Do you love or hate Arabs - and why?

I'd rather be squashed by an arab than an ID any day! My last horse was Arab x and was a sweet loyal lovable little soul. My current horse is Irish mongrel (we think there is ID, connie and a dash of TB in there) and one of her favourite tricks is trying to squash people. And she spooks much more than my arab x ever did!
 
I have to say I used to hate them before I bought Ali (he has some Arab blood)... But now I love them, except if they have a VERY dished face...
 
Love 'em!! (and marmite!!)

And your boy is to die for. (If ever you want to give him away.....
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I have a nearly 33 year old arab who I've had for 20 years - he taught me so much. My dream is to put my ID/TB hunter mare to the most perfectly moving arab I can find and hopefully produce something slightly bigger than the average arab with her fantastic temperament and jumping ability and with his 'float' and paces.

Well I can dream cant I?!?
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ETA - Nightbreeze - I love my cob too!!
 
I'd always wanted an arab, when I got mine 11 years ago it was as though I had to learn to ride allover again. It was like driving a Porsche after only previously driving tractors and old Land Rovers.

I've STILL got my L plates on, even after all this time...but I wouldn't swap him for anything.

Interestingly, them dang arabs have got everywhere. Almost every breed in the world has got a dash of arab, even allegedly, shetland ponies.
 
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ETA - Nightbreeze - I love my cob too!!

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hehe glad someone agrees
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!! There wonderfull if u have a typical cob, it would make a WONDERFUL 1st pony! Thats what id love! Oh well i can dream to! I WILL get a ponio one day!
 
Love them
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I don't think you can lump all arab types and personalities together, the 3 I've had the pleasure of owning have been intelligent, showy, loving and *sensible* !
 
I bought my first Anglo 3 months ago, I always vowed I would not touch anything with Arab in it! unfortunately mine suffers with seperation anxiety to the extent that he has to have the whole yard in with him, if one leave he panics. He lived 24/7 on his own with the lady I bought him off, looked and behaved like a dream when I went to try him twice (maybe thats why she kept him on his own) I am now feelling like my first thoughts were true, never buy anything with Arab in it! He is a fantastic jumper & intro XC but I want him for dressage so thinking of selling him on. Would make a fantastic endurance horse as he has speed and stamina. Any advice on his problem from you Arab specialists would be ever greatful! Must admit the stallion looks stunning in Chestnut!!!
 
Hate them, silly ugly dishy faces, useless at anything apart from running fast or going long distances and don't like the temprement much either. Basically I would never buy anything with over 2/10th arab blood in it, but do see how the stamina can improve breeding.
 
I love Marmite, but wouldn't buy an arab, I appreciate their capabilities, but they ''do nothing'' for me, I have ridden them, but as others have said, each to their own, I have no idea why, but I don't like over dished faces, and not too keen on the tail carriage either. I think I'll stick to my hairy natives
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I do like them, but don't think I'd ever own one. However I like a bit of arab blood in my horse's pedigrees, back in the 2nd/3rd generation is ideal. Funnily enough my pure bred Trakehner filly looks similar to the picture of the arab foal posted above, so I do like the arab influence in the Trakehner breed
 
QR - I have an anglo arab who is wonderful, but can be left for 2 weeks and still ride beautifully, so I guess he's an exception to the rule! My welsh cob has a particularly arabby face and is almost more like a part bred. I would a love a full arab, but wouldnt swop my two

xxx
 
I absolutely love arabs despite currently having an ISH. I had an arab when I was younger and he was the most loyal (and fun!!!) horse I've had, not to mention how stunning they tend to look. I would definately get an arab again if I were looking.
 
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Do you need a white stick They are the most beautiful horses ever!!
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As I said, each to their own isn't it a good job that we all don't ''love'' arabs, or their wouldn't be enough to go round
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Do you need a white stick They are the most beautiful horses ever!!

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It's personal opinion, isn't it - purely aesthetically, I dislike arabs, I can appreciate why people find them beautiful, but I really don't like the way they look; all the angles and curves are the wrong way up for my taste, the manes and tails are too long and floaty, and the dished face doesn't do it for me.

I have never known an arab though - perhaps my opinion would change if Id known or ridden one.
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I love marmite though.
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I don't really like them. Don't like the heads, don't like the necks, don't like the high set tail. I do like the movement of a good arab, and would own an old fashioned sturdy type, but these 'halter bred' horses are ugly, in my opinion.
 
Arabs are beautiful but I've never ridden one. I've never eaten Marmite either. But why would I dream of eating something that smelt of old sump oil?
 
