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Arabian and Arabian x traits

5K views 33 replies 15 participants last post by  Remali 
#1 ·
Hi everyone I'm just curious to see Arabian and Arabian x traits I have to do a project based on an animal and I love how beautiful Arabian horses are thanks :D
 
#2 ·
I've owned Arabians most all my life, what I like best about them are they are so easy to train, gentle and laidback, and willing to do anything for you. They really are people-oriented and very versatile. I first learned to ride on an Arabian when I was 9 years old, and I used my two for lessons for beginners and others too. Just can't beat their disposition, and how athletic they are.

Good luck on your project! :D
 
#3 ·
Remali took the words right out of my mouth.
Arabians are also sensitive and do not tolerate harsh treatment. This is why some people think they are crazy. The sensitivity combined with intelligence and stamina intimidates some people.
They are a 'Hot" breed . Once you understand that owning one is a wonderful experience.
I find other breeds boring. Shalom
 
#4 ·
All of the above ^^^^^^. Arabians are highly intelligent, and you cannot force them or take shortcuts with their training. If you use patience and kindness with them, they will be devoted to you for life. You truly have to understand the breed: yes, they can be hot and flashy, but know instinctually when and how to behave. My Hombre knew when it was showtime, or when he had an audience and would turn it on automatically. But as soon as he left the ring, returned to his mellow self. He knew when he had an experienced rider on his back, or a small child and adjusted to carry either. Arabians are people oriented, curious, and full of personality. And after 30 years, my heart still stirs when I watch my girls fly across the pasture, tails flagging, necks arched. Truly a thing of beauty. Those who think Arabians are crazy do not understand the breed at all. So, bottom line, you get beauty, brains and personality in one package. Only breed I would own.
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#5 ·
Thought I'd provide some actual facts concerning the Arabian breed. They are one of the oldest, most pure breeds in existence, tracing back over 2000 years. Virtually every light breed of horse in existence today has at some point had an infusion of Arabian blood to improve the breed. They pass on positive traits of strength, endurance, have more density in their bones, refinement, and of course, beauty. All registered Thoroughbred horses living today can be traced to 3 Arabian stallions: The Darley Arabian, the Byerly Turk, and the Godolphin Arabian.Even Quarter horses have Arabian lines in their pedigree, used to refine the breed in the early part of the 20th century, but I have found that pointing this fact out to QH people tends to thoroughly P O them ;) There is a lot of information on the Arabian breed online, you can research more there. Great choice for a project, and good luck :)
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#9 ·
LOL, I don't own Arabs, Arabs own me, they are smart, loveable, exasperating, they will learn something knew in about 2 minutes, so you have to be sure what you are teaching them is good, because if you reward the wrong thing they will keep doing it, because that is what you want. Also be careful how you reprimand, because if you have asked for something they will try and please, and if you tell them off for trying and failing they may have a mini melt down, because confusion sets in.

The Arabs I am describing are the ones I own, the ones who live outside 24/7 365 days a year in temps that range from 30*C to -40*C, who get fed fancy food like grass and hay, and a mineral supplement. The sort that the farrier equally complains about and loves, because they have good feet, but they are hard.

You may not pick out my girls as Arabs straight away, they do not have the over refined head, or the sea horse neck, they are short, square, tough little girls, they are my kind of Arab, the using type.

There are many types of Arab, many types of Arab owner, but once you get acquainted with the breed you are a lost cause!
 
#12 ·
I have worked with a number of Arabians over the years. My current gelding does competitive trail rides, jumps, and drives, all with less than a year of training! The first time he was hitched to a cart, he looked back at it, gave out a big sigh (as if to say, dear gosh my owner is crazy) and walked on without another glance back.


Although they can be spooky, it seems to be a result of the thinking thing (something that wasn't there yesterday can move and therefore, could move to eat me!). I definitely love the intelligence, even when it is working against me. The feet are hardy and rarely need shoes (even on light hooves). He can do a full hour lesson mostly trot and canter and barely break a sweat under the saddle and isn't breathing hard, although he isn't really in condition. My biggest dislike in the breed... most saddles don't fit! Arabians tend to have short, wide, flat backs and very few saddle makers (especially English saddles) make trees to fit their conformation and they can be quite challenging to find.
 
#14 ·
The best horses I've ever owned were arabs, and the worst.

some of the modern halter types, with the table top backs, sea horse heads, spindly legs and poor minds are the worst horses to work with. they don't tend to stay sound and are not sane(not every one, but many of them).

the old type is the very best. Firey and hot, but sane, sensitive and gentle. They are enduring, sound and courageous. My mare Pretzl is one of these. she was a diamond in the rough when I got her, and she is hands down the best horse I've ever owned. I can do an endurance ride, chase cows, pony another horse, double, give toddlers rides, jump and pretty much anything else you can think of. Rides in any tack you want to put on her, as long as you are considerate of how you use it and balanced. She doesn't take any crap from any body. I could easily see her charging into battle fearlessly.
 
#16 ·
I still cannot figure out why so many people think Arabians are flighty?

