Arabian horses / New pic

[Ariel301]

So true, so true.


Mich and Pat, I do think there is a very extreme trend these days, not just for light bone and slender backs, but also for very extreme dish to the head.

Indeed. I had a Bask grand-daughter and she hardly looked like an Arab to most people. She was a little more stocky and had less dish to her face. She was also extremely short in the back, it was hard to put a western saddle on her because they would come back onto her hips.

They are also breeding them to be "hot" because it looks good in the show ring. Watch an Arab halter class lol, especially young stallions--they are jumping and spooking all over the place. That would not be acceptable in most breed shows! I think there is a big difference between Arabs bred and trained for the show ring and Arabs bred and trained for "work". You could never ride one of those show Arabs on trails!

 

[michickenwrangler]

A lot of the "hotness" comes from the trainers!! They spend most of their preliminary time shanking and snapping whips at them (not hitting the horse but just snapping it over their ears) to get them all fired up.

I was very disgusted with a Show Hack class I saw back in 2006. For those that don't know, show hack is almost like "dressage under saddle." You show collected, working and extended versions of all gaits.

When I first began showing in the mid 90's, I showed Show Hack and the winning horses at an extended trot all looked like the "Gifted" Breyer horse. Now they're all just saddleseat horses who speed up! None of the horses in this class could walk, let alone collect and extend because they were jigging so much! In the judge's defense, the horse that jigged least at a walk placed 1st, but no wonder the Arab gets the rep that it does if idiots show horses like these!

 

[greeneggsandham]

My farrier breeds Russian Arabs and boy are they nice horses. She currently has 8 and two of them are 2 year old stud colts. Never met more sane and calm arabs than hers. Her horses get trained from the minute they hit the ground. By the time they are a year old just about all things that can be done on the ground are. They have been on numerous trailer rides, stand on cross ties, bath, clip, etc.

 

[w c]

That is super. The favorite Arabs of mine were all Russian bred.

 

[michickenwrangler]

I'm partial to Polish/Crabbet crosses myself.

 

[Eliza]

A lot of the "hotness" comes from the trainers!! They spend most of their preliminary time shanking and snapping whips at them (not hitting the horse but just snapping it over their ears) to get them all fired up.

I was very disgusted with a Show Hack class I saw back in 2006. For those that don't know, show hack is almost like "dressage under saddle." You show collected, working and extended versions of all gaits.

When I first began showing in the mid 90's, I showed Show Hack and the winning horses at an extended trot all looked like the "Gifted" Breyer horse. Now they're all just saddleseat horses who speed up! None of the horses in this class could walk, let alone collect and extend because they were jigging so much! In the judge's defense, the horse that jigged least at a walk placed 1st, but no wonder the Arab gets the rep that it does if idiots show horses like these!

I'm so glad to see someone of similar mindset! I spent this past summer showing all the big A shows in the northeast after a 20 year hiatus and all I can say is WOW! I wondered where all the saddleseat horses went I was sure glad to see they weren't lost. I found them in the huntseat, and showhack classes. Now if you want to show "true" huntseat you have to do Sport Horse. We qualified for Nationals and so we'll go - but I'da know what we'll find there. I have two arabs - a 26 year old Russian/Polish and a 10 year old CMK Almarah Sea Captain grandson. He is very differently bred than most horses I see in the Northeast I can tell you...

 

[ohne]

Eliza congratulations on making Nationals. How long will it take for you to make it from the East out to Idaho? We are going to be there, just watching this year. Its only a 2 hour drive for us so not bad at all. What will you be showing??

 

[michickenwrangler]

A lot of the "hotness" comes from the trainers!! They spend most of their preliminary time shanking and snapping whips at them (not hitting the horse but just snapping it over their ears) to get them all fired up.

I was very disgusted with a Show Hack class I saw back in 2006. For those that don't know, show hack is almost like "dressage under saddle." You show collected, working and extended versions of all gaits.

When I first began showing in the mid 90's, I showed Show Hack and the winning horses at an extended trot all looked like the "Gifted" Breyer horse. Now they're all just saddleseat horses who speed up! None of the horses in this class could walk, let alone collect and extend because they were jigging so much! In the judge's defense, the horse that jigged least at a walk placed 1st, but no wonder the Arab gets the rep that it does if idiots show horses like these!