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People seem to have strong feelings about Arabs - they seem to be 'Marmite' horses that one either loves or hates.

OK, so - when you see a horse like this young Arab stallion....

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....do you think 'ah, beautiful; dream-horse; would love to ride him; wish he were mine!'? Or do you think 'yuk - bl**dy Arab; can't stand them; wouldn't touch it with a bargepole!'? Or maybe something in between?

And why?

(Just genuinely curious about people's feelings about Arabs - good and bad! - and the reasons for their like/dislike of this breed.
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He's nice, and I can see why some people would want something like that, but personally I wouldn't own him. He's too pretty, if you know what I mean. I like hunter-type horses, I just don't like the dished faces...
 
Love them. My Salad isn't pure bred but is often mistaken for one.

He's been placed to Medium unaff dressage, has aff points from only a couple of afflicted outings (scored almost 70% novice) Won elem at Hickstead. He hunts with the Readyfield Bloodhounds, and a couple of other packs, has splendid manners, jumps ditches hedges and crosses rivers - often giving a lead to others. Goes round local xc courses, and can be ridden in the school by my 5yo of the lead, as well as take her and her pony out ride and lead.

I've had him since he was a 3yo ex racehorse (ran twice, 2nd twice), he's now rising 14 and pretty much the perfect allrounder.

My first one won about £100 BSJA in 4 months, before being stolen, took me to the RC championship finals at Stonleigh, jumped round the Freshmans at Hickstead, and qualified for the 2nd round BN.

I think it depends on the right horse getting the right owner, they are seriously underestimated.
 
I love them! But I would say that - I've got two of them.

They're incredibly intelligent, inquisitive, brave, funny, entertaining and love being around people. Why would anyone not want a horse like that? Add to that fast with stamina, very tough, can turn their hand to anything plus also stunning to look at. Unlike warmbloods who seem to drop to bits after a couple of years competing arabs go on for ever - many live and keep on performing well into their late twenties.

And as already been said - adding arab blood to any other breed always improves whatever they're bred to. Arabs are the ultimate equine - the base stock of almost every other breed.

H Tobago is one of my favourite arab stallions at the mo - if I had a mare good enough he'd be in my top five of potential husbands.
 
I love them but I am biased...! My boy is lovely, not in the least bit stupid, quirky but normally sensible,he'll have a go at anything and has done well at RC dressage
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Jumps
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and just generally be a dude!
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I had a pure arab but he didn't look like one!! He was very well bred as well.
I thought I would never ever get an arab, but he was fantastic. He was only 15.1 and bay. Was very successful at international endurance before I got him, I did dressage on him, just low level stuff.
He was just a wee star, kids used to fight over who could go catch him for me and who got to groom him, had a real legion of fans. He was very loyal, brave and bold, never ever gave me a second where i thought he was going to be naughty, had a fantastic turn of speed, out run all the yards TB's, and was as cheap as chips to keep. Lost him on the 27th Oct 2005, still miss him every day.
 
Jen n ross - yours is fab, love him to bits!

Was always very anti, and when I had an anglo I reckoned he combined the worst characteristics of arab and TB!

But a friend's pure bred arab helped me thru a really difficult period in my life. My dad died 10 weeks before my wedding and in between looking after my mum and trying to carry on with the wedding plans, Riy helped me keep some perspective in my life.

He was 18 when I met him and had done everything from endurance to side saddle.
He adored hacking, but very much on his terms. Anything other than a loose rein and he would snatch the contact out of your hands - yet you could hack in heavy traffic on the buckle end. If he thought you weren't paying attention he would spook like mad, but could happily canter thru hock deep mud when my fiance's horse was struggling to walk.
He could also nip so quickly when you did up his girth, you wondered if it had actually happened.
I was lucky enough to hack him all that summer and to take him on fun rides. He liked to jump, but again on his terms, so after going into orbit over a tiny hunt fence, I elected to stay on the flat. But I hadn't bargained for the arab fear of crocodiles - a puddle in a gateway saw us nearly wipe out the trees above and the steward kindly holding the gate!

I consider myself priveleged to have known him, and when my friend took over her daughter in law's pure bred, I was one of the few people not to turn their noses up.

This horse has been amazing - doing dressage and county level showing with a 'granny', but most significantly recovering from laminitis that the vet thought would be fatal, and coping with 6 months box rest without turning into a nightmare.

Sorry if this is a bit of a ramble - but don't judge arabs till you've got to know them. Maybe the problem is the sort of people that sometimes buy them (not you Jen n Ross!!!!)
 
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