[sativum]

I'm a relatively new owner of a young Anglo-arab mare. I adore that girl - she is whip-smart, so full of personality, and perks her little arab ears up and walks towards me to meet mee when I greet her in the pasture. That said, she is full of opinions and can pick up bad habits as quick as the good ones. She keeps me on my toes!

I was reading on an older thread in this forum where a couple of Arab owners mentioned that you need to handle them differently from other horse breeds. I'm looking for more specific examples of how handling is different?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Dreamcatcher Arabians]

I'm a relatively new owner of a young Anglo-arab mare. I adore that girl - she is whip-smart, so full of personality, and perks her little arab ears up and walks towards me to meet mee when I greet her in the pasture. That said, she is full of opinions and can pick up bad habits as quick as the good ones. She keeps me on my toes!

I was reading on an older thread in this forum where a couple of Arab owners mentioned that you need to handle them differently from other horse breeds. I'm looking for more specific examples of how handling is different?

Thanks in advance!

They're horses and need to be treated as such, pretty much like any other breed. They are whip smart and will out think you just about every day. If you can't laugh at yourself or get upset when they make you feel like the village fool, then you probably don't want an Arab. My boy, Cloney, is called the Big Red Knucklehead for a reason. He outsmarts me daily, is a clown and loves to make me laugh. I rarely have to correct him, he's super easy to handle. That doesn't mean he's perfect, he's not, but most of his quirks are harmless and I just laugh at him and move on.

They will not tolerate being "cowboyed" or unfair treatment. They won't do anything rude or dangerous, but if you are not fair or inconsistent, they will get sullen and difficult. Cloney knows when he's being a jerk and if I need to correct him, he'll take in good grace. If I were to be mean or unfair, I'd have a really locked down horse on my hands.

Arabians are generally joyful, good natured, can be a bit hot but not out of control, they're sensitive and respond really well to a very light touch. They're very kind horses and will go out of their way to not hurt you. They LOVE attention and grooming and scritches. Cloney likes to play pranks. He'll steal my baseball hat and then try to put it back on my head. He'll play hard to catch out on pasture. All it takes to catch him is to take out some treats and try to feed them to someone else. He'll come right up, run off the other horse and demand his due. I'll throw a rope around his neck and if he's thinking of trying to pull away I say, "Ah ah, I caught you fair and square, let's go." and that's it. I can lead him with the rope around his neck or I can halter him, totally easy, no argument.

They want to please. If you're kind to them and teach them what you want, they will try to give you the sun and stars. Some days, it may just be the moon, but they'll try. They will always try to give you what you want. It may take a little time to teach them what you want, but once they know, they will give it to you. You're right about them learning to be naughty very quickly. They learn to be really good just as quickly. Just don't take short cuts or let them get away with something you don't like because once they do it and don't get told, "No", then they think they can do it all the time. They will test you, a LOT. I've had Cloney for 15 years and he still checks to see who's boss. It's me, he just needs to be reminded of it fairly regularly. It's never anything really bad or dangerous, he just sort of tests the waters. Mares can be a little more opinionated than geldings or stallions, it's just them being them.

Can you tell I love Arabians?

 

[charrorider]

In the 40 years I've been riding horses, I've owned two mustangs, the rest have been Arabians. So I have a lot of experience with Arabians, but little with other breeds. I can't afford the thousands of dollars a lot of Arabians bring. Which means all the Arabians I've had have come from rescue shelters, or the owner was desperate to be done with them. Some of these have had behavioral issues. One, I know for sure, the owner had zero patient with him. Another one I suspect was the same because the owner was big on "respect." A third one was simply spoiled rotten. I still have all three of them and ride them a few hundred miles each year. One thing these horses have taught me: when things go wrong, don't get mad, slow down. They are treated like pets, but they have a job to do. Similar to a service dog. That's the way I see it. Like Dreamcatcher's Cloney, Chance (the one who was spoiled rotten) has to be occasionally reminded that he is, without a doubt, the all-star player in our team, but I am the captain. Something else I've learned is that hitting the trail solo creates a solid bond between horse and rider that nothing else can equal. Good luck.

 

[ChieTheRider]

They are smart and they know it. They won't tolerate impatience or rudeness or anger issues. They're sensitive in that they know what you're thinking before you realize you've told them.