I'm so glad to see someone of similar mindset! I spent this past summer showing all the big A shows in the northeast after a 20 year hiatus and all I can say is WOW! I wondered where all the saddleseat horses went I was sure glad to see they weren't lost. I found them in the huntseat, and showhack classes. Now if you want to show "true" huntseat you have to do Sport Horse. We qualified for Nationals and so we'll go - but I'da know what we'll find there. I have two arabs - a 26 year old Russian/Polish and a 10 year old CMK Almarah Sea Captain grandson. He is very differently bred than most horses I see in the Northeast I can tell you...

Are you qualified for US Nat'ls or Sport Horse?

Heck even if you look at the SHOES horses in huntseat are wearing, that's a giveaway. They're wearing longer, heavier shoes than what they used to. They're overbent, overanimated.

It's amazing that Park classes nowadays are very small ... because they're all in Country and Show Hack! Where they DO NOT belong!

 

[Horsiezz]

See,Im not to educated on the breed, but I ran into some breeders that were lovely people,with excellent horses. They had 3 world champion WESTERN PLEASURE Arabian stallions! So well behaved I could put my niece on them! Now you dont see that very often. But alot of that comes from that they are quality breeders,highly educated in the breed,and are reputable trainers. They have been doing this business for over 50 years! They were also breeding their Arabs with Paints too. I think theirs were Polish , possibly Russian. They were tall,and muscular,built like Quarter Horses almost but not quite. They were sturdy. We even walked out in the field with them,they were so sane and kind! Then we went into the breeders' arena,where an arabian stallion was. They said he was totally insane. They said that the lady who owns him refuses to geld him,and she sends the BOARD FOR HIM IN THE MAIL! Never coming to see it. One of them started riding it for the lady,and he got thrown and the he charged him and stomped him into the ground breaking his ribs and arm! Before we left he told us if we ever decided to buy an Arabian stay away from straight Egyptians and there was another one but I forget.
My mom,a very well experienced horsewoman since the age of 6,has always said "I would never have an Arabian even if someone gave it to me." She has always "shunned" the breed,and stuck with her good old American Quarter Horses,a typical farm girl she is She used to do Endurance Rides(For fun) with my brother in her younger days with their Quarter Horses,and my brothers quarter horse would always blow those arabians away, everyone always said he had close TB blood to run that fast,but my mom always laughed and showed them the papers, saying NOPE. He was a good horse,who only just recently died, he was in his late 20's. R.I.P Cheech. On the other hand, we recently came across a Craigslist ad if a free Morab gelding. His dam was a morgan mix(we are thinking she is also a morab),and his father was a purebred arabian. He was free. We took him and are currently training him,our focus on reselling him. My mom really likes him,and she said she can no longer say her old saying of she would never own one even if someone gave it to her. He is 4 yrs old, and hasnt been touched since he was born. Never had his hooves trimmed,never had shots,and only has been wormed once. The people who had him didnt know anything about horses and when they bought his mom she was pregnant and they didnt know. They called the previous owners who had the mare and they told her. Well, when he was born,the wife had a son who was extremely ill and eventually died,so they didnt do anything with him except geld him and that was the end of it really. When we came to pick him up the people were so scared of him they wouldnt even help us load him. He had to be ran into the trailer with whips! He wasnt even halter broke! But now,he is now under the safe care of us. In just a month he already had his feet trimmed(we drugged him to be safe) You can groom him,give him a bath,hes halter broke, you can load him in the trailer,pick his hooves,lounge him,and we even started riding him! We have him under Western for now,with a bit and bridle,everything! He only bucked once while someone was on him. We have only ridden him in the arena,and he weaves cones,crosses bridges,jumping and just about anything. We set up an obstacle course with pool noodles,tarps,and things like that and he does fine. He is probably the smartest horse I have ever met. Seriously. If he didnt take everything in so well,we wouldnt have started him undersaddle already only on a walk and trot. He will be going on his first trail ride within a week. He is also for sale right now for $600 if interested. hahaha.

 

[michickenwrangler]

They wouldn't do as well in Michigan-comp.

Most out of state competitive trail riders dread UMECRA competitive rides because we are so fast-paced and we don't have those half hour windows.

I do like to see other breeds compete though.