Arabian horses

In the literature of the Arabian breed the word type has, in my opinion, caused more confusion than any other word. For the purpose of this essay we will define "breed type" as those characteristics that are specific

and unique to the Arabian breed. These characteristics include the head, neck, top line, quality, and way of going. The head is to be triangular; it is to be wide at the eyes and refined at the muzzle. A dish below the eyes is desirous; a Roman nose is most undesirable. The eyes should be large, soft, and set well apart. The neck should be well shaped, clean at the throat latch and very mobile at the pole. The top line should be quite flat with emphasis on a short strong back and powerful croup. Quality includes dryness; i.e. the skin being very tight over the rest of the body and a soft hair coat. The motion should be elegant, very elastic, and liquid in its portrayal.

There are very practical reasons for all of the above characteristics. An attractive triangular head with large eyes that are well set apart indicates intelligence and a desire to please. Since the neck and head are the horses balancing mechanism, the neck needs to be clean at the throat latch and well hinged at the pole to allow the horse to stay in balance with ease. A short strong back indicates a clean line for the energy of impulsion to travel and drive the horse forward. Length of croup, and the depth of hip and croup, are important for the horse to perform as an athlete. Dryness is that quality that expresses hard dry dense bone, hard dry tendons and ligaments, clean joints and a soft supple skin and hair coat. These characteristics were what attracted early day cavalry men to include the Arabian breed in the production of their horses, for these characteristics were what gave soundness to their horses in the long marches. In the desert, the horse was bred to be an athlete and often the horses life depended on this ability. When all of the characteristics of type are in place and are in harmony, then liquid fluid motion, the kind that could cover desert sand all day, is the result.

If we are then to apply the above definition of type to the horses we come in contact with today, we then need to recognize that the breed is made up world-wide of a number of different "types" or flavors of Arabian horses within the "breed type". This occurred because each tribe from Arabia created a different "type", or flavor to suit their own purposes (much as we create different types of automobiles). To use terminology that is common in Europe, these different types are identified by the names: Kuheilan, Seglawi, Managhi, Hadban, and others that are lesser known. The Arabian breed is a very old breed and due to the physicality of its origin (i.e. isolation in the desert over a long time and especially isolation of the individual tribes), the genetic base of the breed is very concentrated and the various types are therefore genetically very prepotent. It is therefore of great importance that the creative breeder recognizes the various types and their contribution to the whole. It is not productive for the breeder to judge all horses in the breed against one type, or model, for in doing so the breeder eliminates much of value that could contribute to his or her program.

As an example, Negatiw was by the noted Seglawi sire Naseem, and out of a Menaghi mare, yet he contributed greatly as a sire of significance in both Russia and Poland siring horses of Excellent Seglawi type.

Seglawi horses are of strong oriental type, having triangular heads, large expressive eyes, well shaped necks, very round body parts, and great beauty. Common examples of this model are the Raffles and Skowronek bred horses, the Naseem bred horses such as Negatiw and his

offspring, and many of the horses originating from the Abbas Pasha stud.

The Kuhailan horses usually have more elongations through the head and are more angular in structure, often with more emphasis on a strong system of levers. They are often longer through the croup and hip area with some slope to the croup. Examples of this flavor are the Kuhailan Haifi horses such as Bask, to include many of his offspring, and the Priboj horses such as Pietuszok.

Horses of the Hadban flavor are horses of good size with large muscle mass, substantial bone, and a good system of levers. Their heads are expressive but often somewhat large. Examples of this flavor are some of the Crabbet horses such as Nuredinn and Berk.

The Managhi flavor horse, while not very common in America, are important to the breed as a whole. These are horses with a very strong system of levers, great angulation, longish and rather plainish heads, great stamina, and great speed. Examples of this flavor are some of the horses of the Latif sire line including Kann and Korej.