Arabs-can they jump?

aimsymc said:
in a word tamarrilo! hes half arab x
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um. . . he's not actually; he's very much a part-bred/Anglo with rather more TB blood!
http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/tamarillo5

I've had two pure-bred Arabs - neither of which had a clue about jumping and would actually make a point of going round a jump. After all, why would you want to jump it when it's much, much easier to go round it????? I bred an Anglo to a SJ WB stallion and the off-spring is able to jump but I put that down the sire more than anything else.

People SAY Arabs can jump but, honestly and realistically when did you last see one competing in SJ (and I mean proper SJ not the local 2ft 6?)
 
Faithkat said:
People SAY Arabs can jump but, honestly and realistically when did you last see one competing in SJ (and I mean proper SJ not the local 2ft 6?)
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But that's what everyone here is saying, a pure arab won't ta*e you to the top in SJ or eventing, but for most of us mere mortals they are more than capable enough.

Arab blood has been used to improve many breeds in the past, including continental warmbloods.
 
I would say that most people who want to jump firstly wouldn't consider them because of what they've heard about them, & secondly can't be bothered to train them. Why would you put that extra effort into an intelligent animal who will ask why when you can get a denser annimal that when it asks why you can hit it with a stick & it will give in. It's quicker to get it jumping, less hassle & easier to sell on. Arabs require patience, time & understanding, which is why they are marmite horses, ie love them or hate them.

Most arabs are owned by people who have them for a purpose, & the jumping is secondary. In my case, because jumping isn't their main focus for the horse, I wasn't going to pay the extortionate amounts of money it costs to affiliate with BSJA or BE. Why would I? She had proven to be very talented at my chosen sport, the jumping was a bit of fun for her.
 
:mad: I can't find the photo I want to illustrate this :(

There is one purebred arab that sticks in my mind, he used to event, and belonged, I believe, to our very own HTobago :) I knew one of the horses that was on the Arabian Knights team, he went in harness too.

Of course arabs can jump, as many have said though, some don't see why they should though. Any horse can jump unless they are physically unable to.

As to why they aren't seen competing to higher levels, simple, that's because there are types of horses that are better suited to it.
Why use a Ferrari to plough a field when you have a John Deere ? ;)
 
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faithkat i stand corrected! still alot of arab for a top eventer!

i agree that most arabs dont like to jump, but i think its attitude rather than lack of ability. i had one in my younger days who Wouldn't jump a stick but if u left her in field alone would jump 5 bar gate! so ut wasnt a couldnt it was a wouldnt. she was a bit of a bag with everything though. x
 
Love the analogy Enfys.

Shalkar was on the AK team, he sadly passed on about 4 years ago but has left some lovely offspring. I also remember the sire of Winged Saint, think his name was El Santo (? please correct me if I'm wrong), was an excellent jumper. Whilst Winge Saint has never been backed, he is standing in Cumbria (Seren Arabians) & producing some lovely stock.

Now it's lunch time I've been able to look up the anglo boy, here he is:
http://www.yawlhillstud.co.uk/
 
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A lot of people are confusing an anglo arab with a pure bred - its a totally different thing. Its like saying that the ISH horses at Badminton are irish draughts.Although it has some of the characteristics it is a totally different type of horse.

From my limited experience of pure arabs, I would say that the reason that you don't see many serious jumping arabs is that they are generally quite small, and a lot of them seem to be not particularly brave. I did know of one years ago that was an amazing show jumper - when they do jump well they are so fast and nippy they are unbeatable against the clock.., but thats the only one that comes to mind. I can think of a million ponies over my years in horses that were superb and were arab crosses though.

At the end of the day, the breed shouldn't really matter. Go and see it, try it, decide if it can do the job that you want it to do, and then decide.
 
Not confused, I own 2 wonderful pure bred arabs. Having said that, I also appreciate the outcrosses & the quality & pony cleverness they bring to other breeds.

My first girl was 5/8 arab, 1/4 highland & 1/8 tb. She basically looked like a solid arab but with the highland roan coat & grew feathers (which I reguarly trimmed off, look wierd on an arab). Did loads of jumping on her. Her biggest issue was her seasons, 10 days after she went out don't bother going to a show. All other times fabulous.
 
As others have said, of course they can. I have over 500 trophies stored in my attic won by one of mine, now deceased, in open jumping. I shall post a pic later of one of my youngsters schooling this week over 110cm before going on to take 2nd place in his first ever 95cm open. I have two currently jumping BSJA with money on their cards, consistently jumping double clears.

Apart from Tamarillo, there are numerous other top eventers with varying degrees of Arabian blood, including Pippa Funnell's young horse, Redesigned, and Piggy French's Jakata, 2nd at Badminton this year.
 
It is often overlooked that Celia Ross Taylor won Badminton in 1968 on a horse called Jonathan who was a part bred Arab (by Amigo I think).

General Lee Gold was the stallion who evented (and belonged to HTobago).

Problem is Arabs are so distinctive they get noticed if they are pratting about, horses of no particular breed doing the same thing tend to blend a bit more :)
 
Many years ago Horse and Pony magazine had a pony called Silent King, who was a pure-bred Arab, he jumped at junior level and competed for GB at least once.

There was a pure-bred Arab at the RS I used to go to, he'd been gelded very late in life (and I've often wondered if he'd sired any foals, but have no way of finding out) he liked jumping and was pretty good at it too! I'm the world's biggest wuss when it comes to jumping but I liked jumping him :D
 
My anglo arab certainly jumps,he's 15.1-15.2hh max with shoes on. Although he hasn't done any jumping yet with a rider on board i do see him most days jump out of his field from a walk and the fence measures 1.25! He jumps it and looks round as if to say 'ha look at what i can do mum' very annoying and scary to watch!
 
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