14h Lusitano

[Reecespeices]

Hello,
I just acquired a 14h Lusitano mare. Vet says she is a coming 3yr old. History I have been told is:
came from California as a feral Lusitano about a year ago or less and went to a Lusitano breeder in Canada. Mare was sold again to person who just gave (yes GAVE) her to me. Previous owner tried to ‘train her’ for several months in dressage and being a newbie rider herself she failed and has thus given up horses( such a surprise). Now previous owners was set on that the little mare was 5yrs old even though EVERYBODY including vet said no, she was coming on 3.

Now she is coming into my possession this weekend and is only 14hh. I assume she was malnourished when she ran feral, she is super sweet, and I hope if given nutrition and time to grow she will pick up a little.

Are there any lusitano experts on here that could give some guidance and expertise? I plan on letting her rest for a month on good pasture then start ‘exposing’ her via ponying and ground work to as much as I can. She has been started but I feel she is too young and under developed to be in a work program. I plan to reintroduce riding next year lightly. She was in a ‘5yr old’ work program…I still don’t fully know what the person meant by that, just that she resorted to training forks. This mare had been riddin a few times by competent kids without issues…just the owner had the issues with her and I suspect she created the ones she did have.

so any insight into this breed and what I should do to optimize her growth( my understanding is that the breed matures slow), and just shared experiences with the breed to give me hope? If she doesn’t grow we hope to make her into a short stirrup mount for our youngest…he isn’t even one so she would be well schooled and exposed by the time he takes her reins lol.
thanks a bunch!!!

[CanteringCarrot]

I have more experience with P.R.E. horses than I do Lusitanos, but they do share some characteristics. I don’t know what kind of weight she is in now, but do be careful when putting her on lush or rich pasture as typically they are easier keepers that are susceptible to laminitis. Good nutrition with low NSC will be fine. Typically good forage and a vit/mineral or ration balancer do the trick for these guys.

Typically these horses are intelligent, which can work to your advantage and disadvantage. They also never forget and really value having their one person.

I think you have a good plan on taking it slower and letting her develop. Ponying and starting her in long lines would be a good idea. In my experience these horses do well with ground work and trick training. They catch on quickly and enjoy mental stimulation.

Lusitanos can be hot and sensitive, but they are also individuals so look at the horse in front of you. Their sensitivity is quite useful in many ways when it comes to training, IMO.

Do make sure that you have a good farrier familiar with Iberian horses and their hoof shape. It’s a little different and they shouldn’t be trimmed or shod as a TB or Warmblood. Their hoof is a bit more upright and they can be prone to contracted heals and quarter cracks if not balanced correctly (as with any horse though).

And, once you go Iberian, you never go back!

[Scribbler]

Are you in Canada? There are several Iberian horse FB groups that might be helpful too.

[piedmontfields]

Good luck with your young mare! Not suggesting you rush your training, but these are smart, sturdy horses (at their best) and she may well be ready for ridden work before age 5. You are not dealing with a future 18h WB here…

Managing pasture/diet from the onset is smart, especially if you are in a lusher landscape. Many Iberians do well barefoot (with a good trim).

I think the hardest thing I’ve had to learn from working with a Lusitano x is that it is easy for them to “look” more advanced in their balance/strength than they actually are—just because they are built in a round way. It is still important to deliberately and slowly develop their strength, suppleness and balance, just like with any horse.

[Scribbler]

Yes, they can show advanced moves at liberty and even under saddle without actually doing then correctly or having the foundation. So go slowly.

[MissAriel]

Lucky you. There is a Lusitano mare at our barn and she is terrific. Loves people and food, although not necessarily in that order. She definitely likes “her” person more, but she loves attention from anyone and everyone. She is sensitive and forward without being flighty or spooky - she’s probably the most solid on the trails of any of the other horses at the barn.

She is super smart and always wants to perform. They have been riding her dressage and working equitation. You cannot school her at speed for the WE obstacles or she tries to do them all super fast, not in the more correct manner for Ease of Handling.

She is an easy keeper, but also a bit prone to ulcers, so she needs some management, but I don’t know if that is a Lusitano thing or just this one horse.

[Haylter]

Who said/measured that she is exactly only 14hands?? How much time have you spent with her? Not trying to be confrontational at all, but you just mention “she is coming into your possession this weekend” no specific mention about time spent with her in person. Even if she is just coming 3 and only 14h that would not be too unusual or a definite sign she was malnourished to the point of her growth being stunted. I would just get her and put her on a balanced diet and exercise program as deemed appropriate by vet. Enjoy your new girl!!!

[pluvinel]

I know a Lusitano that put on 2 inches between 5 and 8 years of age.

Lusitanos are/were traditionally working cattle horses. They were traditionally bred small. It is only recently with the breeders breeding “big” to sell into the dressage market that you see Lusitanos bigger than 15-3hh.

