I am considering purchasing an Arabian filly (2016). I am looking for a filly that will do well in driving and low level eventing. Her registration is in progress and I'm not sure what name the breeder chose for her, so I just threw her up on all breed with her call name
Aul Magic was a Trakehner approved stallion. Competed in Dressage and sport horse under saddle. It looks like a lot of Aulrab foals make excellent performance horses.
The filly's sire is a 4yo, hasn't done much, but is in training for dressage and free jumps beautifully.
I am thinking about going out to see her this weekend (she's about an hour or so from me). What things should I be looking for, anything specific to her bloodlines (some lines are known for poor knees, pasterns, etc)? What are the best things to look for in a 3 month old filly to really judge by? I know a lot can change by the time they mature, but a good filly will be well out of my price range in another 3 years and is also much less likely to be for sale as a training age (or already started) filly. The breeder has not sent me good conformation pictures, so I know I'm looking for that, but even then what is likely to change from this age on and what is pretty well set?
Love her damline. Excellent crabbet. Aul Magic/ Ben Rabba. Yum. Excellent good minded working horses. Welcome in my barn any day.
Sireline- top is Egyptian- out of my spectrum. I don't do Egyptians. Bottom is Sundance Kid V- Varian bred. (An interesting very well thought out mix of Egyptian/crabbet/polish/domestic handpicked by the queen of Arabians Sheila Varian.) Gorgeous, good minded horse- who is putting great national winning babies on the ground. With a well bred polish dam.
I also saw the Egyptian on the top. I'm not an Egyptian fan usually. I like Varian bred horses (Sundance Kid V, Desperado V). Have you owned Arabs before? If she's just a weanling, you have a long road before she can be ridden. Arabs take more time to grow up.
How important is driving to you? Are you experienced with Arabs? I just have not known very many Arabs that are suitable for driving. Do you want a horse that can drive only in the show ring, or do you want one that can be driven out in traffic, on roads or in parades? Some Arabs can learn to drive in the ring only, very few can handle traffic, roads, etc.
It's not something you can just teach any horse, they have to have the right temperament. It sounds like you have a better gamble with these bloodlines but you can have a "throwback" temperament and with a horse so young it's a real gamble. You just can't know how they will mature mentally. At the very least I'd look for a horse with parents that were proven to handle driving or eventing.
If driving is the most important thing, I wonder if you actually want a young Arab. It's more likely with performance bloodlines that you can do low level eventing, but even that requires a more bold mind than many Arabs have.
My question is, what is more important to you, that you have a beautiful Arab or that you use a horse for these particular performance goals? If you want an Arab and need them to be able to do these things, you'd be much better off buying one as an adult that is proven. As you said, an older Arab, especially one taught to drive already will probably be expensive, but that's also because they are a rare find. If you want a young, well bred horse that can do these things, you would be more likely to succeed with a few other breeds.
Other than the Varian breeding, there's nothing about this fillie's breeding that does anything for me. Having said that, let me quickly say that I was a main ring person all the way and was not at all a fan of the heavier, coarser breeding. The Egyptian line is one I'd veer away from, I knew The Atticus, didn't like his temper. I suspect this filly will be good Sport Horse material, and it looks like they tried to up the looks by adding in the Egyptian. Not breeding I'd have done nor would I have ever looked at it to add to my herd. Different strokes for different folks.
I've actually worked with many Arabians, owned 3. My current guy is mostly Russian bred with a touch of Egyptian on his sire side. He's a wonderful driving horse, handles roads and traffic just fine. However, he is not conformationally built for sport disciplines. He'll do it, and I should be able to get him in to low level work eventually, but it's not easy for him. He has a tiny spot between his jaw and neck bones (about a pinky width) making it physically difficult for him to break at the jaw, and he's a bit downhill. I am looking for someone that would be more likely to have the build and attitude for the sports. I also would like the horse to be able to pair with my current gelding for driving events. Colors don't really matter in driven dressage, but movement does need to match (ie: an Arab and a hackney would never work out together) so another Arabian is really a must.
This filly's sire is local and has a good temperament, very much the pleaser personality. So hopefully that The Atticus temperament got cut off. I do not breed horses, what are the chances that an ill temper will be inherited a few generations later and not be present on a weanling?
As I stated in the original post, I am quite aware an adult would be a better option, but very few sport-bred adults are left to sit in a pasture until 3-5 years old and then sold, and a trained one will be well out of my price range. But since I do own another horse, I will have someone to ride and drive while I wait for a youngster to grow up. Babies are never really ideal for anyone, but most breeders sell babies at weaning, and it is less likely for someone to purchase said weanling, spend the money and time raising it, and then decide to sell it just as it hits a nice training age (especially if you don't want one that has been ruined by poor handling or riding issues that have to be overcome).
As a side note on the driving Arabians, I know a local breeder that does Blue Book Arabians and she does in fact drive them all. I've also met quite a few other people who drive Arabians, proper driving, not the crazy saddle-seat horse in a harness type thing. Driving, in general, is a small sport and it is dominated by true ponies, but I've seen more Arabians driving than QHs or TBs. (though that might be biased by the fact that one person with a driving Arab gets really excited when they see another and we get to talking about our Arabs and their wonderful versatility, lol)
FYI, this is current geld-a-ma-ding (though not a current picture).
FWIW, Arabians EXCEL at driving, every show I ever went to had tons of driving classes for Arabians, they're lovely and very talented at it.
I cannot say enough good things about the dam's side of this filly's pedigree, I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! Benraz, Ferneyn, Aulrab, Lewisfield Magic, wow! What a treasure. Very athletic bloodlines, great minds and disposition. I would buy her on those bloodlines alone, as long as she was sound and had a good disposition.
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