For dressage, warmbloods vs. iberians?

I love Iberian horses (um, hence my YA name). I like warmbloods and I like TBs, but Iberians make you catch your breath and say, "WOW". I agree that most TBs are lacking that "special something" (presence?) though many can and do compete at high levels.

Warmbloods are without a doubt the most popular and most widespread breeds in the dressage world, but how much of that do we owe to following a trend that we may not even recognize is a trend in the first place? Give me an Iberian any day. What's good enough for the Spanish Riding School will do just fine for me! ;)

I have both a hanoverian and a thoroughbred who I do mostly eventing with. They both are on the same level and are great at what they do. From my experience, warmbloods are better in the hunter ring, and you can rely on them a little more than thoroughbreds. It does depend on the horse as both can do good. From the horses I've ridden, warmbloods are more level-headed and can keep a better pace and mind in the hunter ring than thoroughbreds. I would say look into a warmblood, but if you find the right thoroughbred then it will take you just as far. For hunters, my warmblood will keep a level head and steady pace, while my thoroughbred is a scatterbrain and likes to race through it. I have not personally shown one thoroughbred in a hunter class that was not difficult to keep steady.

Most TBs are lacking the gaits necessary to compete successfully against the fancy warmbloods who are being bred for dressage. You don't say if this is for competing or not. If it is stick with a very fancy mover regardless of the breed. If you just enjoy practicing dressage then any breed can do it.

I absolutely LOVE TB's with a passion. Half of my horses are either TB or TB X. I love watching warmbloods too, but as soon as your add 'warmblood' to a horse's breed, you can just add a few extra 0's to the price. Since I'm not aiming for the Olympics... I don't see the need to spend extra money on something my TB or Appendix can do just as well. I've ridden Warmbloods before, and they are amazing, but I wouldn't spend $30,000 on the horse unless I was an Olympic athlete. (Think of all of the gorgeous tack and repairs we could do to our land for $30,000!). Besides, when they say that TB's lack 'presence', a lot of TB's that are taken off of the racetrack DO lack presence, but if you get one that has never been raced, I find that they are a lot calmer and they engage better in whatever you're asking them to do.

As for Iberians, I've never ridden one before, but I've seen them in action, and they are stunning. :)

I am partial to the Warmbloods... I have one of mixed heritage myself and is a gorgeous horse. I just love her sooooooo much that I can't be impartial. Warmbloods seem to have a defiant grace to them where the Throughbreds and Quarters (I own 2 quarter mixs too) are more workers and get right to the point and do it as quickly as possible. Nothing wrong with that, they just are SOMETIMES less graceful in movements and dressage.

nothing beats the look and intelligence of an Andalusian.my family came from spain and they raised Iberian horses.i went to austria to the Spanish riding school for three weeks and was introduced to several people who showed me why these horses were bred to be the way they are so i have a special place in my heart for them.

for dressage, I suggest a morgan or saddlebred.