If she was “feral” she might have come out of Carpe Diem Farm in Oregon
https://thehorse.com/118999/allegedly-malnourished-oregon-horses-seized-relocated/

[Scribbler]

BTW if anyone else has free Lusitano project horses they can just send them my way please! OP I think you will love your new mare and I think she will adapt to people quite easily.

[alibi_18]

@Reecespeices

Mare was sold again to person who just gave (yes GAVE) her to me. Previous owner tried to ‘train her’ for several months in dressage and being a newbie rider herself she failed and has thus given up horses( such a surprise).

(…) she is super sweet, (…)

(…) She was in a ‘5yr old’ work program…I still don’t fully know what the person meant by that, just that she resorted to training forks. This mare had been riddin a few times by competent kids without issues…just the owner had the issues with her and I suspect she created the ones she did have.(…)

Not wanting to burst your bubble, but I would be very cautious with this one.

People rarely give away super sweet horses because they are worth money.
People rarely give away super sweet Lusitano horses because they are worth even more money.

If competent kids were able to ride this mare, and that she was somehow in a training program, I don’t get why she couldn’t be sold.

What were the owner’s issues with the mare?

[Scribbler]

@alibi_18

Not wanting to burst your bubble, but I would be very cautious with this one.

People rarely give away super sweet horses because they are worth money.
People rarely give away super sweet Lusitano horses because they are worth even more money.

If competent kids were able to ride this mare, and that she was somehow in a training program, I don’t get why she couldn’t be sold.

What were the owner’s issues with the mare?

While all this is true, you’d be surprised at what can happen at the very bottom of the market.

I expect mare has no papers and so is of less value to a breeder or even someone who wanted to show in the Iberian world.

Iberians are in a funny spot. The good ones are valuable. But also they are being backyard bred on the West Coast by the Mexican American community that use them for parades and general riding. They also like to cross them with QH ( called Azteca) which can be a very nice mix.

Then there are the remnants of the backyard breeders that jumped on the AndyDelusion train a few years back.

So on the west coast there are always pleas from the feedlot rescue groups about young horses “said to be part Andalusian” and even an Iberian rescue group.

I can totally see a smaller mare coming out of a poor start to life being passed from pillar to post and ending up with a no nothing newbie who gave up.

I don’t know why but it seems the less people know and the less intelligent support they have, the more it makes sense to them to take on an unbroke horse.

So I would not be as leery here as if it was a WB because yes, those do get snatched up even without coherent papers.

But OTTB, QH, Iberian crosses without papers, draft horses, minis too: all of these can fall through the cracks through human error, no fault of the horse necessarily.

[pluvinel]

@alibi_18

Not wanting to burst your bubble, but I would be very cautious with this one.

People rarely give away super sweet horses because they are worth money.
People rarely give away super sweet Lusitano horses because they are worth even more money.

If competent kids were able to ride this mare, and that she was somehow in a training program, I don’t get why she couldn’t be sold.

What were the owner’s issues with the mare?

I know of a horse from a very famous breeder (that everyone here would know) that gave away a pure bred horse that had been listed on their web site for $100k.

It just takes being in the right place at the right time and knowing the right people.

[Reecespeices]

@alibi_18

Not wanting to burst your bubble, but I would be very cautious with this one.

People rarely give away super sweet horses because they are worth money.
People rarely give away super sweet Lusitano horses because they are worth even more money.

If competent kids were able to ride this mare, and that she was somehow in a training program, I don’t get why she couldn’t be sold.

What were the owner’s issues with the mare?

The owner was as green as grass. Thought she would be a perfect rider instantly. Has money lol. My friend had worked with this horse at the farm that had brought it up from california(ground work) and swore up and down the wall that the mare was sweet and intelligent. When the mare sold to owner that is giving her to me, my friend offered assistance to help new owner develop horsemanship. The new owner would ‘lunge’ the horse around and around without a release and would push the horse to breaking point. My friend spoke to her about it and many others at the barn, she soon after changed barns and found new coach. Just so happens I also know the new barn and coach she chose. She worked at the new barn for a couple months then after being told again she is going to injure the horse by several people she up and moved AGAIN. I know the people who HAVE worked with her up until just this past month where she moved to a location I know nobody at. She was ‘thrown’ off in a spook and since then she has decided she doesn’t like riding. She wants the mare to goto a good home over selling to a random home. I came with recommendations from people she knew so she approached me about taking ownership. I know what she paid for the mare ( way over paid). So based on the history of outsiders viewing this mare and a few people who had worked with her, she seems to be mentally stable but young. Green plus green results in black and blue lol
I will be moving cautiously as I don’t know what has happened this past month, maybe she did injure her? I do not know. I just know I’m better than the option of her dumping at an auction if mare can’t sell. I also had somebody who handled mare in past say that if she doesn’t work out as a rising horse she would take her for therapy work. So I feel confident in taking this mare

[Reecespeices]

@Haylter

Who said/measured that she is exactly only 14hands?? How much time have you spent with her? Not trying to be confrontational at all, but you just mention “she is coming into your possession this weekend” no specific mention about time spent with her in person. Even if she is just coming 3 and only 14h that would not be too unusual or a definite sign she was malnourished to the point of her growth being stunted. I would just get her and put her on a balanced diet and exercise program as deemed appropriate by vet. Enjoy your new girl!!!

