What do you like/dislike about Arabs?

Perissa said:
Very well said Kate.
Click to expand...

Thank you! I do think that sometimes people can be a bit dismissive, as in "oh, well, yes, Arabs are good at endurance but what ELSE can they do?" As though being the universally acknowledged perfect breed for the most gruelling and demanding equestrian sport in existence were somehow not quite good enough! At the top level, we are talking about 100-mile races here! In one day! Often across deserts, mountains, etc!

Does anyone think that marathon-distance human runners are somehow inferior as sportsmen to those who do 100-metre sprints, or 400-metre hurdles, or the high-jump, or gymnastics?

I don't look at Totilas and say "well, yes, beautiful mover but he couldn't do the Tevis Cup!"
 
And while I'm having a bit of a rant (sorry!), I'm not sure that some of those who are so dismissive about endurance horses actually realise how much strength, stamina, speed, fitness, agility, balance and sheer courage is required at the higher levels.

The Tevis Cup, for example: a 100-mile mountain race, with 17,040 feet (5,194m) of climb and 21,970 feet (6,696m) of descent, taking place in the worst heat of late summer... over the roughest terrain imaginable... And the record time? 10 hours, 46 minutes (equal to 9.29 mph or 14.95 km/h).

Virtually all the horses taking part, and virtually all the winners, are those little silly spindly 'pointless' pure-bred Arabs... If these are not serious athletes, I don't know what is!
 
Last edited:
Surely the reason you don't see purebreds at top level jumping is that they are physically smaller so the striding between fences is very wrong for them. As someone has already pointed out that small horses (even small sporthorses) are a rare sight (believe Teddy in eventing & stoller in sj are couple of the very few exceptions).

How about the Arabian Knights team chasers? Oh & by the way, ever heard of an eventer called Tamarillo? Seem to remember a little know sj horse called Milton also had arab blood. But of course they don't jump do they.

My pure bred was taken around a sizeable xc course (2'9" to 3', not bad for first time out) by a professional event groom (she had seen my horse jumping on the lunge in the school). She went clear, despite people rudely commenting in the warm up area about why had I brought an arab, didn't i know it was a xc course. Then omg she was in her white endurance bridle & green breast plate, how dare I??!. The groom then asked if she could take her affiliated eventing (she does a very presentable dressage test btw) as she said she was 'an absolute demon jumper'. I said no because I couldn't be doing with bigoted people & their rude comments ruining my day out & because I wanted to focus on her endurance career, as that is what I (& she) got the most pleasure from. I've never heard anyone at an endurance ride being rude about the breed of horse anyone else was riding, & not everyone rides arabs by any means!
 
Last edited:
Great clip Oberon! And well said Kate, Silver Zaniff and Pip6.

Usually the people that feel the need to bad mouth arabs have either never actually ridden or handled one or have been made a fool of by one :-)
 
mcnaughty said:
Erm, so what is the point of them? They are super sound and fantastic at Endurance and seem to be great at "improving a breed" but seeing as they are one of the oldest if not THE oldest breed of domesticated horse it would be unlikely that they would NOT be in a breed way back.


However, I really do NOT like them - they are neurotic and unpredictable in my experience and at not really that GOOD at anything (other than endurance where they wipe the floor with every other breed) in particular. SJ - erm no, Eventing - erm no, Dressage - erm no - OK perhaps at RC level but NEVER high up. Sorry, never ever would contemplate purchasing one myself. Not even an Anglo Arab. Would prefer my TB to be crossed with anything but...
Click to expand...

What a spectacularly narrow minded point of view - if for no reason other than the fact that your TB is already part arab.

