Buying a horse from Spain is an exciting decision  and we know it comes with many questions. Here are honest answers from over 20 years of experience breeding and selling Iberian horses to international riders.

Can I visit and try the horse before buying?

Not only can you we strongly recommend it. We believe the connection between rider and horse is the most important factor in any purchase, and that can only be discovered by riding.

When you visit our farm in Northern Spain, Roberto Armendáriz, our professional rider, will personally guide you with each horse, explaining their strengths and also their areas for improvement. There are no surprises and no staging here: you see the horse exactly as he is in his daily work.

We have designed an immersive 4-5 day experience especially for American riders through our Iberian Equestrian Experience. During your stay, you will combine horse trials with private classical dressage lessons with Roberto, visits to our breeding farm where foals are born and raised, and time to enjoy the gastronomy and culture of Northern Spain. This is not just a buying trip, it is a full immersion into the world of the Iberian horse that will help you make the best possible decision and understand where your future partner comes from.

For those who cannot travel right away, we also send detailed videos of each horse’s daily work, unedited and unprepared, so you can see exactly what you would see if you were here. Contact us and we will send you the videos of the horse that interests you.

Yes, and for us it is a fundamental part of the process. We do not disappear once the horse arrives at your barn. On the contrary, we are the ones who call you to find out how the first days are going, how the horse is adjusting to the new environment, and how you are feeling with him.

Roberto personally knows the character, routines, and particularities of every horse that comes out of our program. If your horse reacts in a way you did not expect, or if you have questions about how to work on something in the arena, you have direct access to the person who trained him. That knowledge is not in any report, it comes from the daily experience of having worked with that horse for months.

Our goal is for the relationship with our clients to last far beyond the sale. Many of our buyers stay in touch with us years later, and for us, that is the best sign that we did our job well.

Our breeding program focuses primarily on Lusitano horses, although we also work with selected PRE horses.

The heart of our breeding is our stallion Raxito, son of the prestigious Xaquiro — one of the most respected bloodlines in the Lusitano world. Raxito stands out for his freedom through the shoulder and the engagement of his hindquarters, producing exceptional balance and beauty in movement. By crossing him with mares from Alter Real and Companhia das Lezírias lines two of the most important historical studs in Portugal  we produce horses born with a privileged genetic foundation for classical dressage.

That genetics is our starting point, but not our finishing line. After more than 20 years of breeding, we know that a good horse is not made by bloodlines alone  it is made through handling, selection, and daily work from the time they are foals. The functionality, nobility, and calm character that our clients value most are the result of combining strong bloodlines with a way of breeding and working that we have refined over decades.

In addition to our homebred horses, we also select horses from trusted breeders when we find individuals that meet our standards of quality, temperament, and classical dressage aptitude.

Although they share a common Iberian origin and may look similar at first glance, they feel different under the saddle. After more than 20 years riding both breeds, this is my honest experience.

The biggest difference is power. The Lusitano pushes more  there is more engine from behind. This translates into a horse that gives you a greater sense of strength and security in dressage work, especially in collection and movements that demand engagement. And that power has a consequence that may surprise you: when you work a Lusitano correctly from the beginning, he is an extraordinarily noble horse. His strength gives him confidence, and that confidence becomes generosity. When you do the work right, he gives you everything in return.

This is no coincidence. Portuguese breeders historically selected their horses for functionality  they needed a strong, agile, and brave horse for mounted bullfighting. That selection for performance gave them a foundation of power and athleticism that today transfers directly to the dressage arena. The PRE, on the other hand, was selected over many generations with greater emphasis on beauty and morphology, producing a horse that is spectacular in presence but sometimes with less natural impulsion.

That said, there are exceptional PRE horses and mediocre Lusitanos. Breed is a starting point, not a guarantee. What truly makes the difference is individual selection, breeding, and daily work. We work primarily with Lusitanos, but when we find a PRE that meets our standards of functionality and character, we also include him in our program

Spain and Portugal are the birthplace of the Iberian horse. Here, they are not a rarity or a specialty  they are our way of life. Spanish riders learn to ride Iberian horses from childhood. Farriers, veterinarians, trainers  everyone knows this horse because they grew up with him. This creates an environment where the Iberian horse receives from birth the handling, training, and work that this breed needs to develop its full potential.

The variety of horses available in Spain is incomparably larger than in the United States. Here, you can choose from hundreds of horses of different ages, training levels, and bloodlines. In the USA, the supply of quality Iberian horses is much more limited, which often forces buyers to settle for what is available rather than finding the horse they truly need.

Buying at the source also means accessing horses that have been bred and developed within the Iberian equestrian tradition, surrounded by professionals who have known this breed firsthand for generations. That shows in the result  in how the horse behaves, how he responds to work, and how he relates to his rider.

Additionally, a horse that passes all the tests required for export to the USA  including piroplasmosis testing and the veterinary controls required by the USDA  is a horse that has gone through a health screening that very few horses within the United States ever undergo. That process, far from being an obstacle, is an additional guarantee for the buyer.

As for price, every horse is different and we do not like to generalize. What is a reality is that for the same budget, in Spain you will find many more options to choose from than in the American market, and that significantly increases your chances of finding the right horse for you.

