THE ARABIAN HORSE
- horsesclubb
- 3 apr 2019
- Tempo di lettura: 4 min
Aggiornamento: 4 apr 2019
HISTORY
The exact origins of the Arabian horse are still a mystery. Its distinctive silhouette is first seen in the art of ancient Egypt more than 3,500 years ago, but it was the nomadic peoples of the Arabian desert, known as the Bedouin, who created and refined the pure breed that exists today.
The original purpose of the Arabian was as a desert warhorse. While camels provided meat, milk, leather, and transport for the desert peoples, horses were much faster and more maneuverable. This made them ideal for the type of surprise raids that were the hallmark of Bedouin warfare. Over time these horses adapted to their desert environment, resulting in qualities that make them unique among all equine breeds.
Since pasture was scarce, Arabian horses had to be exceptionally hardy, learning to survive on such non-typical feeds as dates and camel’s milk. Even today, Arabian horses are quite healthy and require less feed than horses of a similar size. Historical figures like Genghis Khan, Napoleon, Alexander The Great and George Washington rode Arabians. Even today, one finds descendants of the earliest Arabian horses of antiquity.
Other desert adaptations include thin skin and tails held high when in motion, both traits that help cool the body. While they may appear delicate in appearance, they are actually quite strong, with dense bones and short backs. There are many examples of Arabian horses carrying heavy riders over great distances with little food or water. This extraordinary stamina is perhaps the most important physical characteristic of the breed. Known for intelligence, courage, loyalty and a spirited yet gentle disposition, the Arabian breed has an amazing affinity for humans.
For centuries the Bedouin treated their horses as members of the family. The foals were raised with their children, the mares sought shelter in their tents.
Over time this became a genetic characteristic of the breed and one of its most endearing traits. The genetic dominance of the Arabian breed and its influence on other breeds is well-documented. When the Europeans first encountered the Arabian they soon learned that when these horses were bred to their native breeds the resulting offspring were greatly improved in every way. They were faster, required less feed, lived longer, and had much more stamina. As a result of these observations, Arabian blood is a strong contributing factor in almost all modern light breeds of horses in the world.
The Arabian is known as the most beautiful of horses, and has been celebrated as such in centuries of literature and art. Nobility of spirit is another hallmark of the breed. Even the word for “horse” in Arabic means to “walk with pride” indicating a noble bearing has always been an important characteristic of these desert horses.
Certainly the beauty and pride of the Arabian has attracted the eye of generations of horsemen throughout history, and has been an important element in contributing to the longevity of the breed.
CHARACTERISTICS
THE HEAD: Arabian horses have a refined, wedge-shaped heads, a broad forehead, large eyes, large nostrils, and small muzzles. Most display a distinctive concave, or "dished" profile. Many Arabians also have a slight forehead bulge between their eyes, called the “jibbah” by the Bedouin, that adds additional sinus capacity, believed to have helped the Arabian horse in it’s native dry desert climate.
THE NECK: Arabian horses has an arched neck with a large, well-set windpipe set on a refined, clean throatlatch. This structure of the poll and throatlatc. In the ideal Arabian it is long, allowing flexibility in the bridle and room for the windpipe.
THE SHOULDERS: They have a long and sloping shoulder well-covered in muscle.
THE LEGS: Well muscle, straight and sound bone, large and defined joints, long and sloping pasterns, round and proportionate feet.
THE BACK: While they may appear delicate in appearance, they are actually quite strong, with dense bones and short backs.
THE TAIL: The tail is held high when in motion to help cool the body.
· THE HOOVES: Arabian horses have strong hooves that helped them withstand the sand and rocks of the desert.
HEIGHT: From 145 to 155 cm (between 14.1 to 15.1 hands)
BEHAVIOR
The Arabian is also classified as a "hot-blooded" breed, a category that includes other refined, spirited horses bred for speed, such as the Akhal-Teke and the Thoroughbred.
Like other hot-bloods, Arabians' sensitivity and intelligence enable quick learning and greater communication with their riders; however, their intelligence also allows them to learn bad habits as quickly as good ones. Some sources claim that it is more difficult to train a "hot-blooded" horse. Though most Arabians have a natural tendency to cooperate with humans, when treated badly, like any horse, they can become excessively nervous or anxious. At the other end of the spectrum, romantic myths are sometimes told about Arabian horses that give them near-divine characteristics.
USES
Arabians excel in every horse sport. They are the horses of choice for long distance trail competitions, endurance, dressage, shows and also showjumping. They tend to be more people-oriented than some other breeds.
COLORS
Arabians come in almost every color: Bay, chestnut, grey, black, and even roan. Bay, gray and chestnut are the most common; black is less common. The classic roan gene does not appear to exist in Arabians; rather, Arabians registered by breeders as "roan" are usually expressing rabicano or, sometimes, sabino patterns with roan features. All Arabians, no matter their coat color, have black skin, except under white markings. Black skin provided protection from the intense desert sun.
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