The Majestic Arabian Horse
Bedouins believed that the horse was a gift from Allah. It was to be cherished, revered, almost worshipped. The Arabian horse has been bred for centuries, with its beginnings in the oases around the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in the countries known in our modern history as Iran, Iraq, and Syria, as well as other parts of the Arabian Peninsula. Because the Bedouins cherished their horses, the bloodlines were a jealously guarded family treasure within the different tribes. There are records which indicate that the nomads began breeding these superb horses as early as 3000 to 2500 B.C. However, the modern Arabians trace their roots back to five mares which were owned by King Solomon around 1600 B.C. Those five mares were known as "Al-Khamesh", literally "the five". Those five bloodlines were Kehilan, Seglawi, Abeyan, Hamdani and Hadban. As substrains were developed in each of the bloodlines, those would be named for celebrated mares and/or sheiks who significantly contributed a substantial branch to the strain. Each of the five original strains had significant characteristics which were preserved in breeding pure Arabians. A brief description of each follows: The Kehilan had a deep chest, masculine power, and size. The average height for a pure Kehilan was up to 15 hands (60 inches, or 152.4 centimeters) at the shoulder. It had a short head with a broad forehead, and wide jowls. The most common colors were chestnut and grey. The Seglawi had a refined look and was noticeably femininely elegant. The bone structure was fine and the face and neck were significantly longer than that of the Kelihan. The most common color was grey, and the average height was 14.2 hands (144.27 cm., or 56.8 in.). The Abeyan was quite similar to the Seglawi. It shared the refined look, but tended to have a longer back than the other strains. It averaged 14.2 hands, was commmonly grey, and had more white markings that most Arabians. The Hamdani line had a plainer look than that associated with Arabian horses. It was athletic and masculine in appearance, with a large bone structure. The head was straighter in profile than the typical Arabian and it lacked the bulging forehead which the Bedouins believed was "the blessings of Allah". This strain was one of the largest, standing 15.2 hands (60.8 in., or 154.43 cm.) at the shoulder. The most common colors were bay and grey. The Hadban was similarly configured as the Hamdani, with the big bone structure and musculature. But it was shorter in height and had an extremely gentle nature. The average height was 14.3 hands (145.28 cm., or 57.2 in.), and the dominant colors were bay and brown with few, if any white markings. Bedouins "adopted" the horses, regardless of how they came to be in the desert. Whether they were strays, absconded, or whatever, it was of no consequence to them. Once the horse was a part of their herd, they set out to breed for offspring with speed, stamina, strength, and courage. The different strains, as stated previously, each had their own characteristics, but all Arabians were bred to withstand the rigors of desert life. When the Europeans chose to improve their saddle horses, Arabians were the breed they imported to cross with their native stock. When they began the process, their horses were the larger breeds which had carried heavily armored knights into battle. Their lighter stock had it roots in the pony breeds. They had no breeds which could compare to the smaller, faster horses upon which invading forces from the Middle East were mounted. Thus, they sought out purebred Arabian stallions with the attributes desired and crossed them with choice native strains. Ninety-three percent of the English Thoroughbred breed today traces its roots to three distinct Arab strains: the Byerly Turk, Darley Arabian, and Godolphin Arabian (sometimes called Godolphin Barb). The first Arabian stallion imported to America was in 1725. He allegedly sired three hundred colts from breeding stock mares. And between 1853 and 1856, a breeder by the name of A. Keene Richard imported several stallions and mares to establish the first breeding program of consequence in the States. Unfortunately, his horses were confiscated or destroyed during the Civil War, the breeding line was ruptured, and nothing survived. On a visit to Turkey in 1877, General Ulysses S. Grant was presented with two purebred stallions which he imported to America. He gave on of those stallions to Randolph Huntington. Mr. Huntington then imported two more purebred stallions and two pure Arabian mares from England in 1888. His breeding program is considered the foundation of the first pure Arabian stock in the United States. Other breeds influenced by pure Arabian stock include the Orloff Trotter of Russia, the American Thoroughbred, the Morgan, the Percheron, the Connemara pony, the American Quarter Horse and National Show Horse. Strains of the breed were also introduced to the Lipizzaners of Austria, as well as numerous other breeds around the world. Arabians are considered the oldest of all the light breed strains, and its influence can be traced to many foundation stocks. But, the pure strains are still cherished and preserved by breeders in the Middle East, even today. The modern purebred Arabian outside of the Middle East typically has a "dished," or concave, profile set on a beautifully shaped head. The eyes are prominent, the nostrils are usually small, and the muzzle is usually "teacup", in shape and size. The neck is gracefully arched, and the head is inherently held high. The back is short and level. The shoulders are long and sloped. The chest is broad, deep and muscular. Its legs are long, and the tendons are clearly defined. The Arabian has small hooves, with a very tough consistency, that are wide at the heel. The hind quarters slope, and the tail is distinctly arched before it drops. Overall, one can clearly see that this horse defines strength, speed, and stamina in a beautifully conformed body. The coat can be chestnut, grey, bay, or black and is very fine. The underlying skin is always black. It is not uncommon for a purebred Arabian to have white markings on the face and/or legs. The mane and tail are full, yet soft to the touch. The typical Arabian ranges from 14.2 to 15.2 hands (56.8 to 60.8 inches, or 144.27 to 154.45 centimeters) at the shoulder and weighs between 800 and 1000 pounds (56.8 to 71 stones). Depending on the strain and characteristics, Arabians are used for Western and English riding, racing, jumping, endurance competitions, showing, cutting and reining, and dressage. This is a very versatile horse which bonds naturally with humans and can also be used as a family horse for people of all ages.
