct, consistent training.
Temperament-wise, my three are all very different. My first (now 17yo, I got him as a 5yo) is extremely laid-back and one of those 'one in a million' types who'll look after a novice or give an experienced rider a really fun ride. My second (now 15yo) is more sensitive and a bit of a worrier, but very straightforward to ride. My third (5yo) is closely related to the second, but is a far bolder character and incredibly sensitive - I've had to re-learn how to ride in some ways! All three have beautiful natures, very human-focused, great to hack and take out to competitions etc, and take responsibility to look after their riders.
After a brief sojourn into the warmblood world, I'll be sticking with PREs!!
I've had no issues with them adapting to this country. They can be very sensitive to grass and certain types of feed, particularly if they have been stable-kept in Spain, so it's important to introduce them slowly to grazing and / or bring them over in winter. Bear in mind that Spain is a large country with a varied climate so don't listen to generalisations on what they do / don't eat there, it will be region and yard specific. Mine all came from a yard that fed rough hay, unmolassed sugar beet and oats - so fairly basic. My first boy developed navicular, I believe as a result of a very 'English' farrier trimming his hooves to the wrong ideal on arrival, which we've managed through a barefoot self-trimming approach. I've kept the others barefoot too and their hooves are excellent, but two of them are very sensitive to any type of chaff so I keep them on copra and a powder balancer (currently Oxydane) but I'd do the same for any breed of horse now.
If you've been working at a dressage yard with PREs, you'll be familiar with the training challenges. I was a dressage novice when I got my first PRE and had to learn how to encourage him to stretch over his back and stop the 'choppy' tendency. You'll be aware that they are very quick learners so they adapt easily with correct, consistent training.
Temperament-wise, my three are all very different. My first (now 17yo, I got him as a 5yo) is extremely laid-back and one of those 'one in a million' types who'll look after a novice or give an experienced rider a really fun ride. My second (now 15yo) is more sensitive and a bit of a worrier, but very straightforward to ride. My third (5yo) is closely related to the second, but is a far bolder character and incredibly sensitive - I've had to re-learn how to ride in some ways! All three have beautiful natures, very human-focused, great to hack and take out to competitions etc, and take responsibility to look after their riders.
After a brief sojourn into the warmblood world, I'll be sticking with PREs!!