My half Arabian is the greatest horse in earth (for me). Just treat them fair and be willing to ask, not tell, and come to agreements rather than demand.

 

[Magnum 59]

They don't tolerate unfair treatment. But treat them right and you have a friend for life.

 

[Zimalia22]

Treat them like a horse. Don't baby them at every step, or that's what you'll have. My neighbor raised arabs. Every now and then, they would bring one down for us to work on that had been babied. Arabians are like any other horse. Treat them like a horse, be fair, but don't spoil them. They, like any other horse, pick up on that pretty fast.
I literally hate that term "cowboyed". That is a wanna be, not a cowboy. If you're going to treat any horse like a jerk, you'll ruin the horse, not just arabians. But if you treat them like a cowboy would, be fair with them, treat them like they have a mind, you'll do just fine, just like any other horse.

 

[walkinthewalk]

I have had the pleasure of owning two Arab/Morgan’s, one Arab/Saddlebred who was born on my parents farm, and one registered Arab who I got out of a really bad situation.

Yes, they sure are whip smart and they will not tolerate abuse, impatient people, or stupid people who don’t have the common sense a goose was born with

Sometimes they have to think a good idea was theirs, not yours.

They own a portion of the horse part of my soul, but I haven’t been able to ride a trotting horse for many years, so Walking Horses have worked their way into the other piece🥰

 

[horselovinguy]

Never owned but handled in the work I did in the barn of boarders horses...
All horses were treated the same.
With fairness, asking first then upping the expected response to be given when known the horse knew what was expected or we taught ground manners appropriate.
I did not find them smarter, or dumber than any other...just like any horse some caught on faster than others, some wanted to please more than another...
But, my expectations, handling of the animal from the professional standpoint versus a one-horse owner is different too.
Owners coddle and put their emotions and mindset to many things a horse does...humanizing them.
I just engage the animals differently, and it works for me, for them and we are quickly in-tune with each other.
I ask, I expect and I give and in return am a recipient of much the same. I am the leader, unspoken but understood!
When I rode them, they rode no different than any other was my experience.. but, I'm not unreasonable, am consistent and ride not to terrorize but to ride in harmony as most of us do...we "talk" quietly with each other not to another.
🐴... jmo...

 

[Zimalia22]

I whole heartedly agree with Horselovinguy when he says :.I did not find them smarter, or dumber than any other...just like any horse some caught on faster than others, some wanted to please more than another...

As I have said many times, my neighbor raised Arabians. I had the pleasure (and misfortune at times) to handle many of them. Some were smarter, others not so much.
They are like any other horse. You will find ones that are very intelligent, others that are not the "brightest star in the heavens".
Some had a lot of heart, others had a heart the size of a pea. I'm talking about the amount of "try" in one. Some would try all day long, others, well, you know what I mean.

I really loved his main stallion, he was either a son of, or grandson of (I just don't remember) El Hilal. Fabulous horse! He put a good horse on the ground too. He was good minded as well. And he could pass that mind on. Unlike some of the halter horses you find that while they are beautiful, have the mind of an alligator.

There are good and bad in any breed. There are very intelligent and the not so much in any breed.

 

[Dreamcatcher Arabians]

I used the term "Cowboy" in quotations because a real cowboy would never treat his horse the way I've seen some people treat theirs. It's just how people who don't know better refer to it. It seems that Arabians are on the receiving end of either coddling & spoiling or else absolute abuse from owners and trainers more often than other, less challenging breeds.

Even as aware as I am from showing across the country on the Arabian show circuit, I still ended up having to pull Cloney out of a bad training situation. I sent him to a really highly recommended trainer, well saddle broke and going well in the bridle. The trainer took him to his first under saddle show and the first time in the show ring he got a little excited and gave a bunny hop as he went into the canter. He was easily controlled and got shut down right away. As far as I was concerned it was the excitement of a young horse for the first time shown under saddle and it was over before it started. When I was younger, I rode many horses that blew up way harder than he ever thought of, when they were still green. The trainer rode him back to the training ring and proceeded to whip him HARD enough to leave stripes. That trainer never knew what hit him. I had him off that horse and had the horse in my trailer and headed home before he got up off the dirt.