How about we wipe out all other horses on the planet apart from something that can clear a round at Hickstead - perhaps lets start with the New Forests - I mean they aren't much use to anyone, followed then by, hmmm lets see - I think the Fresians, I mean they can only pull funeral carriages can't they?!
 
htobago- thanks for the recomendation, hah , we ought to combine boodlines, your is obviously athletic but much prettier than mine !

oberon -i LOVE that film , and experienced something similar today, we went round our first xc, 2ft9 and clear, 3rd, would have won but he wanted to stop in the water for a drink, and sadly that was in the timed section, rusty old mummy needs to leg on me thinks:o yes you read that right i couodnt get the arab OUT of the water. :p:rolleyes:
 
silver zaanif said:
htobago- thanks for the recomendation, hah , we ought to combine boodlines, your is obviously athletic but much prettier than mine !

oberon -i LOVE that film , and experienced something similar today, we went round our first xc, 2ft9 and clear, 3rd, would have won but he wanted to stop in the water for a drink, and sadly that was in the timed section, rusty old mummy needs to leg on me thinks:o yes you read that right i couodnt get the arab OUT of the water. :p:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Thank you - cool idea about combining bloodlines! But you are being too modest: your splendid boy may not be the 'exotic' type demanded in the modern in-hand show ring, but he is certainly pretty! And undeniably athletic - and, I have to admit, sounds much more calm and sensible than my noisy show-off...

Congratulations on your successful first xc - had to laugh at the comment about your water-loving Arab!
 
bexandspooky said:
What a spectacularly narrow minded point of view - if for no reason other than the fact that your TB is already part arab.

How about we wipe out all other horses on the planet apart from something that can clear a round at Hickstead - perhaps lets start with the New Forests - I mean they aren't much use to anyone, followed then by, hmmm lets see - I think the Fresians, I mean they can only pull funeral carriages can't they?!
Click to expand...

I believe we are talking about purebred arabs and as I said previously as the Arab is the oldest domesticated horse it near as damn it has to be in every other breed.

Personally I just don't like them and as that was what the OP originally asked us to comment on I believe I answered her question adequately.
 
my boy is 12.5%% anglo and the rest WB, but he is the most neurotic horse i have ever met. i would be hard pressed to say wether that came from the Wb or arab part of him.

I hope you get my point ;)
 
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=228379567215&set=a.228365677215.172530.769487215

This arab is the horse I have always felt safest on. He would always get me home safely and I trust him with my life.

I was really quite novice when I first started riding him. The owner used to compete him xc and showjumping, he never ever stopped and loved every second. As for never going above riding club I'm not sure that's true, but I don't really want to compete above riding club level.
 
I have a very well bred dutch warmblood and a black arab gelding that is 2 1/2 i love arabs loyal hardy and very hard working , my arab is more sane than my dutch warmblood and would certainly do more than the warmblood. I think with arabs its all about how the owners bring them up they were bred to be sweet natured , my aunt had a yard where they used to sort oout horses for owners and everytime they got an arab in they would sort it out and they would take it home thne the owner would ring thwem back 2 weeks later sayin they hadnt changed when it wsas the owners bad habits that caused it in the first place , they are wonderful horses although i wish they would grow slightly bigger , you just have a few unfortunate owners that dont bring them up correctly ..... same as with any other horses you can find odd owners and crazy horses !
 
mcnaughty said:
I believe we are talking about purebred arabs and as I said previously as the Arab is the oldest domesticated horse it near as damn it has to be in every other breed.

Personally I just don't like them and as that was what the OP originally asked us to comment on I believe I answered her question adequately.
Click to expand...

You are certainly entitled to have your own opinion about Arabs - no problem at all with that.

But just on a point of fact - being the oldest domesticated breed most certainly does NOT mean that Arab blood would automatically be found in many other breeds. Arabs were domesticated in their natural habitat, the Arabian desert. Other totally different breeds were later domesticated in other parts of the world. Arabs were (much later) specifically and deliberately imported to Europe and other parts of the world, at huge expense and often considerable risk and difficulty, because they had special qualities that were found to improve other breeds (such as exceptional soundness, speed, stamina, refinement, etc., etc.).

The introduction of Arab blood was not some natural, automatic, evolutionary process. Arabs were specially chosen as 'improvers' by horse breeders all over the world.
 
I have an anglo arab who i adore...now. he is a one person horse, he now loves to be loved by me, he trusts me 100% i love that about them. I love his stupid 'im an arab trot' and his amazingly smooth and fast gallop, i love his eyes altho his is not totally dishy face. he is so intelligent makes me laugh all the time...especially as he chases birds and rabbits out of his field. I think people find them awkward tho as they are very loyal but usually to one person.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top