Arabian horse
From Freepedia
Contents |
Early history
According to the Bedouins, God created the Arabian horse from the South Wind, saying "I call you Horse; I make you Arabian and I give you the chestnut color of the ant; I have hung happiness from the forelock which hangs between your eyes; you shall be the Lord of the other animals. Men shall follow you wherever you go; you shall be as good for flight as for pursuit; riches shall be on your back and fortune shall come through your meditation".
The nomadic Bedouins are the first known to have tamed these fiery horses. The tribes were extremely protective of the purity of their stock, and many sheiks could recite the ancestry of their animals from memory. These forerunners of today's Arabian were bred for stamina and survival in the desert conditions, as well as the speed, courage, and loyalty needed for the constant battles between tribes. The Bedouins gained the reputation for breeding the finest horses, and many horses were traded. The Arabian horse was so prized that in battle, when horses were captured, the parties would come together and share the bloodlines of the horses taken.
There are five strains or families in the Arabian breed. These include: Saqlawi, Dahman, Kuhaylan, hadban, and Mu'niqi. While it is not commonly used in breeding today, it does hold significant historical value. A strain refers to a group of horses with common ancestors as well as physical characteristics. Since the background of every horse was passed down orally, it helped the bedouins to make breeding decisions.
One version of the story involves the prophet Mohammed (AD 570-632) that after a long trek through the desert a tribe of bedouin released their mares to run to a nearby watering hole to quench their thirst.
But as a test of their loyalty, the bedouin called them back to their masters, and of all the many mares only five returned. These five became the five foundation mares of the Arabian breed.
The Continuing Influence
Around 630 AD, Islamic warriors began to fight their north and west. By 711, they had taken Spain. Most of their mounts were Turkish or Barb, but a few were Arabian. From the invader's horses developed the Andalusian (which were taken to the new world and helped develop many of the breeds in the Americas today). Meanwhile, European horses were infused with Arabian blood when the knights came down to Palestine for the Crusades and later returned home with the horses.
In the 15th century, firearms were developed. The slow-moving war horses of Europe were obsolete, and the faster Arabian horses were used to develop the quick, agile cavalry horses which would be on the European battlefields into the 20th century.
Arabians had also been brought to the Ottoman empire, where the studs used the horses for racing. They were then introduced into European racing. The Darley Arabian, one of three foundation stallions of the modern Thoroughbred breed was brought to England in 1703 (the other two being the Byerley Turk and the Godolphin).
The royalty of Europe took an interest in the Arabian, and established royal studs. One such stud, probably the most famous, was the Crabbet Stud in Crabbet Park, England. Wilfrid Scawen Blunt and his wife, Lady Anne Blunt, began importing the breed in 1878. For nearly a century, the family bred the Arabian and conserved the breed's purity, later exporting the horses for use as foundation stock in Poland, Russia, Australia, and North and South America. The stud was closed in 1971.
In 1893, the World Fair in Chicago exhibited 45 Arabians. The breed's interest in the United States grew, and the United States stud book was established in 1908, with a total of 71 animals. By 1994, the number had reached half a million. There are now more Arabians registered in North America than in the rest of the world put together.
In the 1980s, the Arabian's popularity soared. Many people inexperienced with horses were captivated by the beautiful breed. Celebreties bought the horses. Prices soared, especially in the United States, with some horses going for $150,000 to $1 million each. This created new breeders, and many importations of Arabians, helping create what the breed is today. When tax laws for horses were changed, the market collapsed, and the amount of horses were worth much less.
Today, there are many different types of Arabian, ranging from Polish, Spanish, Crabbet, Russian to Egyptain and Domestic (Usually a mix of bloodlines). Polish and Crabbet are known for the substance and athleticism, Spanish for their beauty and athleticism, Russian for their height and substance, Egyptain for their ultimate Arabian type, and Domestic for their combination of all the wonderful traits of each bloodline. Crabbet Arabians can even be narrowed down farther into Davenport and Kellogg. For each Arabian their individual backgrounds and pedigree will help you understand the horse you see today.
Whatever the type, the breed is currently being bred both for the Arabian type and athleticism. At breed shows, the Arabian constantly displays its versatility. They are also growing in demand for dressage, where their natural self-carriage and movement is attractive. However, they truly excell in endurance and long-distance riding, where the horse would complete up to 100 miles in a day. They hold the world records for the sport, and are not only usually the first to finish, but also win the "best conditioned" award as well. Arabians often compete in Open Shows, competing against other breeds in different disciplines.
