** thoughts on Andalusian horses **

[Alexrouse1]

Hi I'm looking to buy an Andalusian horse for dressage and was just wondering what pros and cons there are to owning one and people's opinions of them in general ( dressage, temperament etc .) I am looking for a gelding or stallion. I am 13 yeas old and have been riding for 10 years and am probably looking to make it up to elementary British dressage . Thanks in advance

 

[rifruffian]

are your parents on board with this good idea ? What do they think about andalusians ? Do you have the right facilities to secure and maintain a stallion...?

 

[Shay]

Stallions present particular complexities and keeping and competing. You would be far better off with a gelding. I know Andalusians look lovely buy if you are looking for something for dressage why not aim for something which is bred and trained for that rather than a specific breed? Dressage horses are expensive enough anyway - there is no point in adding to it with the additional price tag of a pure bred.

 

[be positive]

Stallions present particular complexities and keeping and competing. You would be far better off with a gelding. I know Andalusians look lovely buy if you are looking for something for dressage why not aim for something which is bred and trained for that rather than a specific breed? Dressage horses are expensive enough anyway - there is no point in adding to it with the additional price tag of a pure bred.

I would also add that at 13 you should not be restricting yourself too much, buy something you can have fun on, that does a bit of everything, any breed or type can do BD elem, so find a horse you like, that you can enjoy riding, I would avoid stallions as you will find there are too many drawbacks with owning one and not many benefits.

 

[Equi]

I don't think they are brilliant for dressage. Anyone I know with one has soundness problems with them but not sure if that's breed related or work related (considering they generally have the same work type of old classical work and Spanish work)

 

[Spanny]

I like them a lot, but I would be wary of having a stallion for the above reasons, especially if you don't have your own land. It's also worth keeping in mind that stallions can be tricky to sell as not many people have the facilities to keep them.

Spanish horses are generally very good at the collected work but can struggle with extension. I think that some judges mark them down as what might be a very good extension for that particular horse might not be especially impressive compared to e.g. a warm blood type. You might find you would be making it harder for yourself to move up the levels/get the really big marks because of that.

I've also found that quite a number of the different ones that I've known/ridden don't move entirely straight (usually dishing, but there was another that plaited), so if you do go ahead look carefully at the movement.

 

[Nasicus]

You say you've ridden for 10 years, have you ever owned a horse before?

 

[Antw23uk]

Guys I dont think you need to take this thread too seriously. The OP is 13 .. this is just day dreaming (which of course is allowed but come on, seriously!)

 

[DappleDown]

Firstly, well done for asking questions.

Many of the above posts have valid points about support, land etc.

I would avoid a stallion, can I ask why you are considering one?

Don't restrict your self to one breed. Draw up a short list of preferred breeds, then with an experienced knowledgeable adult look at those within your (parents?) budget. Look for a horse you feel you can bond with, trust, and that will go nicely for you. Try not to fall in love with the first one you see.

And keep asking lots of questions!

Best wishes.

 

[be positive]

Guys I dont think you need to take this thread too seriously. The OP is 13 .. this is just day dreaming (which of course is allowed but come on, seriously!)

She may just be day dreaming but can still be treated sensibly and given answers that may help if and when she does get the opportunity to buy a horse, if a few more people asked for advice before purchasing their first horse they may be better prepared to avoid some of the pitfalls such as buying a barely broken 11 year old and all the drama that has gone on in the threads about that ongoing saga.

 

[Nici]

I ride an Andalusian stallion when I travel to Spain. He is wonderful and has a lovely character, but he has been trained to a high level by professionals before I started to ride him.
Perhaps look into older stallions that have some training behind them. The one I ride is 16 years old and is absolutely healthy.
Other considerations are their manes and tails, both very long and very thick. If you like that and don't mind detangling knots, that's the breed for you.

 

[Alexrouse1]

You say you've ridden for 10 years, have you ever owned a horse before?

Yes, I have owned a horses before a gelding, 2 mares and a stallion at the present

 

[Alexrouse1]

Guys I dont think you need to take this thread too seriously. The OP is 13 .. this is just day dreaming (which of course is allowed but come on, seriously!)

