"An Arabian will take care of its owner as no other horse will, for it has not only been raised to physical perfection, but has been instilled with a spirit of loyalty unparalleled by that of any other breed."Many, many centuries ago, in the vast and inhospitable deserts of the Middle East, came a breed of horse like none other. Powerful, intelligent, and possessing an alluring beauty only begin to describe the Arabian horse. Thriving in the sweet grass oasis along the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers that extend over parts of what is known today as Iraq, Iran, and Syria, and parts of the Arabian peninsula, this amazingly versatile horse developed a strong bond with the nomadic people of the desert, the Bedouins.
The Arabian horse was so prized and respected that it was considered a gift from Allah, to be revered, cherished, and honored. The Arabian horse was a necessity for the well-being and survival of the Bedouin people and vice versa. As this inter-dependence for survival strengthened, so did the bond between these beautiful horses and the nomadic Bedouins. The head men of tribes knew the histories of each family horse so well that he could relate their stories to the people as well as he could relate stories of each family within the tribe. As each century passed, the mythology and romance of the Arabian breed grew as stories of valor, mighty endurance, and wealth were intermingled with the genealogies.
Even religious belief, superstition, and traditions had a significant impact on the Arabian breed. They impacted:
o The nature of the breed
o Its head shape. The bulging forehead was said to hold the blessings of Allah.
o Its neck. The great arching neck with a high crest were a sign of courage.
o Its color
These traits were held in very high regard and selectively bred for.
As in most societies of the time, the Arabian horse was mainly used as an instrument of war. The Bedouins used the Arabians horses as mounts to raid and attack enemy tribes and capture their herds of sheep, camels, and goats. The Bedouins needed the ability to attack with speed and surprise and for quick escapes. The Arabian horses made this possible with their courage and essential speed and endurance.
Bedouins were also hospitable, welcoming desert travelers that needed a reprieve from the harsh elements of the desert. A welcomed guest would find their mare's bridle hung from the center pole of his Bedouin hosts tent to indicate his status. Even during times of war, tribes would meet and with great hospitality, the Bedouins would break bread and share stories of their bravest and fastest horses.
The Bedouins also used the horses in races where the winner took the best of the loser's herd as their prize. Breeding stock could be bought and sold as well. War mares, though, were considered priceless. If one did happen to change hands, it was considered a most honored gift. No greater gift could be given amongst the Bedouin people than the Arabian mare.
The value placed on the Arabian mare led the Bedouins to keep a meticulous record of each family of Arabian horse through its dam. The only requirement of the sire was that he had to be "Asil" or pure. The highest regard was shown if his dam showed he was a "celebrated" mare of a great mare family. Mare families were often named according to the tribe or sheik who bred them.
The Bedouin valued purity in the Arabian breed above all else; many of the tribes owned only one main strain of the horse. There were five basic families of breed:
o Kehilan - Noted for depth of chest, masculine power, and size. Common colors are gray and chestnut.
o Seglawi - Known for their refinement and almost feminine elegance. The most common color is bay.
o Abeyan - Similar to the Seglawi, they tend to be refined with a longer back than the typical Arabian. Commonly gray and possibly carrying white markings.
o Hamdani - Often considered plain, with an athletic and a somewhat masculine, large boned build. Common colors are gray and bay.
o Hadban - This is a smaller version of the Hamdani. They too are big boned and have a muscular build. Their primary colors are brown or bay with a few white markings possible.
The Bedouins are credited with the beginning of selective pure breeding of Arabian horses. Although breeding records were kept by memory and passed down verbally, they are also credited as the first to keep breeding records and maintaining the purity of the Arabian breed. Even though there is no written record, many Arabian pedigrees can be traced to desert breeding. This is because the Bedouins held such a high importance to the purity of the Arabian horse. Thus, "desert bred" is widely accepted as an authentic verification of pure blood for Arabian horses that were early imports into other parts of the world.
Today, there are a far greater number of Arabian horses in existence. Many of these originated outside the deserts of the Middle East. Greed, ambition, and a desire for prestige as well as an honest interest in preserving the breed from extinction were the driving forces that helped Arabian horses thrive and propagate over the last century. Since then, this honorable and beautiful animal, the Arabian horse, has flourished just as it did under the care of the Bedouins so many centuries ago.
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