|
To the Arabian people, the Arabian horse is
called keheilan, which means 'pure blood, though and through'. This is
probably the best and most accurate way to describe the Arabian horse. One of
the oldest pure breeds in the world, the Arabian has stayed free of foreign
blood and has thus maintained its very distinctive characteristics. Although
ancient drawings and carving record the Arab's existence long before the
Christian era, few hard facts are known about their origins, except that they
came from Western Asia. They may have originated in Saudi Arabia, but it seems
more likely that they also had strong ties to the countries of Iran, Iraq,
Syria, and Turkey. The fact that they are one of the most ancient pure breeds is
indisputable.
The first Arabian horse in Britain was in AD
1121 when Alexander I, King of Scotland at the time, presented an Arabian horse
to the Church of St. Andrews. From that time on, Arabs were occasionally
introduced to some of the British ponies to increase their speed. In the year
1616 James I bought a celebrated Arabian horse from a Mr. Markham. The Arabian
horse's popularity in England did not begin until Charles II sent his Master of
the Horse to the Levant to purchase stallions and brood mares. It was from then
on that the Arabian's reputation was established.
The purity of the Arabian breed is maintained
today by the Arab Horse Societies, and the World Arab Horse Organization, which
laid down strict pedigree standards that must be met in order to register as
pure-breeds. There are several offshoots of the Arab which, while being based on
pure stock, do not conform to the pedigreed standards. There is also the Barb
horse, which is a very important breed in its own right, and is further
discussed under Barb. The role the Arab horse has played in the development of
nearly all modern breeds of horses cannot be underestimated. They are perhaps
the singularly most influential breed, and definitely in the development of the
English Thoroughbred.
For centuries the Arabian horse has been used
to improve and refine other breeds, and is today still widely used to this
effect. The Arab's popularity is firmly established throughout the world, and is
undoubtedly due in part to its huge versatility. Not only is the Arabian one of
the most beautiful horses ot look at, in terms of symmetry and conformation, bit
they are also one of the toughest and most enduring breeds, a fact that is
belied by their appearance. They are famous for their stamina and endurance,
have an incredible amount of speed, and also make an excellent light, balanced
riding horse.
The Arab is quite unique in its conformation
and appearance; one of its notable differences from other breeds is the number
of vertebrae is possesses. Arabian horses have 17 ribs, five lumbar vertebrae,
and 16 tail bones, whereas the other equine breeds have 18 ribs, six lumbar
ribs, and 18 tail bones. This unusual skeletal structure of the Arab accounts
for their compact back and high tail carriage. They also exhibit a very
distinctive head, which is small and refined with a dished profile. They have a
wide forehead, with a distinguishing shield-shaped bulge which is known as the
jibbah. The head tapers to a small muzzle, with very large nostrils
capable of extensive dilation. Their eyes are always very large, beautiful, and
expressive. Their ears are usually small and alert, and curve in toward each
other. They have another unique feature called the mitbah, which is the
angle where the head meets the neck. It results in a curved arch that allows the
head to be very mobile and able to move about in almost any direction. The neck
should be arched, muscular, and elegant, and is set onto a strong, very
well-made shoulder with a deep, broad chest. The Arabian's back should be strong
and level, with broad quarters; the croup is characteristically long and level,
and the rail is set and carried high. They are clean legged with typically hard
tendons and good feet.
The Arabian horse as an excellent action,
with a free-flowing, straight, fast stride at all paces. They have a floating
action and appear to glide effortlessly over the ground. They also have a
particularly fine skin through which their veins are quite visible.
Traditionally they are a small horse, standing at approx. 15 hh, although they
have been bred to be larger. When this is done, however, they tend to lose some
of their quality. Generally the Arabian horse is bay, gray, or chestnut, and is
a hot-blooded breed.
Click
here to solve a
quiz about the Arabian horse!
Take a look at these websites for more
information about the Arab:
www.sunsetridgearabians.com
www.blackbeararabians.com
www.mybonarabians.com
www.hiddenhollowpreserve.com
www.iaha.com
www.arabhorse.com
www.arabianhorseamerica.com
www.arabianwildlife.com
www.arabian-horses.com
www.ahtimes.com
www.arabianinsite.com
www.arabianracing.org
www.waho.org
www.arabiancareers.com
www.arabian.net
www.cahr.ca
www.arabianresults.com
www.ahrn.org
www.pyramidarabians.com
www.arabianfest.com
www.paha.org
www.arabiannights.org
www.arabianhorsetrust.com
www.arabianhorseguide.com
www.ahlegacy.com
www.arabiangallery.com
www.arabianadvocates.com
www.arabian-horizon.com
www.arabian-cutting.org
Return to
Horse Breeds page
|