-------------------------------------------------------
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Horses
-------------------------------------------------------
|
Other Horse Racing Articles
Public Relations for Horse Racetracks Sports betting is an issue, which some residents near racetracks feel brings in a bad element. With alcohol sales also some say it is just asking for problems and that it brings in crime. However, on the flip side it brings in money and folks from other areas to spend money on food, services and products. Horse Racetracks also bring in revenues ...Changing Attitudes Can Create A Positive Future From A Negative Past With shaking hands, Carla recounted the story of the car accident that had affected her life both emotionally and physically. As tears rolled down her face, Carla told me how her home and work life had been affected – and it was clear that depression was setting in.Carla and I were meeting in my office for the first time – and in front o ...Market Availability Of Lawn Tractors Market Availability Of Lawn TractorsThere are many manufacturers of lawn tractors . If you go to market for purchasing a lawn tractor you will be flooded with offers for sale and then there will be more offers from the markets like eBay and Amezon.com. It is really a difficult choice to make. However if you have your pri ...The Dubious Immorality of Online Gambling The recent back-door legislation which outlawed online gambling in the USA has been championed as a moral cause. This is in direct opposition to a Gallup Poll taken earlier this year which found that 60 percent of adults believe gambling is morally acceptable.Chief sponsor Jim Leach (R-Iowa) has called it one of the most important pieces ...Run, Pony, Run - Pony Express “Away across the endless prairie a black speck appears against the sky. It is plain that it moves. Well, I should think so! ” wrote Mark Twain in 1860 as a stagecoach traveler.“In a second or two it becomes a horse and rider, rising and falling, rising and falling – sweeping toward us nearer and nearer. The flutter of hoofs comes faintly ...Angels; Part 1 Look around you and you will see them. Close your eyes and you will feel them. I’m talking about angels. They come in many forms, many colors, and many sizes, including male, female, and animal forms. They have different roles and serve different purposes. There are healing angels, messenger angels, protective angels, warrior angels, guide ...Horses - Assault If seven is a lucky number it certainly was a lucky number in the year 1946 for a horse by the name of Assault who went on to become the 7th triple crown winner in horse racing history.Assault didn't have an easy time of it on his way to the triple crown. For that matter, he didn't have an easy time of it just racing. Coming from a fami ...Western Saddle Rigging Demystified Explanations as to how to rig a western saddle often go into much more detail than is really needed by the recreational rider. Rigging is quite basic in concept although it should be noted that in installing the rigging the saddlemaker must be very careful and precise in doing it correctly. While the basic function of the rigging is to attach th ...Vermont State Fair Fills a Small State with Big Fun During the first 10 days of September the small state of Vermont is aglow with the lights from its state fair in Rutland, Vermont. The admission prices to the fairgrounds are about the average price compared to that of other state fairs; maybe even a little cheaper when you include the family day, dollar day and patron appreciation day. Family ...Different Types Of Wetsuits Triathlon Wear When it comes to triathlon wear , there is a wide variety of options on the market. For triathletes, the difference in attire is truly a personal choice.Although some teams may mandate specific uniforms, the sport is generally individual, allowing each participant to choose his or her desired outfit. When it comes to triathlon wear , the ...Finding the Right Las Vegas Casino Many people are planning a trip to Las Vegas this year. They plan on staying at a Las Vegas casino but have no idea which one to pick. There are an awful lot of Las Vas Vegas casinos to choose from. It is hard to decide what the perfect Las Vegas casino is. With careful thought, you should be able to decide which one is right for you. ...The Storms of Life Life is full of ups and downs, trials, and tribulations. They are called the storms of life. Whether it’s losing a job, the end of relationship, death, divorce, financial problems, sickness, homelessness, peer pressure, etc…. everyone is going to have some type of storm that they must deal with. Take a moment and reflect on some of your life ...College Recruiting: A Business For Experts