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Spanish Andalusian
Horse Articles > Buying and Selling Andalusian Horses
What You Should Know about Andalusian Horse Breeders
Andalusian Horse Breeders come and go. Over the years I've seen several large
breeders sell out there herds and others who bought from them slowly give up
their dream of breeding Spanish horses. Those that stick with it must be truly
dedicated to the breed.
Types of Breeders
There are many different kinds of breeders of the Andalusian
horse. From the show barn to the backyard breeder, you will find all
kinds. Since the Andalusian horse doesn't specifically fall into a strict style
of riding (like reining or dressage, for example), the Andalusian horse world is
very diverse.
There are breeders who rarely sit their butt down on a horse and
others who ride diligently. There are breeders who went to college and studied
anatomy and genetics, and others who might only have a high school diploma. For
such a highly touted breed, it is somewhat surprising that there are few truly
knowledgeable people in the breed.
Alot of Andalusian horses are sold at a very young age - so alot
of interactions between buyers and sellers occur at a breeding farm. Unlike
other breeds where show barns and working horses prevail, Andalusians do have
their start in most cases with foals and mares. There are also individuals which
sell their horses, and brokers, and horse dealers. But these are fewer in
number.
Typically, the Andalusian breeder community consists of backyard breeders,
big time breeders, small exclusive breeders, stallion owners, breeders for profit, and niche breeders.
The right horse for you could be just about anywhere.
Breeder Influences
Some breeders promote only "Pure Spanish" horses of
Spain. Others don't. The purists will generally own pure
Spanish revised mares and breed them to pure Spanish revised or qualified stallions.
Others may have joined the PRE Mundial bandwagon. And still
others may not participate in any inspection program and only register with the
IALHA.
The purists, most likely, will register all of
their offspring and submit to the Spanish method of quality control.
Some of these breeders stand their stallions to outside mares; others reserve
their stallions for their mares only.
Some breeders are not limited to a specific breed or bloodline
and may own a combination of Spanish, Lusitano, and SP (Spanish/Portuguese)
horses. These breeders can
provide a quality animal at an affordable price and often also sell some Pure
Spanish horses.
A few breeders promote breeding their Portuguese (Lusitano)
stallions to Andalusian mares. Others focus strictly on the rare Lusitano breed
and keeping it pure.
Showing
Some breeders show their stock, others don't. Horse shows
for Andalusians are limited across the country. It is difficult to travel long
distances and many people prefer to show under Spanish or Portuguese judges
only. Shows which fly in judges from overseas are expensive to run and limited
in participation as well. So you can't totally go by the show records of a
breeder. However, it is important, I feel, that stallions have some sort of
performance record and that mares can show performance via their offspring or
themselves.
Tips for Evaluating a Breeder
When evaluating a breeder, talk to others who have purchased their horses.
Find out whether the person has a good reputation. Visit the farm to see how the
horses are cared for. If you are in-experienced, bring along a professional.
Learn about the culture of Spain/Portugal and ask the seller if they follow the
traditions of the mother country. Check to see if the bloodlines they are
producing are the ones you want to breed. Do they use strictly old American
bloodlines and register with IALHA? Do they breed strictly in conformance with
Spain? Do they use recent imports or well-known names from Spain in their
breeding programs? Do the horses look like Spanish horses? Are the breeders
experienced riders and/or judges? Do they have cultural experience from abroad
and/or knowledge of how horses are raised in Spain?
Note: Many of our articles are now available in "blog"
format. The blog allows you to leave comments and share articles. To visit our
blog (a work in progress), go to
Skyhorse Ranch
Blog - Your Source for the Spanish Horse.
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