The Arabian horse is one of the easiest horses to recognize by breed, with their arched necks, high held tails and small, beautifully sculptured heads. They are one of the most magnificent class of horses.
History
The Arabian horse's history is very intriguing. They are one of the oldest horse breeds in the world, having been developed several thousand years ago. They were bred and raised in the deserts of Saudi Arabia where war, plus the selling and trading of the horses, caused them to be dispersed throughout the world. This dispersion permitted them to help improve other horse breeds by adding stronger bones and more speed, endurance and refinement.
Because of these excellent qualities, the Arabians were greatly prized by the Bedouin tribes of Arabia, who appreciated and loved their horses so much that they were more than willing to give them added protection and shelter. The Bedouins would bring them into their own tents, treating them as part of the family, in order to protect them from thieves. This action formed a horse that was extremely well-natured, learned quickly and loved to please.
Since the Arabian horse was often used in war and to raid other Bedouin tribes, it was necessary that they be alert, attentive and willing, but most importantly was the need for them to be quiet. Because of the latter reason the Bedouins preferred mares to stallions, because they were less likely to whinny when another horse was near, giving their position away.
The Bedouins considered the Arabian horse to be a gift from God. They were, also, the very livelihood of their tribe, and without them they were nothing.
Intelligence
The Arabian is one of the most intelligent of all horse breeds. Because of their intelligence and sensitivity, they will not tolerate abuse. For this reason they must be trained with utmost competence. They are so smart, they can easily learn bad habits, and therefore, must be treated with care.
Characteristics
The average Arabian horse measures between 14.2 and 15 hands tall at the withers, and they proudly possess long, arched necks, small, beautifully formed faces, large, flared nostrils and small muzzles. Their eyes are large and dark. They have long, level hindquarters with naturally high held tails. Their ears are well-shaped and small, with the mare's ears usually being larger than the stallion's.
They are extremely friendly and have an endurance that would put most horses to shame. Some people even falsely believe that because they are smaller in height that they aren't very strong, but that is quite the misconception because they have short, wide backs, short cannons, good sound feet and excellent bone intensity. All of this makes them stronger than most of the taller horses.
Coloring
In order for the Arabian to be registered in the Arabian Horse Association, they must be either a roan, chestnut, black, gray or bay color. This is because they do not carry dilution genes, meaning that they cannot be perlino, dun, buckskin, appaloosa, cremello or palomino in color. If a person desires a different color, then their only option is to cross breed with another breed.
Most people have no idea that black Arabians are very rare, and in being so, are greatly treasured by the Bedouin tribesmen. Another thing that many do not know is that all Arabians have black skin, which protects them from the hot desert sun.
Use
The Arabian horse is a very athletic horse which can perform well in almost any event. During the show season they are shown in dressage, western pleasure, hunt seat, show jumping and reining, as well as many other events. Besides being used in competition, they are excellent pleasure or ranch horses.
They are widely used in circuses, fairs, parades and movies, such as "The Black Stallion" and "Hidalgo". They are, also, popular in search and rescue teams and at times in police work. Because of their extreme sensitivity, they are excellent therapy horses for children with special needs.
All in all the Arabian horse is a great asset to any family, regardless of the discipline they enjoy participating in. Their friendliness, intelligence and sensitivity make them a valuable and treasured member of any family.
Sources:
http://www.arabianhorses.org/education.asp
http://www.equineworld.co.uk/about_horses/arab_horse .htm
http://www.scottsdaleshow.com/arabian-breed-informat ion/index.html