Why own a Warmblood when you could have an Iberian?

[JFTDWS]

Part of me is tempted to start a new thread called "Why own an Iberian when you could have a Highland Pony?" But heck, maybe my horse induced lack of a love life is messing with my head. Cheers.

Well that would be a thread I could get passionate about

 

[rhino]

If Iberians could hold there own against warmbloods in the dressage/showjumping circuit dont you think all the top riders would be riding them instead?

Some are (well dressage anyway). Love this horse

[YOUTUBE]OXJpfYihRTs[/YOUTUBE]

 

[PRE]

I think this video demonstrate the versatility of the PRE.
Promotional video of SICAB 2011 "International Pure bred Spanish Horse Championship"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-Y5YN4ciO3c

 

[Damnation]

I don't buy a horse for the breed. I buy for what I want and my ability.

My Warmblood is basically a TB X. She is an intelligent forward thinking horse who would be truly offended if I fell off her! No bucking no rearing, napping, bolting etc.

Fantastic ground manners. I couldn't ask for a mare with a nicer temperment and disposition. Thats why I bought her, not because of the breed. Plus I thought I would defend the warmblood a lil bit.

 

[Mrs B]

Am a bit puzzled by this post....

Iberians are lovely; yes.
I'm just a bog-standard rider, but I've known about them since I was a kid (I'm 45); yes.
They have, generally, good movement and a sensitive personality; yes.
They are not a beginner's, or a near beginner's horse; yes.
They are not a horse to chuck in a field and leave until you want to ride; yes.
To me, they are beautiful, as I love a powerful, slightly cobby frame that can fit in a square; yes.

But there are lots of other breeds who have a similarly long list of plus points...

SO?

 

[Enfys]

Wouldn't want an Iberian to compete on, think they're lovely but not very flashy (personal opinion of course)

Aha! So that's why Iberian types are featured so rarely in the movies then?

 

[Ladylina83]

Because I am a sucker for British breeds I think we have something for everyone right here so why add to the carbon footprint ?

 

[tallyho!]

Well, I adore the Iberian horse. The original war horse of the ages. The true romantic of the horseworld. The one that captures your soul in a heartbeat. The ancient treasure prized by kings and paupers. The one whose blood courses through the veins of the modern steeds of today. The beautiful living work of pure art. Oh to own one!

Well I do now and I'm very happy about it.

A British Bred one too. You are right, why import when the breeders here are breeding from the creme de la creme? Why are you all paying extortionate prices? Perhaps you need to look deeper and ask the right people. If you think PRE's and PSL's are small... you're about a half a century behind the times. Maybe more.

WB's are exceptionally beautiful too thanks to the Iberian. It pleases me they do so well in the arena. It's a marvellous advertisement to oldest breed in the world. Yet, my heart belongs to the Iberian horse and that is where it will stay whether or not she performs a cross-country course because that isn't what matters to me.

This is one of my fave videos, not of a boring dressage test... but something livelier...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5895K-Xjupk

 

[Ranyhyn]

Tallyho, that is a stunning video thank you for posting.

What a horse!!!!

 

[ClobellsandBaubles]

Promotional video of SICAB 2011 "International Pure bred Spanish Horse Championship"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-Y5YN4ciO3c

This is one of my fave videos, not of a boring dressage test... but something livelier...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5895K-Xjupk

Love the videos thanks for posting Can't believe he does all that one handed the horse really covers the ground too.

 

[rowy]

I'm not a huge fan of warmbloods after quite a few I know are quite a handful lol and I prefer smaller horses.
I dream of owning a PRE one day but the prices are really high when buying british bred. You see just backed 4 year olds going for 10 grand or so over here! which I suppose of you got a really talented wb it would be a similar price.
Me, I love appaloosas! They are even more prejudiced, one of my friends believes that no appaloosa has chance of getting to top level, and doesnt know why people would want one, so I am determined to prove her wrong!
An appaloosa x PRE would be AMAZING!

 

[cptrayes]

WB's are exceptionally beautiful too thanks to the Iberian.

Ummm, teeny bit biased Tallyho

I can quote you Paul Shockemohle saying warmbloods were based on Yorkshire Carriage horses from the 1800s. One of mine is so thoroughbred he could practically run on a racecourse and he has an Arab head. The other is extremely handsome but clearly based on draft breed genes.

And my ID cross Shire moves well enough to compete (and win) dressage up to at least Medium, probably higher, but he also jumps 6 foot hedges when neither of the other two would because they haven't the guts for it

Horses for courses, we have some superb homebred, native breeding crosses in this country which are excellent material for the vast majority of riders.

