Buy Horses in Portugal

Horses for sale in Portugal: Buying and selling horses in Portugal

Portugal’s horse scene has a particular charm: serious horsemanship without the arrogance, strong classical roots, and a growing international market focused around the Lusitano and quality sport horses. If you’re looking at horses for sale in Portugal, you’re stepping into a country where horses are woven into agricultural life, classical dressage, and working equitation, not just show rings.

The backbone of the Portuguese market is the Lusitano, of course, but you’ll also find solid warmbloods for show jumping, eventing, and dressage, along with Iberian crosses that make reliable amateur partners. Around Lisbon, Ribatejo, and the Alentejo, you’ll see everything from small family breeders with a handful of carefully produced youngsters to larger studs selling horses internationally. The dressage and working equitation communities are especially active, and many riders look to Portugal for horses with good minds, comfortable gaits, and trainability rather than extreme movement at any cost.

What makes buying or selling horses in Portugal unique is the mix of traditional horsemanship and modern sport. Many horses are started outdoors, worked on the farm, or ridden in bullfighting-style schools before they ever see a dressage arena. That gives them a different type of education and resilience. At the same time, more breeders are targeting FEI-level sport, so you’ll find everything from affordable young prospects around €5,000–€10,000 to competition-ready horses in the €25,000–€80,000 range and beyond. The community is relatively small and word travels fast, which can work in your favor if you approach the market respectfully and well-informed.

Buying horses in Portugal - what you need to know

From a buyer’s perspective, Portugal is attractive because you can still find good value compared to northern Europe, especially for Iberian horses and honest all-rounders. Lusitano and Lusitano-cross geldings suitable for competent amateurs often sit in the €10,000–€25,000 range depending on age, level, and quality. Well-bred, correctly produced stallions with show records will run higher, while green youngsters, especially colts and fillies between 2–4 years, might be anywhere from €4,000–€12,000. Serious FEI prospects, whether pure Lusitano or warmblood, are priced similarly to the rest of Western Europe.

Most buyers start by browsing horses for sale online: Portuguese Facebook groups, specialized Lusitano sales pages, and regional platforms, as well as international portals where Portuguese dealers list their horses. There are also reputable dealers and agents who know the local breeders and can line up several viewings in a day within the Lisbon–Ribatejo area. Auctions exist, but for sport and pleasure horses, private sales and dealer yards dominate. When you come to view, expect a fairly relaxed atmosphere: you’ll usually watch the horse ridden by the regular rider first, then try it yourself, often in both arena and countryside if you ask.

For international buyers, the biggest practical topics are vetting, transport, and paperwork. A standard pre-purchase exam in Portugal usually includes a clinical exam and basic X-rays (often 12–18 images). For higher-budget purchases, ask for 24–36 X-rays including feet, hocks, and stifles, and have the images reviewed by your own vet at home. It’s completely normal to insist on your own independent vet, not the seller’s regular clinic. Export within the EU is straightforward; outside the EU (for example, to the UK, USA, or Middle East), you’ll need health certificates, Coggins where required, and sometimes quarantine or specific blood tests. Professional transporters based in Portugal can coordinate group shipments to central Europe starting from roughly €900–€1,500 per horse by road, and flights from Lisbon for overseas buyers vary widely but usually start around €6,000–€10,000 including all export formalities.

To buy successfully in Portugal, be clear about your discipline and non-negotiables. Don’t be shy about asking for unedited videos, including tacking up, mounting, and riding in a simple, quiet way. Clarify whether the horse has been in regular work, whether it goes out in company or alone, and how used it is to traffic and show environments. The culture is friendly, but the same common sense applies as anywhere: get everything in writing, including trial conditions, commission structures if using an agent, and what exactly is included in the price.

Everything about selling horses in Portugal

On the selling side, Portugal has two main buyer streams: domestic riders looking for schoolmasters, young amateurs’ horses, and working equitation mounts, and international buyers searching for Lusitanos and sport horses to take abroad. Northern Europe, the UK, the USA, and Brazil are all important markets. International buyers are often attracted by the combination of rideability, character, and, for now, slightly better value than in Germany or the Netherlands for similar quality.

If you’re selling horses in Portugal, presentation matters more than ever. Buyers expect clear videos on level ground, showing walk, trot, canter on both reins, transitions, and, if relevant, lateral work or jumping. A second video hacking outside is very useful, as many people associate Portugal with well-schooled, confident outdoor horses. Clean tack, a tidy mane, and a simple, honest description go a long way. Mention age, height, breeding, current work, health issues, and any show results. Hiding faults is short-sighted; the community is too small and international buyers talk to each other.

The best platforms for selling are usually a mix of Portuguese and international Facebook groups, specialized Lusitano or Iberian horse sales sites, and collaboration with one or two trusted agents who already have foreign contacts. Pricing needs to reflect the local market: a straightforward amateur Lusitano gelding competing at national Elementary/Medium dressage might realistically sit between €15,000–€30,000 depending on quality and record, while unproven 3-year-olds from average lines will move more easily in the €5,000–€9,000 bracket. Overpricing is a common mistake; horses can sit unsold for months, especially in late summer when many foreign buyers have already planned their purchases. Spring and early autumn tend to be the most active times for international sales.

If you’re selling with export in mind, make life easy for the buyer. Have the horse’s documents up to date (passport, ownership, breeding papers), be prepared to accommodate a thorough vetting on your premises, and know at least one or two transport companies and agents who can assist with export and quarantine if needed. Foreign buyers expect quick, clear communication, prompt sending of X-rays, and realistic information about the horse’s temperament. A good reputation as a seller in Portugal is worth more than squeezing out the last €1,000 in price; positive word-of-mouth will bring you more serious buyers than any paid advertisement.