Breed characteristics
The Arabian is one of the most easily recognizable breeds in the world. They have fine wedge-shaped heads, with large eyes, small muzzles and their famous "dished" profile (the nose is concave). Arabians also tend to have very high tail carriage. They have large nostrils and strong lungs, which contributes to their powers of endurance. They have an arched neck with a fine, clean throat, delicate and clean legs, and a fine, silky coat. Most Arabians have the free flowing, well coordinated, reaching, fluid gaits. They can glide across the ground with no effort. They had natural self-carriage. With correct training, they can have collection and extension at every gait. They typically have natural impulsion and bend. Their gaits are regular and balanced. Their naturally arched necks allow for more head movement in all directions. They can obtain different types of frames depending on the desired discipline. Their shorter backs able them to push their hind end up and under them for better movement and suppleness. Sensitivity and sociability allows them to be trained more easily. Natural beauty gives them presence in the show ring. Arabians are very sound, they have strong bones, wide, strong feet, and good hoof walls. Their bone size is compatible to their body size, making them very sturdy horses.
The coat color of Arabians is diverse, with chestnut and grey as the dominant color, followed by bay and black. Black Arabians are rare, mainly because they were bred in the desert, where a black or dark coat would absorb heat and therefore be detrimental to the horse. However, many breeders are breeding specifically for black Arabians, so the color is not as uncommon as it used to be. Purebred Arabians can display the pattern sabino. Sabino can be minimally expressed as a small white spot on the body, or as high jagged edged socks, and at it's maximum the horse can be entirely white with small flecks that appear to be, but are not, roan. This color allows a purebred Arabian to be double-registered with Pinto Breed organizations. Arabians do not express the dilute gene which produces palomino, cremello, and other dilute colors. Many half-Arabians are bred to produce pinto and dilute colors. The Arabian has a compact body with a short back, partly due to the 5 lumbar vertebrae instead of the normal horses' 6, and usually stands between 14.0 and 15.1 hands. Arabians are always referred to as horses, not ponies, whatever their height. The breed is also known for its intelligence, versatility, and very affectionate nature.
Due to the Arabian's notable traits, there have been many Arabians and Half Arabian approved by Warmblood registries, such as the American Warmblood Society, Oldenburg, and Trakehner Associations.
The Arabian Today
Because of the genetic purity of the Arabian horse, it is often used as a refining influence on other breeds, and has played a significant part in the evolution of almost every recognized breed, including Thoroughbreds, Percherons, Welsh Ponies, American Quarter Horses, Morgans, Saddlebreds, and all of the warmblood breeds. The Arabian has influenced more breeds than any other horse.The UC Davis Book of Horses, p. 20, compares Arabians with various other breeds and lists this breed's temperament as "highly strung", though their individual temperament will depend on how the horse is raised and trained. It lists the breed's categories as "speed, endurance, intelligence, courage, and gentleness." Over the course of the breed's history they have for centuries lived in close association with human families. They are emotionally very much attuned to both their herd members and their human families. For that reason they tend to be protective of humans and suitable as companions for children. At the same time, they were in the beginning joined symbiotically with humans in a hostile environment that occasionally included armed combat and other sudden dangers. They are therefore adept at making sudden course corrections at high speed, which can pose a challenge even to fairly accomplished riders. Their athleticism also makes them a very versatile breed, and they are capable of competing in many fields, including Dressage, Saddleseat, Western Pleasure, Cutting, Reining, Endurance riding, Hunter/Jumper, Eventing, Combined Training, Barrel Racing, and many others. They also make very reliable trail riding buddies, for those who are not interested in showing. They dominate the endurance world because of their incredible stamina, which far exceeds that of many other breeds. There is also Arabian racing, which is separate from the more popular Thoroughbred racing.
Arabian as a Sport Horse
Their use in the "sport horse" disciplines, such as dressage, hunter/jumper, eventing, and combined training, has finally become more widely recognized, though they have been successfully competing in these events for a very long time. The American Arabian Horse Association has now been hosting an Arabian and Half Arabian Sport Horse Nationals since 2003. In the 2005 Arabian and Half Arabian Sport Horse National there were 1906 entries, competing in Working Hunter, Jumper, Sport Horse Under Saddle, Sport Horse In Hand, Dressage, and Carriage Driving.