He had always been an angel for the farrier. The first time my farrier came out to pull his show shoes and trim him, it was taking your life in your hands to try and handle those feet. He had never reacted that way to a farrier, EVER. It took us a full year and several times of sedation to convince him that everything was ok again. He's back to being his angel self but for a while there, he was downright dangerous for the farrier.

He's never been dangerous or even really naughty under saddle. He'll spook once in a while but it's what I call the 'elevator drop' spook. His front end drops, he snorts and inhales real deep, and then straightens up and goes along like, "Heh, I meant to do that! Moving along now.". He's never reared, bolted, run away, nothing that would earn anywhere near the beating he started to get in that practice arena.

I pulled him from the trainer and we finished showing that year and then I pulled him from the show scene. He's never been sent away from me again.

 

[Knave]

I ride quarter horses and mustangs, but I did work at an Arabian ranch for some time. Granted, the horses there were extremely high quality, but I found them to be horses just the same. I didn’t treat them any differently than any other horse.

Yes, you respond to different horses differently, taking their own talents and such into consideration, but that didn’t feel any different. One was spoiled and rude, and with him I treated him a bit sternly. I never could understand why she owned him.

The others were all nice horses. Some super smart, and some just kinda going with the flow. Everything there, besides the one jerk, had very high points to them. Many had won world championships, but interesting they mostly all held different titles. One was a cowhorse, another a reiner, a dressage horse (who I will say took to reining training like a dream), there were endurance horses and all sorts of competitors. It was a fun job riding the horses because they were all so different.

Yet, again, they were still horses. I was surprised because I had always heard such negativity about Arabians, and there was little negativity to be found in that group. I honestly didn’t think they were any different than the quarter horses I had grown up riding.

ETA- I guess I will admit they were different in the way that they all, besides that jerk Tally, seemed pretty willing to go along. I don’t ever remember fighting with any of them besides him. I attributed that to the very good training they had all prior. There were only a couple youngsters left by the time I got there, and they were easy and trainable, but I figure, like quarter horses or any other, that there was a lot to be attributed to the stud they came from.

 

[Dreamcatcher Arabians]

Another one I suspect was the same because the owner was big on "respect." ........ One thing these horses have taught me: when things go wrong, don't get mad, slow down. They are treated like pets, but they have a job to do. Similar to a service dog. That's the way I see it. Like Dreamcatcher's Cloney, Chance (the one who was spoiled rotten) has to be occasionally reminded that he is, without a doubt, the all-star player in our team, but I am the captain. Something else I've learned is that hitting the trail solo creates a solid bond between horse and rider that nothing else can equal. Good luck.

I am big on "respect" and I also believe you get what you give. If you beat the horse and try to rule through fear, demand "respect", you'll get nothing but attitude. If you respect and treat the horse fairly, you absolutely get what you give. I enjoy their company, regardless of breed, and love just watching and learning from them. I think my favorite spot in the world is sitting on a bale of hay in the aisle of the barn, late at night when it's storming outside, especially in winter. Listening to them munch hay contentedly, late on a cold night, and just enjoying the ambience and smell in the barn, can't be beat, IMO. Petting on them, when I'm getting ready to leave for the night, is one of the most peaceful things I've ever experienced. Not restricted to Arabians, I'm an equal opportunity petter.

 

[ACinATX]

Can you tell I love Arabians?

Just interrupting to say that this sounds exactly like my Pony! (except for being hot LOL). I feel super lucky to have him; his personality is one of the best things about him.

To the extent that he really is like an Arabian in personality, I will note that you really have to find a balance with him -- you can't come down super hard on him, or treat him unfairly, or he will revolt. But you can't let him walk all over you either, because he will if you let him. You have to get him on your side, but once you do he will do anything for you.

 

[Dreamcatcher Arabians]

To the extent that he really is like an Arabian in personality, I will note that you really have to find a balance with him -- you can't come down super hard on him, or treat him unfairly, or he will revolt. But you can't let him walk all over you either, because he will if you let him. You have to get him on your side, but once you do he will do anything for you.