I only met her a year ago before she was sold. Super friendly little mare. I have not seen her recently as I live 3 hrs away lol. My friend who helped owner and mare prior to them moving barns a month ago had measured her at 14h one month ago. I only assume she was malnourished or at least lacking something as she ran feral foraging off the land, no hay or grain provided. She has grown in a year but I hope with continued good feed she will gain height or substance as she is petite all around, looks like a gangly yearling.
A vet was out to look at her and had told the lady the mare was just coming into 3 at most and the exercise she was getting was far too great for her age and development. The lady does not like to be told she isn’t being perfect unfortunately. I have followed this mare through friends who had hands on her over the year as she was SO sweet after discovering humans were not scary. I just happened to be in somebody’s thoughts at the right time and was spoken of in good light by multiple people. I was just lucky. Unfortunately being 3 hours away I can’t just go spend time with her lol so I pick her up Friday and no matter what I am bringing her home and letting her mature physically but keep her mentally activated. I was just looking for more info or lusitanos and growth, or specific feeding requirements. I did read in a post that they have a different hoof morphology so must be trimmed differently. You learn something new every day

[SerenaGinger]

All the Lusitanos I know are imported, so your mare might be different, but many don’t do well with a 5-way vaccine. Mine gets one vaccine at a time, spread apart by at least a week. The rabies vaccine has been very challenging for a lot of horses, not just Lusitanos, so be super vigilant with that.

I’m hoping since your mare was born in the US and was left to her own devices that she is more hardy than the imports!

[lorilu]

I own two Lusitanos, and they could not be more different. Bravo was imported from Brazil, 16.1 or 2, is smart and quiet , a bit standoffish (but coming around!) and just the perfect schoolmaster for me… makes me do it correctly, has his tricks to be lazy (laying on his left shoulder, for instance…), and his default resistance is piaffe, and he is a super easy keeper… Ludie, OTOH, was bred in Idaho, has Viega blood (bullfighting lines), and is smaller (15.1 or 2), smart, hot, and brave, sees everything around him (he was a stallion for a long time), very much “in your pocket” horse… he asks “Is it my turn YET?” every time I go to the field!, and tends to run a bit lean even with great nutrition … he was also, apparently, pushed too hard by a dressage trainer, rebelled somehow, and would up with an amazing trainer from whom I got him. He is a gem. The one thing they have in common? They both appreciate a “good boy” and will work for food… or sugar. VERY food motivated!!
My advice? Let her get to know you. SPend quality time with her grooming, etc… maybe teaching some tricks to occupy her mind… before you work on much undr saddle. Advice above about the farrier is important. The Iberians, in general, cannot be trained the same way as a warmblood - IMO you will never find balance by pushing them forward… She may be tight in her back, and working in a lower stretching frame may need instruction B/C they tend to be high headed. I am lucky to have found trainers who are familiar with the baroque breeds… Having clinicd with some “warmblood” focused trainers, I see that the "forward!!! first " methods are just not as effective.
I have had no issue with vaccinations, and have nto heard of that in my friends, but I would be cautious in any case - who knows how mature her immune system is, how many vaccinations she has had over time, etc etc.

Lucky you!!!

[quietann]

[QUOTE=pluvinel;n10385918I

If she was “feral” she might have come out of Carpe Diem Farm in Oregon
https://thehorse.com/118999/allegedly-malnourished-oregon-horses-seized-relocated/[/QUOTE]

That story is from 2011, so probably not. Although g-d knows what happened to those horses after they were auctioned, so she could have come from a feral mare.

It sounds like OP has been following the mare (filly) for much of her life, though, and is better informed about her “free” horse than most people.
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[RedmondDressage]

@quietann

That story is from 2011, so probably not. Although g-d knows what happened to those horses after they were auctioned, so she could have come from a feral mare.

It sounds like OP has been following the mare (filly) for much of her life, though, and is better informed about her “free” horse than most people.
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I know this is a bit off topic but I just had to chime in here… I worked for a wonderful Portuguese trainer at Carpe Diem well before things went downhill with the owner. I rode some of the stallions that ended up going through that auction so I’ve tried to keep up with the outcome as best I can. There is actually a FB group to follow where they all went after auction. They sold for decent prices and AFAIK they all landed in good homes and are doing well.

[Magicboy]

I’ve only worked with PREs but relaxation is a very big deal…tight neck, paddling and speeding around can all be avoided if you can keep the Iberian horse relaxed. very easy keepers, so watch her diet

I’m glad she ended up with you, enjoy,

[Reecespeices]

My new baby Faye!!