PRE OR
LUSITANO?
Two Iberian breeds. Different tendencies. The same extraordinary willingness to connect with people.
Any comparison between the PRE and the Lusitano needs to begin with an important point: we are generalising.
There are exceptional individuals in both breeds, and bloodlines, breeding decisions, conformation, training and temperament can make an enormous difference.
Still, after working with and breeding both PRE and Lusitano horses, certain tendencies become interesting to compare.
TWO DIFFERENT
TYPES OF STRENGTH
Conformationally, the PRE and Lusitano often approach movement in slightly different ways.
In the PRE, we frequently see a horse that naturally uses more of the front of the body, while the Lusitano can show a stronger tendency to engage and carry from behind.
Their traditional uses and historical selection have helped shape these differences over generations.
From a breeding perspective, this also gives us different goals.
With the PRE, I would like to see continued improvement in the strength of the hindquarters, the back and the horse’s ability to carry more weight behind.
Some PRE horses can lack power when the hind leg works too far behind the body and this is combined with insufficient strength through the back.
The Lusitano, on the other hand, often offers a very good back and natural ability to sit and engage. But attention sometimes needs to be paid to the front end. Certain horses can become too vertical through the neck or show a tendency to invert rather than working forward through the topline.
Neither is a criticism of the breed itself.
For a breeder, these differences are simply part of understanding what needs to be preserved — and what can still be improved.
CHARACTER &
RIDEABILITY
Temperament is another area where the two breeds can feel quite different.
PRE horses are often extraordinarily willing, forgiving and generous. This can make them wonderful partners for amateur riders and riders who value a horse with a calm, cooperative attitude.
Lusitanos can be quicker in their reactions, more sensitive and sometimes mentally faster.
But here, bloodlines matter enormously.
Some Lusitano lines can produce horses with the sharpness and sensitivity preferred by professional riders, while others produce excellent amateur horses with outstanding character and rideability.
There is no simple rule. The individual horse always matters more than the name of the breed written in the passport.
THE MODERN
SPORT HORSE
One of the most interesting developments of recent years has been the evolution of the Lusitano as a sport horse.
The breed has become increasingly visible at international Grand Prix level, and the progress toward producing more athletic, powerful and competitive horses has been impressive.
As a breeder, I would personally love to see the PRE make the same progress.
The PRE already possesses qualities that are difficult to manufacture: beauty, intelligence, willingness, charisma and an extraordinary connection with people.
The challenge is to combine those qualities consistently with the power, balance, strength and athleticism demanded by modern dressage.
That is the direction that interests us most as breeders.
WHY WE
CHOOSE BOTH
And yet, when you stand in front of an exceptional PRE and an exceptional Lusitano, choosing between them becomes almost impossible.
They may express themselves differently, but both breeds can offer something truly special.
For us, breeding both breeds is not about deciding which one is better.
It is about understanding the strengths of each one and trying to produce horses that combine beauty, functionality, character and genuine sport potential.
Different qualities.
The same reason to fall in love
with the Iberian horse.