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Strength and Beauty combined in the Arabian Horse Breed
The Arabian horse is one of the oldest breeds of
domesticated horses in history, and one of the easiest to
recognize. Images of Arabian-like horses have been found in
archeological finds dating back to nearly five thousand
years old. Arabians have been bred for millennia for speed,
strength and endurance, and Arabian horse bloodlines can be
found in the pedigrees of nearly every other riding horse
breed.
An Arabian horse may be easily identified by its arched
neck, unique, well-defined, wedge-shaped head, large eyes
and nostrils, and refined muzzle, as well as the forehead
bulge and sometimes a slight dish-shape to the face. The
back is straight and the tail is carried high. The breed
standard requires that the Arabian stands between 14.1 to
15.1 hands (57 to 61 inches, 145 to 155 cm) tall, "with the
occasional individual over or under." The Arabian horse is
not a large horse, but because the Arabian has denser bones
and a sturdy back and feet, its smaller size seldom causes a
problem with nearly any sized rider.
Purebred Arabians all have black skin but according to the
registry standard may have coat colors of bay, gray,
chestnut, black, or "roan." Sabino is the only spotting
pattern that is accepted in the Arabian standard. The Sabino
has white markings in places such as above the knees, and/or
on the face, belly, chin or jaw. Most Arabian horses that
appear to be white are actually very light grays, and will
still have black skin. However there is a new form of white
Arabian that is born with pink skin, white coat, and dark
eyes. This new coloration is the result of a recent mutation
but is still not the traditional white of other breeds.
The Arabian is well suited to nearly any task that is asked
of it. Despite the Arabian's refined appearance, it is a
strong horse with sturdy bones and feet and a respiratory
system that gives it excellent stamina. All in all, a well
bred Arabian is a beautiful horse that is easily trained.
Arabians were originally bred and kept by the nomadic
Bedouin people, and were required to be intelligent, good
natured, hard-working members of the family that could
nonetheless perform spiritedly in races or war. Prized mares
sometimes even lived in the owner's tent to protect them
from theft. The requirements of their desert habitat and
nomadic life led to a breed of horse with the combined
qualities of strength, high spirits and sensitivity. The
Arabian is considered a "hot-blooded" breed and this
requires their trainers to be knowledgeable and gentle. The
owners of modern Arabians need to have much the same
qualities as their horses.
Along with sensitivity and intelligence, however, the horses
were chosen for disposition and adaptability, and today,
because of that, the Arabian is the only breed that is
allowed by the United States Equestrian Federation to
include stallions in the show ring. Their skills and beauty
have, in modern times, put them into the forefront in
everything from circuses and movies to search and rescue,
police work, and of course, the show ring all over the world.
Arabian Horse History
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