 

[ester]

I do love the working equitation vids, and wonder if a games pony might do it faster

I couldn't understand why they didn't do something similar with the lusos at olympia rather than the rather uninspiring of what was, next to the world cup, not a great demo of dressage. Or put a bull in the ring (maybe not ) to show what they are really good at!

this is one of my fav freestyle routines, I love it when memories of the alhambra cuts in for the walk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfMbzSEda0g and his final passage down the centre line!

 

[tallyho!]

Rowy, pre x appys exist!

And cpt, what I say is true. You should pick up a copy of The Royal Horse Of Europe by Sylvia Loch.

 

[tristar]

rowy you should try that cross,!

if i had to ride a wb i might not ride at all!!, i love the part bred spanish horse, i have tres sangres horses, pre cross anglo-arab, they are exciting, beautiful, bold, highly intelligent, full of life!!! i love that bit!! in short they can deliver the goods bigtime, just watching the spanish horses can reduce me to tears of emotion and happiness, the energy, and some of the iberian riders are out of this world, god they can really ride!!

when i watched some of the comp dressage i starting yawning or get uncomfortable seeing the position of the horses heads.

 

[cptrayes]

And cpt, what I say is true. You should pick up a copy of The Royal Horse Of Europe by Sylvia Loch.

I don't doubt the use of Iberians in warmbloods Tallyho, but the modern warmblood started from cart horses (cold bloods - then crossed with hot bloods to make warmbloods) and has influences from every other breed under the sun, even ponies now. You really can't put down good looks in every warmblood as coming from Iberian's you know

My Jazz would be offended, he's proud of his carthorse roots Are you old enough to remember some of the earliest warmblood imports to the UK? Stonking great creatures with legs like treetrunks and heads you had to have a made to measure bridle for, that would have looked really good between the shafts

I understand you being partial, when I'm too old to ride 17 handers my plan is to go down to either a Welsh section D or an Iberian - spot the similarity there, eh
???

 

[Luci07]

It's just simple economics. Most of us dumb amateurs do not have the money or time to start looking abroad. We have a good market over here for the riding club, lower level affilated horse and we make up the biggest part of the market. I have nothing against Iberians, think they are beautiful ( normally) and have actually always hankered after one BUT I want to event. Therefore a pure bred Iberian in not my first choice. As others have said, it's the horse not the cross. Best ever horse I have owned, who was incredibly succesful competitively ( int eventing, med dressage, hunts hacks) was a TB x bog Irish cob. I invariably end up with ISH ( technically. Wb!) and actually DNA research has found that the so called Kerry Grays actually had Iberian blood dating from the time of the armada..

If we were in Spain, then we would have mostly these horses as this is what is available!

 

[noblesteed]

What a silly argument! Horses are individuals aren't they? And I haven't seen very many larger Iberian types - if they are 16.2 + they aren't really true to type are they? Or there aren't many of them over here yet. Surely if a horse is talented it doesn't matter what their breeding is?????

I have an andy x luso x connie. He is british bred and wasn't expensive. He is a nice mix but can be a little s*d a lot of the time, and very 'spanish'. He is either lazy or highly strung, over-sensitive and doesn't listen to his rider because he thinks he knows best! He works beautifully in the school at home but fluffs it up when he gets too excited at comps. He is a very careful bold jumper but slow against the clock. I think either I have a duff one or my riding is rubbish, but we don't have as many rosettes as I won with my native x heinz 57 mare!!! Most competition riders I know don't like him one bit. I know several people who 'used to have an Iberian' but got rid... in favour of a WB. I do love my little horse very, very much and would certainly have another iberian, now I know how their Iberian minds work anyway. But surely it depends on the individual and the partnership? who gives a stuff what the 'best breed' is????

 

[JFTDWS]

You should pick up a copy of The Royal Horse Of Europe by Sylvia Loch.

It is a fine book

That is all I have to add to this debate

 

[SwingHorse]

Beats me, but then again I do breed them so I *could* be a bit biased

 

[stencilface]

I never knew he had newfie in too, can spot that now you say it

Its something I keep on the down low But might explain why he's such a hairy thing!

Those with Iberians, could you be kind enough to share some photos of your Iberians in action, be interesting and nice to see them doing a variety of disciplines for us to see

I don't need to be asked twice Although, he's not a full

Before he got white rising 7 (Osberton)

Newcomers (I'm looking a bit spesh )

As a wedding prop

Doing what he does best

 

[SwingHorse]

Iberians in action - all here are full bred PRE
Bri playing show horse

Bri (left)playing parade horse, with his sire.

Bri under saddle

A few more
13 stallions all in a row; who says you can't treat them like any other horse!?