I'm not sure that it's daydreaming, I'm going to try a stallion next week

 

[hihosilver]

I smell a troll here!!

 

[Antw23uk]

I smell a troll here!!

No no, let them all carry on. You and I can sit back and watch the fun

 

[Alexrouse1]

No no, let them all carry on. You and I can sit back and watch the fun

I'm not sure I quite understand

 

[Floxie]

I'm not sure I quite understand

They're saying in a roundabout way that they don't believe you.

 

[Alexrouse1]

They're saying in a roundabout way that they don't believe you.

Ahhh ok thanks, I'm not sure I need these kind of unhelpful comments as I was only looking for information on the breed as I am looking to buy one so no need for these kind of useless comments. And when did they become qualified to judge my circumstances, ability and what I'm looking for.

 

[Chinchilla]

As a mare owner I can honestly say having a stallion around would piss the hell out of me.
Makes it hard for people around you, I imagine especially so at a livery yard.

But hey if you have your own land go for it?

Out of interest why not get a mare? They are wonderful! Some can be mareish but if you put the work in and take the time to forge a bond you have a partner who will work to the death for you. (Unless they're in season, which can be a pain with some female equines, so it's worth asking about that when you go to view a horse - ask to see their feed room, if there's a supplement geared towards calming mareish mares you can guess the horse is a pain, regardless of what the owner says).

 

[Casey76]

Unless you have your own place, or a special set up at livery, life for a stallion can be very restrictive. If you really want to ride an entire, get a mare!

Secondly, if you really want to do well in competitive dressage (and not just schooling or say classical dressage) then a PRE or PSL will probably struggle more to get good marks than a more "standard" breed. Because they have a tendency to be short coupled, they find collection very easy, but conversely extension quite difficult (their forelegs tend to go up and down a lot rather than stretch out from the shoulder - similar to a harness bred Sec D), and in BD the extension comes before the collection.

You should check the breeding quite carefully, as some lines are very sharp - especially the PSL which are bred to be bull fighters.

 

[Nasicus]

When you say you own, do you mean YOU own, or your parents own and you help with?

 

[Chinchilla]

Unless you have your own place, or a special set up at livery, life for a stallion can be very restrictive. If you really want to ride an entire, get a mare!

Secondly, if you really want to do well in competitive dressage (and not just schooling or say classical dressage) then a PRE or PSL will probably struggle more to get good marks than a more "standard" breed. Because they have a tendency to be short coupled, they find collection very easy, but conversely extension quite difficult (their forelegs tend to go up and down a lot rather than stretch out from the shoulder - similar to a harness bred Sec D), and in BD the extension comes before the collection.

You should check the breeding quite carefully, as some lines are very sharp - especially the PSL which are bred to be bull fighters.

Casey76 this is COMPLETELY unrelated (sorry OP!) but I love Merens horses. (Not sure how to get the accent, sorry about that). They are stunning!

 

[Alexrouse1]

Unless you have your own place, or a special set up at livery, life for a stallion can be very restrictive. If you really want to ride an entire, get a mare!

Secondly, if you really want to do well in competitive dressage (and not just schooling or say classical dressage) then a PRE or PSL will probably struggle more to get good marks than a more "standard" breed. Because they have a tendency to be short coupled, they find collection very easy, but conversely extension quite difficult (their forelegs tend to go up and down a lot rather than stretch out from the shoulder - similar to a harness bred Sec D), and in BD the extension comes before the collection.

You should check the breeding quite carefully, as some lines are very sharp - especially the PSL which are bred to be bull fighters.

Thank you all for the helpful information! I do have my own facilities at my own yard to keep a stallion. A mare might be an option but I'm not exactly taken by them. I would only be looking for a horse to take me to elementary- medium British dressage so I would probably be looking for a new horse in the next 4-5 years anyway and it would probably end up being a warmblood or something like that, I'm not saying that horses are disposable or anything like that! But certain horses can only take you so far.

 

[Alexrouse1]

When you say you own, do you mean YOU own, or your parents own and you help with?