The process may seem complicated from the outside, but with the right professionals it is a well-defined path. We have been guiding international buyers for years, and although each case has its particularities, these are the usual steps:

  1. Find your horse. Everything starts with choosing the right horse. We send you videos of each horse’s daily work unedited and unprepared. If you want to come and try them in person which is what we recommend  we organize your visit through our Iberian Equestrian Experience.
  2. Pre-purchase veterinary examination. Once you have chosen your horse, an independent veterinarian carries out a full examination including piroplasmosis testing and other necessary analyses. We coordinate this part with the veterinarian so you do not have to worry about it.
  3. Arranging transport. Generally, the buyer hires a specialized international equine transport company. These companies handle all the logistics: export documentation, flights, customs, and quarantine. If you need guidance choosing a reliable transport company, we can help based on the experience of our previous clients.
  4. Quarantine on arrival. Every horse arriving in the USA must undergo a minimum 3-day federal quarantine, during which the USDA performs blood tests for piroplasmosis, dourine, glanders, and equine infectious anemia. Geldings and young horses are usually released after those 3 days. Mares and stallions over 2 years of age require additional CEM (contagious equine metritis) quarantine: approximately 15 days for mares and around 5 weeks for stallions.
  5. Your horse arrives home. Once all tests have been passed, your horse is transported to your barn.

Our role is to support you throughout the entire process: we help you choose the horse, coordinate the veterinary side, and stay in constant contact with you and the transport company to make sure everything goes smoothly. We never leave you on your own.

This is the question our American clients ask most often, and with good reason. Piroplasmosis is a parasitic disease transmitted by ticks that affects horses. It is endemic in many parts of Europe, including Spain and Portugal, meaning horses can come into contact with it naturally.

Why does it matter so much? Because the United States is free of piroplasmosis and the USDA does not allow entry to any horse that tests positive. A positive horse is rejected at quarantine and must be returned to the country of origin. This is why the piroplasmosis test is not just another formality  it is the filter that determines whether your horse can enter the USA or not.

We always carry out piroplasmosis testing before offering a horse for sale to the American market  never after. If a horse tests positive, we simply do not offer him to buyers in the USA. We do not want anyone to go through the experience of falling in love with a horse that cannot enter the country.

And there is something that sets us apart: in over 20 years of breeding, no horse born at our farm has ever tested positive for piroplasmosis. We believe this is due to a combination of our location in Northern Spain, where tick pressure is lower than in the south, and the rigorous health management we have maintained from day one. All our horses are sold with PIRO FREE certification.

This is one of the first questions our clients ask, and the honest answer is: it depends. But we can give you a realistic estimate based on the experience of our previous buyers.

The total cost of transporting a horse from Spain to the USA typically ranges between $8,000 and $12,000 approximately. This figure can vary depending on several factors: the destination airport in the United States, whether the horse travels alone or shares a flight with other horses, the time of year, and the transport company you choose.

This cost usually includes ground transport to the departure airport in Europe, the flight, documentation handling, and care of the horse during the journey. However, there are additional costs to keep in mind that may be billed separately depending on the company: the mandatory USDA federal quarantine on arrival, additional CEM quarantine for mares and stallions, customs fees, transport insurance, and ground transport from the arrival airport to your barn.

Our advice: before finalizing the purchase of your horse, request a detailed quote from the transport company so you have a clear total figure with no surprises. We can help guide you.

Based on our experience, from the moment you decide to buy the horse until he arrives at your barn in the United States, the process usually takes around one month. But that timeline depends on several factors, and it is important to know them so you have realistic expectations.

The process has several stages, each with its own timeframe:

The pre-purchase veterinary examination and piroplasmosis testing take a few days. In our case, many of our horses are already tested before the buyer makes their decision, which saves time.

Export documentation and flight booking depend on the transport company and flight availability. This is usually resolved within one to two weeks.

The USDA federal quarantine on arrival lasts a minimum of 3 days. During that time, mandatory blood tests are carried out. If your horse is a gelding or a young horse, he can be released after those 3 days. However, if the horse is a mare or a stallion over 2 years of age, additional CEM quarantine is required: approximately 15 days for mares and around 5 weeks for stallions. In these cases, the total process can extend to 2 months or more.

Our advice: plan ahead. The sooner you tell us you are interested, the sooner we can have everything prepared so that when you make your decision, the process starts without delays.

The paperwork may seem overwhelming at first glance, but in practice each part is handled by a different professional. Your job as a buyer is to know what is needed and make sure every piece is in place. Here is a clear breakdown:

Documents handled from Spain:

The official export health certificate is the main document. It is issued by an official government veterinarian in Spain and certifies that the horse has been in Spain for at least 60 days prior to export, is healthy, and meets all health requirements for entry into the United States. Without this document, the horse cannot leave the country.

The equine passport or breed registry documentation. For a PRE, this means papers from ANCCE. For a Lusitano, registration from APSL. This documentation certifies the identity and origin of the horse.

Pre-export test results, including piroplasmosis testing. For mares and stallions, three sets of negative CEM cultures collected over a 12-day period before export are also required.

Documents handled from the United States:

The USDA import permit. This is applied for by the buyer or their transport agent through the APHIS online system. This permit must be approved before the horse travels.

A reservation at a USDA-approved quarantine facility at the port of entry. For mares and stallions, a reservation at an approved CEM quarantine facility is also required.

Who handles all of this in practice?

The good news is that you do not do it alone. The official veterinarian in Spain is responsible for issuing the health certificates. The equine transport company, if you hire a specialized one, handles most of the documentation logistics on both the Spanish and American sides. And we, at APM Iberian Horses, make sure that all of the horse’s documentation is prepared and coordinate with the veterinarian to avoid delays or errors.

Scroll to Top