Arabian Horse: The Prized Possession of Bedouins

A breed of horse that has a reputation of being intelligent, high spirited as well as having outstanding stamina is the Arabian horse. It has a very distinct chiseled head, the tail carriage is high and thus the Arabian horse is among the most easily recognizable of horse breeds throughout the world.

In fact, the Arabian horse is one of the oldest breeds of horses and there is archaeological evidence to suggest that horses that closely resembled the present day Arabian horse dates back almost 4,500 years. Right through the pages of history, the Arabian horses from the Middle East have spread to different parts of the world through war and trade and were instrumental in improving many a breed through addition of extra speed, refinement as well as endurance and good bone. At present, the Arabian bloodline is found in almost all major breeds of horses.

Wonderful Disposition, Willingness and High Spirited

In its native desert climate, the Arabian horse was a prized possession of the nomadic Bedouin people and was often found in the family tent to give it more shelter as well as protection. This breed of horse has a wonderful disposition towards humans and is willing as well as quick to learn and also pleases its owners. The high spirit of the Arabian horse as well as its alertness has greatly and positively contributed to its use in raiding as well as wars. In addition, the mix of willingness as well as sensitivity makes the modern owner of the Arabian horse acknowledge that the horse be handled with competence as well as respect.

The main characteristics of this breed of horse are a refined, wedge-shaped head, a broad forehead as well as large eyes, large nostrils and small muzzles. They may also display a profile with a slight forehead bulge between the eyes which the Bedouin call the jibbah and it contributes to greater sinus capacity which is thought to help the Arabian horse in the dry desert climates of its native Arabia. It also has an arched neck with a big well-set windpipe that is set on a fine, clean throatlatch and the combination of the poll and throatlatch was referred to as the mitbah by the Bedouin.

The body of this breed of horse is compact and it has a short back and the bones are dense as well as strong with sound feet and good hoof walls. The endurance of these horses are especially notable as they have natural balance, are nimble as well as impulsive. These are qualities that the original war horse needed and are now visible in competitive horses.