Well my parents are the least "horsey" people you could know so they own the facilities but I clean - deal with most of it by myself but it's not a 13 year old doing everything as we live just down the road from a top end ex BE competitor who now has her own yard just down the road who helps out and our nexdoor neighbor is a vet who comes and looks at the horses often.

 

[sunnyone]

OP you need to be very careful about buying an Andalusian if it has come from Spain, rather than bred in the UK or even France.

Stallions in Spain are simply horses that have not been gelded, yet. Some are lovely chaps but with poor conformation and you would not want to breed from these. However most Spanish men see riding a stallion as a reflection of their own masculinity, hence the colts become stallions. Stallions of real breeding quality are worth a lot of money.

Geldings on the other hand have often been left as stallions, but then displayed behavioural or mental health issues. It's either cut or shoot time and many then become rigs with attitude. Never buy a gelding from Spain without knowing when it was gelded and if it was after 2 years old walk away fast.

Mares tend to have an easier life as no Spanish man really wants to be seen out riding one if he is not schooling it for a female friend.

i suggest you bide your time and find a capable UK horse.

 

[Alexrouse1]

OP you need to be very careful about buying an Andalusian if it has come from Spain, rather than bred in the UK or even France.

Stallions in Spain are simply horses that have not been gelded, yet. Some are lovely chaps but with poor conformation and you would not want to breed from these. However most Spanish men see riding a stallion as a reflection of their own masculinity, hence the colts become stallions. Stallions of real breeding quality are worth a lot of money.

Geldings on the other hand have often been left as stallions, but then displayed behavioural or mental health issues. It's either cut or shoot time and many then become rigs with attitude. Never buy a gelding from Spain without knowing when it was gelded and if it was after 2 years old walk away fast.

Mares tend to have an easier life as no Spanish man really wants to be seen out riding one if he is not schooling it for a female friend.

i suggest you bide your time and find a capable UK horse.

Thank you. I would not be planning on importing one but that you for spending time writing this

 

[mariew]

Am i reading it right this would mean you'd have two stallions on the same yard? How would you handle them trying/wanting to kill each other? I think you really need to know what you are doing, and have the physical strength to be able to deal with them. Spanish horses are sensitive creatures.

Aside from that i think there are many horses that would take you far, a lot of horses and ponies, should easily be able to take you to medium/elementary, you shouldn't have to go abroad to unknown territory for that. Echo the ones who say to look at home.

 

[be positive]

Well my parents are the least "horsey" people you could know so they own the facilities but I clean - deal with most of it by myself but it's not a 13 year old doing everything as we live just down the road from a top end ex BE competitor who now has her own yard just down the road who helps out and our nexdoor neighbor is a vet who comes and looks at the horses often.

Well you are lucky to have two people to help you find the right horse whatever breed it is, I would expect the event rider to have plenty of experience to go with you and check them out, please don't underestimate how much more effort a stallion will require from the day to day management point of view, you will be at school all day, your parents are not experienced so what happens if something goes wrong and they need to deal with him, a stallion getting loose is going to cause havoc and I don't imagine your parents being able to cope on their own.

 

[Apercrumbie]

How does your current set up with a stallion and a mare work? I would be very wary of introducing another stallion into the vicinity.

In terms of the Andalusian question, as others have said they tend to struggle with British Dressage as we are more disposed to extension than collection. That said, if that doesn't bother you then it is wonderful to learn collection on a well-trained Andalusian. They are very intelligent animals (mine used to play tag properly - first I would be "it" and once I'd caught him, he would gently be "it" and we would keep swapping - and would also play dead) and get bored very easily, often leaving you with a boisterous horse unless you're a good handler.

 

[Alexrouse1]

Am i reading it right this would mean you'd have two stallions on the same yard? How would you handle them trying/wanting to kill each other? I think you really need to know what you are doing, and have the physical strength to be able to deal with them. Spanish horses are sensitive creatures.

Aside from that i think there are many horses that would take you far, a lot of horses and ponies, should easily be able to take you to medium/elementary, you shouldn't have to go abroad to unknown territory for that. Echo the ones who say to look at home.

No we wouldn't be keeping two stallions in the same yard we aren't trying to get someone killed. We are going to sell our stallion so there wouldn't be two of them together. But thank you for your concern