History

The first written documentation of the breed more than 3,000 years ago verifies that the Arabian horse is basically the same today as it was then. When the breed was domesticated is unknown, but the first and most famous Arabian breeders were the tribesmen of Arabia known as Bedouins. They valued the Arabian horse above all other possessions because it was crucial to their survival and prosperity. The horse was servant, transportation, comrade in battle and friend. The breed built up incredible endurance and strength by carrying heavy loads for its master across miles of hot desert sand.

Arabian mares were prized above all because they were the key to producing valuable horses, and they were fearless in battle. A well-documented story tells of a mare who picked up her wounded master by his clothes and carried him to safety. Quieter than stallions, mares were essential to tribal raids. A Bedouin would not part with his mare except under dire circumstances. To sell a mare was the greatest of tragedies.

The Bedouins developed friendships with their horses just as people do with dogs today. Even though a horse is considerably larger than your average house pet, the Bedouin's "best friend" often slept in the family tent on chilly nights and also took shelter there from the hot desert sun during the day. Centuries of close interaction with people have given Arabians an innate ability to bond with humans.

Arabian horses became even more cherished when the Islamic prophet Mohammad made them a cornerstone in his Holy Wars. Mohammad improved his army by elevating the horse to a sacred level. He told his followers if they painstakingly bred and cared for fine cavalry horses they would be blessed. As the Moslem religion grew, the Arabian horse was introduced in North Africa, Spain and France. The breed again grew with religion when the Christian Crusaders landed in the Holy Land in the 12th century. The Crusaders were so impressed with the swift, tough Arabian horse that they imported large numbers of the breed into England and France. As Christianity spread across the globe, so did the Arabian horse.

The first Arabian horse in the United States belonged to first president George Washington. He cross-bred his Arabian stallion with cavalry mounts to strengthen the military. The popularization of Arabian horses in the United States began with their introduction at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. An exhibit from Turkey included 45 Arabian horses. When the exhibit company went bankrupt, the horses were sold to breeders across the country. However, Arabian horse breeding really expanded within the last half century as the popularity of showing horses soared.

The Arabian is the fourth largest breed in the U.S., with 392,000 Arabians, 313,500 Half-Arabians and 9,100 Anglo-Arabians registered in North America. Many consider the U. S.-bred Arabians some of the best in the world due to advanced technology and resources and careful research of the Bedouin methods.

The Bedouins were ruthlessly selective and careful in their breeding programs. They placed the greatest emphasis on performance, concentrating on stamina, soundness, speed, disposition and loyalty. They allowed only the finest specimens to reproduce. All of these factors have given Arabians the purest bloodlines and the strongest genes. Arabian genetics are said to be "fixed," or pre-potent, making Arabian traits easy to pass on to other breeds.

In fact, people used Arabians to strengthen their horses so often that many modern riding horses, called light breeds, can trace their history back to the Arabian or have been improved, at some point, by being crossed with the Arabian horse. Every Thoroughbred is a direct descendant of the three great stallions of Arabian blood -- the Darley Arabian, the Byerly Turk and the Godolphin Arabian. American breeds such as the Morgan, American Saddlebred, National Show Horse and Quarter Horse also have a great deal of Arabian blood.

Many breeders like to improve their favorite breed by crossing it with an Arabian to produce a Half-Arabian . Half-Arabians combine positive traits of the Arabian with those of another breed, resulting in a customized horse. The Arabian and Thoroughbred cross is so popular, it's recognized as a separate breed, the Anglo-Arabian.

The Arabian gets its Arabian name, Kohl-ani, from its beautiful skin and eyes. Kohl is the bluish-black substance that Eastern beauties were using on their eyebrows, eyelashes and eyelids before the days of Cleopatra. The Arabian's skin is the same bluish-black color as kohl, and its eyes are naturally defined in the same way people artificially shadowed their eyes. Arabians average 15 hands in height, slightly smaller than other breeds.

The elegant Arabian's dished head, large eyes, arched neck, high tail carriage, flaring nostrils and delicate muzzle that could "fit into a teacup" have long made the breed a favorite subject for painters and sculptors, but don't let the beautiful features fool you. The Arabian horse's characteristics make it just as athletic as it is attractive for the following reasons:

• Short, dished head and flaring nostrils allow for maximum oxygen intake
• Arched neck keeps the windpipe defined and clear to carry air to the lungs
• Plenty of room for lung expansion because of well-sprung ribs and a deep chest cavity
• The Arabian's strong resilient legs are free of most lameness problems
• Genetic stability gives the Arabian sound health

The Arabian consistently lives out other breeds. Most Arabians are in their prime at 20, and many live well past 30. Some consider the Arabian the most intelligent of all breeds of horse. Its shield-like bulge between the eyes, called the jibbah is said to allow for greater brain capacity. The Arabian possesses a long memory, quick comprehension, alert curiosity, resourcefulness and sociability. Centuries of close relationships with humans have given Arabians a friendly, loyal disposition, marked by a desire to please their master. They enjoy playing with people as much as horses.

Arabian horses were bred to perform under harsh desert conditions and keep going beyond the point of exhaustion. This has given the breed incredible stamina and courage. World-wide they hold records in endurance riding with the best completing 100 miles races in less than 10 hours.