I've found that to be true of most horses, regardless of breed. Balance is a much better way to approach handling a horse. I can only imagine the WWIII I'd have if I tried to muscle Skippy, Cloney, Patti, and Snowy. Nobody is gonna get away with pushing Boo around, only a fool would try. Goldie is so laid back, I just can't even imagine someone even thinking they'd need to push her around. Everybody but Patti & Cloney are stock horses, not Arabs. They all respond to a light hand and praise vs a whip. I'm not averse to using a whip when it's needed but I just don't need one very often. Cloney, after the thing with the trainer, is not a horse I will raise a whip to, period. I don't need it. Neither did that trainer.

 

[gottatrot]

Most of the Arabs I've worked with have been more sensitive than some other horses. So I have treated them differently, because perhaps I might need to raise my voice more or use bigger body language with a less sensitive horse. This is a trait I appreciate, because they have the ability to get much lighter than some other horses.

For example, it can take a lot of work to have a less sensitive horse dancing lightly around you as you maneuver through a gate, staying out of your way and entering with barely a gesture. This is intuitive for many Arabs. My TB thinks about things and responds slowly. He has had many lessons on leading and tons of practice, yet he is sluggish on the line at times. My Arab was unhandled and began leading lightly and following body language after only a few days of experience.

It doesn't mean she is smarter, it means she watches the person, pays attention to what they are doing, and responds by mirroring that naturally. It takes a lot of work to get many horses to do those things, because it comes less naturally.

I also tend to barely ever punish Arabs beyond raising my voice. If you get too harsh with them, you're more likely to scare them than to get them to think about what the reprimand is about. My TB needs a lot more incentive to even reach through to him and have him understand he did something undesirable.
More important than thinking about a horse by breed, is to view the horse as an individual. Your approaches should be tailored to each horse's responses and personality.

 

[BethR]

I’ve never owned an Arabian. But I’ve spent much time with them, due to that fact that my old friend wouldn’t have anything else.
Arabians consider themselves “people”. Remember that the Bedouins used to share their tents with them. They expect to be treated accordingly.
They’re also more sensitive than average horses. When my young daughter was on the feistier of my friend’s Arabs, he immediately calmed down; he KNEW there was a child on his back.
They’re also sillier than most horses. Pasha used to love to walk along dragging his nose through the snow. Sly would knock over his grain bucket and then kick it back upright. These horses have a great sense of humor.
I adored my late Morgan mare, but really, I don’t know that any horse can compare to the Arab. My grandfather had a prized Arab mare, The Bride, back in Palestine. People kept stealing her!—but she would always return to my grandfather. This story is in my family tree and clearly exhibits the love and loyalty shown by these horses.

 

[charrorider]

"Sensitive" is right.

 

[charrorider]

I am big on "respect" and I also believe you get what you give. If you beat the horse and try to rule through fear, demand "respect", you'll get nothing but attitude. If you respect and treat the horse fairly, you absolutely get what you give. I enjoy their company, regardless of breed, and love just watching and learning from them. I think my favorite spot in the world is sitting on a bale of hay in the aisle of the barn, late at night when it's storming outside, especially in winter. Listening to them munch hay contentedly, late on a cold night, and just enjoying the ambience and smell in the barn, can't be beat, IMO. Petting on them, when I'm getting ready to leave for the night, is one of the most peaceful things I've ever experienced. Not restricted to Arabians, I'm an equal opportunity petter.

The particular horse I'm speaking about must've been drugged when I tried him out in an enclosed arena because as soon as I brought him home and let him off the trailer he wasn't the same guy. He was crazy. Plain and simple. My wife begged me to get rid of him. She thought he was going to kill me. It took me four months of retraining him my way before I thought I had a 50/50 chance of taking him out on the trail and coming back in one piece. I'm not too big on respect because there is a basic flaw with that training philosophy: we are interpreting an animal's behavior by putting it through a human prism. For example a horse that walks to close to its handler lacks respect. A horse that doesn't face the trainer is lacking respect. In the end we have to do what works for each one of us. I'm speaking from the perspective of a rider who is one day away from turning 72 and still ride my Arabians out on the trails, mostly solo.

 

[sativum]

I love the responses! Thank you all for your perspectives.

Re: Arabians and sense of humor - I swear this is true! Maybe I am anthropomorphizing - but my girl definitely makes me laugh. She is quite a character!

 

[ACinATX]

@BethR I love that story!