Meanwhile quiet seems to be all that is going on the college football scene most coaches are busy making phone calls and anxiously writing letters and cards in an effort to woo the nation's top high-school recruits.However coaches that do it best are the ones that really enjoy it; those that have the ability to not only evaluate talent, b ...Mini Moto Engine Industrial engines. They are still used by several manufacturers (most notably Blata on their entry level bike) and typically produce between 2.5 and 3.5 horse power (hp). All are air-cooled. Tuning and performance parts are very limited.The Chinese 47/49cc. These engines are used in the Chinese made mk2, and mk3 minimotos. They are air c ...Answering a Soul Call Is life challenging you to take a bigger leap? Are you restless with the status quo of your daily routine? Do you feel you are flying blind with an invisible co-pilot?Often times, the soul calls to us in the midst of a crises or two-by-four. When pieces of your heart are all over the flour there's a quickening that seems to come from the ...Angel to Angel Years ago, my minister spoke to us about how you could solicit the help of your guardian angels to help with conflict resolution. She told us stories about how she and others had successfully asked their guardian angels to speak to the enemy's guardian angel. The idea being that when you find yourself in an argumentative situation with someone ...Do You Want To Save Money Easily? Living on credit is fashionable. Indulging oneself is fashionable. Saving money isn't.This is a pity, as it has much to recommend it. You have more peace in your life. The end on the month is simply a date on the calendar, rather than a countdown to the next pay-cheque. Purchases born of necessity can be made comfortably. Employment beco ...Faith and Fitness Are you honouring God with your body? Would God be pleased with your stewardship of his holy temple? In Romans 12:1 Paul urges us in view of Gods mercy to offer our bodies as living sacrifices; as a spiritual act of worship to God. But how do we move from an unhealthy, sedentary lifestyle to one that God would approve of?The following scr ...Isles Strike Gold with Nolan; Hire New GM as Well The New York Islanders have effectively ended the long and tedious search for a new GM and Head Coach, when they officially announced the signing of Neil Smith as their new GM, and Ted Nolan as the Head Coach. I’ll start by saying that I think the move to sign Ted Nolan as coach was an excellent move, but the signing of Neil Smith is a bit iffy; ...Where Are You, God? Do you ever have one of those days when you wonder if God is really there? Does he really exist? If he does, then why can't you see Him or even sense His presence? Why do you feel so desolate, so alone? I was in that place a few days ago.I stood at my window facing south on a cold winter's day. The hardwood trees were bare of leaves and I ...Playing Chess in Russia - The Agony of Victory Russians have a thing for chess and, frankly, are very good at it. Being from San Diego, I thought chess was something you put photo albums in.Playing ChessPlaying chess requires thinking ten or twelve steps ahead. If I wanted to understand the Russian mind, I had to learn to play chess. If nothing else, it would be a good way to p ...Betting Horse Racing So you don’t live anywhere near a racetrack. No problem! Today, betting horse racing online at tracks around the world has never been easier. The sites we’ll talk about are well-established, legal, secure, and can provide much of the same experience you would get if you were at the track…without leaving home!The basics of betting horse ra ...Motivation: No Finish Lines There is a saying that goes something like “getting to the top is easy, the hard thing is staying there once you get there."There’s a reason the above statement is so true. It has to do with this interesting little quirk we humans have: our belief in finish lines. Deep with in our brains we have this belief that once we arrive, we can rel ...How to Keep Peaceful Relationships Jesus said in the last days many will be offended as the love of the church will grow cold (Matthew 24:10).So many people are majoring on minor issues today such as whether or not we should speak in tongues, whether or not we should baptize babies, whether or not we should prophesy, and a bunch of other stuff that shouldn't be causing us ...Snorkeling Fins Fins are an important part of snorkeling gear. With their flat wide surface they allow the snorkeler to easily navigate under water. The larger the fins, the more force they provide in the forward direction; but larger fins are also heavier and may impede motion. Medium-sized fins are reportedly best.Snorkel fins are available in heel-str ...
|