I owned Arabs and part Arabs for 30 years. Never once did any of them spook or buck or rear or act up (a couple were actually used as lesson horses for beginners, including my gelding who was used as a stallion for breeding until he was 7 years old). Although several of my friends Quarter Horses and Paints and other breeds bucked and spooked... I definitely would not say Arabians are more prone to being spooky or flighty than any other breed, but I do think a lot of it is how they may have been started as a youngster and trained, they are super-smart and really fast learners, and won't put up with rough handling. 90% of today's Arabians in the show ring have been mistreated by trainers, especially the halter horses. And so many of today's halter horses have terrible legs and weiner-dog bodies, it's a shame, this trend in the halter horses is appalling. The Arabian sport horse is the future of the breed and what will save it.
 
#19 ·
I have owned arabians longer than Remali and agree with what is stated above.
most arabians are calm, intelligent, willing and versatile.
No other breed compares and none that I have known are as intelligent or as loyal.
Harness that energy and gain their trust and you will have the greatest equine partner you will ever know. Shalom
 
#17 ·
Very smart horses - if they can't see the point in doing something they won't do it or they'll be half hearted about it.
It's good to see that more breeders are returning to producing a horse that is good for riding - as it was originally - and not just an ornament
The spookiness IMO is down to them having an overactive imagination and a low boredom threshold. The one arabian I had rarely spooked at anything 'real' but often freaked me out on dark winter nights staring intently, all alert, at 'nothing' in the corner of the barn
 
#18 ·
I can count on one hand the number of times my half Arab mare has actually spooked and moved further than half an inch. She likes to do the spook on the spot, drop your back about a foot thing, but it's almost always when she's bored and it's my sign that I need to step things up a notch. I took her on her first trail ride up a mountain side and she didn't get silly until we were on the way home on a flat paved road (when by rights she should've been exhausted, the other horses sure were!), and she didn't have to watch where she put her feet anymore, so I started leg yielding and doing transitions within gait to get her attention back and then she was fine.
 
#21 ·
Absolutely SquirrelFood - its was just an empty corner, not even an odd shaped shadow. Some nights he'd actually shake because it bothered him so much and that would give me the cold shivers up the spine thing!!!
Very odd - he was otherwise really bold, his second show was a big County level thing and he didn't bat an eye at anything.
 
#24 ·
My favorite mare Krystal Flame D , a daughter of Bask Flame, is also like your mare. if ridden daily she is calm but take some time off and she is wound up again.
There are "hot" arabians that need to be worked to ensure they are steady and reliable. Arabians are a "hot" breed that we cannot deny.
Krystal is 15 so I dont blame it on her age. She is what she is and I would not trade her anything. Like your mare she keeps me on my toes and makes me a better rider. Shalom
 
#25 ·
I expect the 'fire' in every arab. some have a good mind to back it up, and some don't. My mare pretzl is one of the sanest horses I know, but some days she has to show off, and you can end up loping sideways down a road snorting theatrically at the dog. She's not going to throw me off or pull anything crazy, she's just a show off. Personally, its that fire that draws me to the breed more than anything else. It makes every ride interesting, keeps me on my toes and makes me laugh.

if you want a cold blooded horse that never sees grass monsters or stick snakes, go buy one and plod along happily. Nothing makes me more frustrated that people who want to train the personality out of horse.
 
#26 ·
You took the words right out of my mouth.
Different breeds have different characteristics. I like arabians for their intelligence and their "hot" personalities.
Give them a job and they perform very well. That excess energy is why they excell at endurance.
If an arabian cannot compete in an endurance ride successfully then they are not representative of the breed. Harness that energy and something wonderful will happen that only an arabian can give. Shalom
 
#27 ·
Honestly, I think people put too much on blanket personality traits of breeds and less on individuals--it's like stereotyping a person based on ethnicity.

This fallacy explains why so many people have different experiences... Sure, there may be some truth, but take all of it with a grain of salt.
 
#31 ·
dbarabians--You're more than welcome to disagree, it's just my opinion.

I have certainly met a few Arabs that aren't hot, or sensitive. I've met some Draft horses that were overly spooky. This is just how I feel about the topic.

EDIT--I think what makes a breed is more conformational and more in regards to discipline, and less with what's going on upstairs.
 
#33 ·
Zexious horses and all other domesticated animals were bred selectively for different traits and purposes.
Arabians and other "hot" breeds were purposely bred to be "hot". they were bred to be intelligent and the "hot" factor makes them more sensitive to cues than other breeds.
Most of my arabians do not trust strangers. Some will not allow one to approach or handle them.
All of my arabians have lots of stamina.
All have hard feet and despite their size can carry heavy riders.
These are breed characteristics and have been bred into them..
We are not talking about humans that have not been selectively bred for thousands of years.
Conformation does indeed make a breed. Temperament though has also been bred into all domesticated animals for different reasons.
I understand what you are saying and I do agree in part. Shalom
 
#34 ·
As with all breeds, there are certain bloodlines that are more (for lack of a better word) flighty than other bloodlines. There are a couple of popular bloodlines in the Arabian breed you could not pay me to own for that reason, that said not all of the descendants of that line will be that way, but a darn good percentage of them are.
 
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