The Arabian horse (the equine enthusiasts refer to them as just Arabians) is one of the oldest breeds of riding horses. Having evolved from the deserts of the Middle East in the Arabian Peninsula, Arabian horses are endowed with energy, intelligence and a gentle disposition. They are used extensively in equestrian sporting events and horse shows.
Arabians were originally used by the Bedouins, the desert tribesmen, for long treks in the desert and quick assaults into enemy camps. Because of this, they evolved into animals with great endurance and significant lung capacity. In those parts of the world, a man’s wealth was determined by the number of these fine horses that he held. Historical warriors like Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan rode Arabians.
The Arabian horse spread across the world, thanks to the efforts of Prophet Mohammed in the 7th century A.D. He used large numbers of these animals for his religious conquests and thus the breed’s influence spread. The Bedouins bred the Arabian horses carefully and selectively with the result that the current breed is known for its beauty – Its performance in endurance events is unparalleled. The purebred Arabian horse is much the same as its ancestors were. Bloodlines of these fine ancient Arabians are still found today. They have also contributed directly and indirectly to the evolution of most other modern breeds.
In appearance, the Arabian horse is as distinctive as it is beautiful. They are distinguished by their wedge-shaped heads, they have a broad forehead with a bulging sinus between their eyes, flared and large nostrils, small muzzles and large eyes. They have a concave profile, also called a dished profile, a high tail, a level croup and an arched neck. Purebred Arabian horses also sport wider muscled hindquarters that are particularly useful when intense activity bursts are required. These horses are small, but have a stronger bone density and structure. They vary in height between 145 and 155 cm.
The severe climates of the Middle East prompted the Arabian horses to spend a large part of their time with human beings with the result that they have evolved to be animals with a gentle disposition and fine intelligence. Another interesting point is that only the gentler animals were allowed to reproduce. Because of this, most Arabian horses are of good temperament. They are quick learners and communicate well with their trainers. They are known to be intolerant of abusive training and in such cases refuse to cooperate with the trainer. They are nevertheless spirited and are also bred for speed.
Arabian horses are commonly colored black, gray, roan, and chestnut. Chestnut and gray are more common than black. No matter what their color is, they all have black skin. This is believed to be an adaptation to protect them from the intense hot climate of the desert. The roan is an even mixture of white and colored hairs on the body and is not very commonly found in Arabian horses. Some of these animals have the sabino pattern of spotting that is characterized by white markings. Such spotting is irregularly spread in the belly and face. Rabicano or a partial roan type of markings is also seen on Arabian horses. Arabian purebreds do not exist in colors such as cremello, buckskin, or dun.
The Arabian horses came into Europe through France and Spain. Many European warriors returned back with Arabian horses after the invasion of Palestine. The descendants of these agile horses were later used in the armies. Large-scale breeding of such horses took place in Poland, Russia, and later in Central Europe in the 18th century. Arabian horses made their first appearance in America in the 16th century through Mexico. The European settlements in their earliest days brought Arabian horses to Australia. Now the ‘Arabians’ are found in all parts of the world.
Arabian horses compete in horse racing as well as other equestrian events such as dressage, reining, show jumping, etc. The Arabian horse is noted for its ability to carry any type of rider. This is one reason why they are a favorite breed for dressage and other competition categories.
Competitive dressage consists of a series of tests for the horse that increases in difficulty at every stage. Each test consists of a set of movements that involve gymnastics and is performed by the horse in front of judges who look first at the horses’ rhythm. The movements should be performed with both grace and accuracy. Dressage shows off a horse’s strength, its obedience and the suppleness of the animal.
Most dressage horses seen in international competitions belong to the warm-blooded breeds such as Andalusian, Arabian, etc. The Arabian horses are suited for this event because of the physically powerful hindquarters and strong bones. Their willingness to obey their trainer and powerful communication capability that these horses possess make them ideal competitors in dressage events.
Equestrian show jumping is a relatively modern competitive event featuring horses that are required to jump and clear obstacles within a time limit. There are changes in direction and turns that have to be managed. Faults are marked when obstacles are knocked down during the course of jumping and disobedience and refusals on part of the animal.
Most show jumping horses are tall animals, though smaller horses do take part in such events. Mostly, thoroughbreds such as Arabian and Barb are used for jumping competitions. Such horses are known to exert themselves to the maximum during performances. Arabian horses are good all-round performers and excel when it comes to endurance. Their willingness to obey the rider and their ability to communicate also make them good jumpers. Jumpers need strong hindquarters to push themselves over the obstacles. The bones must be well formed in the frontal side to take on the load when the horse lands on its front legs after the jump.
All this goes to show that Arabian horses have the right personality and qualities to take part in dressage and jumping events in equestrian shows.
