by Emme Setter

Created on: November 07, 2009   Last Updated: November 08, 2009

The Morab horse is product of breeding an Arabian horse to a Morgan, or vice versa. There is ongoing debate in the horse world as to whether or not the Morab is a true breed or a cross breed, much like the Appendix horse. Originally this type of horse was breed to be a multi functional mount for rising rural families, the hope was to create an aesthetically pleasing carriage horse that was substantial enough to do farm work. Though the cross has been around since the late 1880's, a breed registry didn't come into existence until 1973. The Morab breed has evolved since the nineteenth century, much like the breeds used to create it have evolved and to understand the Morab you must have a moderate understanding of the Arabian and Morgan breeds.

Morab, as a breed are a cross of two long established breeds but despite it's short history it is one of the most consistent breeds today. The Arabian horse has one less back bone than other horse breeds and this trait, along with the longer croup of the Morgan Horse creates a compact and sturdy but elegant mount with a smooth gait to rival many of the true gaited breeds. This compact back gives the Morab an advantage in both trail and endurance sports. The Morab also inherited the strong hindquarters of the Morgan horse allowing it to have the powerful impulsion required of both jumping and dressage.

It's understandable that today the Morab has a questionable reputation as a family horse, many breeds are misunderstood outside their fan circle and drawing from both the Morgan and Arabian, two sets of stereotypes apply. The Morgan horse is known for it's intelligent and willing disposition and has little by way of bad vices, the Arabian however must constantly live down it's reputation as a spooky, hot blooded horse and it's this stereotype that inadvertently follows the Morab. In actuality, the Morab, as a breed is a highly predictable and loving animal, drawing from the Arabian it's curious and affectionate nature not to mention what can only be described as a keen sense of humor. The Morab's easy going personality makes it an ideal hobby horse, meaning it is likely the excel at any number of events from working a cow (as many Morgans are bred to do) to riding in competitive trail or endurance classes (as many Arabs are bred to excel in) or simply being a safe and loving family horse.

With many cross bred horses it's hard to determine what you will get from the offspring, sometimes two amazing parents can produce a mismatched foal despite the better intentions of the breeder. The Morab is lucky in it's predictability, breeders are often able to say with complete accuracy what the expected foal from looks to personality. This predictability, both in breeding and temperament make the Morab the perfect mount for both the novice and expert rider.

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