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Few breeds throughout history have inspired photographers to take up their cameras and artists to take up their brushes as the Arabian horse. Their grace and elegant beauty is so readily translated to canvas and photograph, and has captured audiences of both for centuries.

The origins of the Arabian horse remain cloaked in mystery. Some claim they find their roots in northern Syria, others defy that claim and assert that they originated in the southwestern lands of Arabia. Despite the mystery of its origins, it has been recognized as an original breed since the 15th century. It became a part of artistic history in the 16th century, its beauty adorning monuments, seal rings, and stone pillars.

The Arabian horse has long been credited with the founding of and contribution to many of our light breeds, including the Thoroughbred. Over 90% of Thoroughbreds today can be traced back to 3 Arabian stallions, The Darley Arabian, the Byerly Turk, and the Goldolphin Arabian. In the 1800's the Arabian began its outward trek from the deserts to other countries, including Poland, Europe, Australia, Russia, and North and South American. One of the most influential breeders of the Victorian Era was Lady Ann Blount and Wilfred Blount who established the famous Crabbet Stud in England, a bloodline which many Arabians today can be traced back to.

Arabians took their foothold in America in the 1700's. Robert Harrison of Virginia imported the first Arabian stallion. This stallion produced numerous offspring bred to grade mares. Others to follow, and of more notability as breeders, were A. Richard Keene, who imported several stallions and two mares, though his breeding program fell victim to the Civil War and nothing survived. In the late 1800's, Ulysses S. Grant was gifted two stallions from the Turkey of Sultan., Leopard and Lindentree. Leopard was given to Randolph Huntington, who imported more Arabians from England and is today considered the pioneer of a purebred Arabian breeding program. Probably the foremost breeder dating to the late 1800's is Homer Davenport. Davenport, in alliance with Theodore Roosevelt imported 27 Arabians which then became the foundation for the "Davenport Arabians". Another significant breeder came onto the scene in the early 1900's, W. K. Kellog, founder of the Kellog Ranch, imported 17 select horses of Crabbet breeding. Others who form the background of Arabian breeding in America include Richard Selby and Henry Babson.

The modern Arabian breeder today

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