Sal, who will this year be doing some roping and cow work

 

[Cortez]

I have had Spanish horses for 20 years, there is nothing like them and i adore their looks, movement and mind, BUT they are not for everybody - or perhaps even for most. If I wanted to event, showjump, hunt or even REALLY compete seriously in modern dressage then I would probably be riding a warmblood or horse bred to do these jobs. But fortunately the job I use my horses for is display riding, and there is NOTHING as good at this than the wonderful Iberian (can't be a**sed to post piccies - have a look at my album/avatar)

 

[Hedwards]

What an unusual thread, my guess is that people choose a warmblood rather than an Iberian as it's about what each individual horse owner wants...?

Personally I love Iberians, having done endurance and dressage on a friends PRE, and groomed for her at the BAPSH show 2 years running, I haven't a bad word to say about them. Some of them can be well over 16hh and are very impressive and expressive, particularly the stallions. Would I ever actively go out looking for one to buy, probably not, would I rule one out if i went to see it and liked it, probably not... Each to their own.

Wouldn't the world be a terribly boring place, if all warmblood owners owned Iberians and vice versa

 

[Piglet]

I went out to look for a nice little ISH but ended up with a p/b registered Luso who cost twice as much as I wanted to pay! I always say that he found me - actually I felt sorry for him 'cos he looked so stressed and unhappy in his previous home, little piggy eyes and very tight lips!!! 8 years on, I now have a lovely little horse who trusts me even though he is still neurotic and stressy about some things

 

[StarlightMagic]

All my life I've wanted a Dutch Warmblood, ever since I was old enough to ride! When I got my little man (KWPN) it was the best day of my life, and he's proved to be intelligent, sweet, not at all sharp, and a complete angel and love of my life. Fed up of all the warmblood bashing, don't tar them all with the same brush!

 

[Piglet]

I don't doubt the use of Iberians in warmbloods Tallyho, but the modern warmblood started from cart horses (cold bloods - then crossed with hot bloods to make warmbloods) and has influences from every other breed under the sun, even ponies now. You really can't put down good looks in every warmblood as coming from Iberian's you know

This comment made me chuckle, if someone is banging on about how they wouldn't be seen dead on a "coloured thing" or "a fat hairy cob", I have great pleasure in commenting that their fantastic WB ancestor (not so far back) was possibly pulling a plough or used in farming in their original native country! Don't get me wrong I like WBs and think that they are fantastic horses and wouldn't think twice about buying one (obviously not whilst I have my little Luso, I couldn't afford livery for another one) but they seem to be very in vogue at the moment.

 

[Amaranta]

I'm not a huge fan of warmbloods after quite a few I know are quite a handful lol and I prefer smaller horses.
I dream of owning a PRE one day but the prices are really high when buying british bred. You see just backed 4 year olds going for 10 grand or so over here! which I suppose of you got a really talented wb it would be a similar price.
Me, I love appaloosas! They are even more prejudiced, one of my friends believes that no appaloosa has chance of getting to top level, and doesnt know why people would want one, so I am determined to prove her wrong!
An appaloosa x PRE would be AMAZING!

Seriously £10k! You are most definitely not looking in the right places, a just backed British bred PRE can be bought for around £4.5 - £5k

 

[Amaranta]

I don't doubt the use of Iberians in warmbloods Tallyho, but the modern warmblood started from cart horses (cold bloods - then crossed with hot bloods to make warmbloods) and has influences from every other breed under the sun, even ponies now. You really can't put down good looks in every warmblood as coming from Iberian's you know

My Jazz would be offended, he's proud of his carthorse roots Are you old enough to remember some of the earliest warmblood imports to the UK? Stonking great creatures with legs like treetrunks and heads you had to have a made to measure bridle for, that would have looked really good between the shafts

I understand you being partial, when I'm too old to ride 17 handers my plan is to go down to either a Welsh section D or an Iberian - spot the similarity there, eh
???

Yes you are right, they were crossed with hotbloods, where do you think that blood came from? Some of it was Arab, TBs did not exist at the time, so where did the other hotblood come from as they sure as hell did not just use Arabs, the Iberian was the 'Horse of Kings' and was used extensively to improve native and cold blood breeds, that is how the Fresian came to be, another warmblood btw.

The Iberian (and, of course the Arab) laid the foundations for many breeds, and there is Iberian blood flowing in the veins of many of our natives, including the Welsh D, the Highland and the Connemara. ALL USA breeds originate from the Iberian (there were no horses in the Americas until the Spanish arrived).

 

[SirenaXVI]

PREs in action, how can I resist

This is my homebred (the first papered Tres Sangres bred in the UK) at the sidesaddle champs as a 6yo, she had only been ridden ss for around 8 weeks, won her class and also Best Newcomer.

and in dressage mode

Sirena dressaging

and Lluna - all 16.2 of her

For the poster who said that the big ones do not look spanish, this mare is a big 'modern' type and recently won her class at the GBPRE Show qualifying for Spain.

This one is for cptrayes who does not think they can move