Buying Guides
A PRE purchase should start with the rider’s real requirements, not with a photograph. This guide explains a practical route from first shortlist to independent vetting and transport planning.
Write down what the horse must do in everyday life: leisure riding, dressage, working equitation, showing, competition or a mixture. Add the rider’s level, preferred age and height, budget, confidence level and any non-negotiable temperament requirements.
This first step prevents a common buying mistake: selecting the most impressive horse rather than the horse that is genuinely suitable. A talented young horse can be the wrong purchase for a rider who needs confidence, while an experienced schoolmaster may be more valuable than a younger prospect for another buyer.
Pura Raza Española (PRE) is a defined registered breed. The official PRE Stud Book managed by ANCCE is the reference used to identify registered PRE horses. If PRE status matters to your purchase, ask for the horse’s official identity and documentation and check that the details match the animal being offered.
Do not rely only on appearance or on the word “Spanish”. A beautiful Iberian-type horse may be an excellent riding horse without being registered PRE. The correct choice depends on your goals, but the description and paperwork should be clear before money changes hands.
Ask for recent ridden video, conformation images, age, height, sex, current training, competition history where applicable, registration information and the seller’s description of temperament. Video should show the work relevant to your intended use, not only a short edited highlight.
A shortlist of realistic candidates makes a visit to Spain far more productive. Majestic Horses can use Horse Finder requirements such as breed, age, height, discipline, rider level and budget to narrow the search before appointments are arranged.
At a viewing, watch the horse being handled and, where appropriate, ridden before you ride. Look at behaviour away from the camera: standing, mounting, transitions, contact, response to the rider and recovery after work. Ask to see the horse doing the type of work you expect to do at home.
Keep notes after each horse. When several horses are viewed in one day it is surprisingly easy for details to merge together. A simple written score for temperament, rideability, training, suitability and overall confidence makes the final comparison more objective.
Before committing, confirm the identity of the horse, the registration or passport information relevant to the animal, ownership details supplied by the seller, and what is included in the agreed sale. If breeding status, competition record or a particular pedigree is important, verify those points rather than assuming them from an advertisement.
The sale agreement should identify the horse and record the agreed commercial terms. Requirements can differ between buyers and destinations, so use appropriate professional advice where legal, tax or import questions arise.
A pre-purchase examination is an independent assessment for the buyer. Tell the veterinarian what you intend to do with the horse so the scope can be discussed appropriately. Depending on the horse, intended use and buyer’s risk tolerance, the examination may include clinical assessment and additional diagnostics such as radiographs or blood sampling.
No examination can guarantee future soundness. Its value is to give the buyer independent information before the purchase is finalised. Ask the veterinarian to explain findings directly and provide the report in a form you can keep.
Ask for transport options and indicative timing before the sale is completed. The route, destination, transporter, insurance choices and any health or customs requirements can affect both cost and timing. International requirements change, so the current destination rules should be confirmed with the transporter, veterinarian and relevant authorities.
Majestic Horses can help coordinate transport and export support, but the buyer should still understand who is responsible for each stage and what documentation will travel with the horse.
Ready to build a shortlist? Browse current PRE and Iberian horses or send Majestic Horses your requirements through Horse Finder.
