The Arabian Horse - Intelligence and Elegance
The world of horses is fascinating, as there are so many different horse breeds. Learning more about some of them helps us discover more about this amazing animal. Would you like to learn about the Arabian horse?
This is one of the most common horses in Spain. However, this doesn’t make it any less interesting. In fact, its skills and beauty are sought out by those who love horses and everything related to horse riding.
History and characteristics of the Arabian horse
History and origin
Apparently, this is one of the oldest horse breeds. Scientists discovered archaeological findings that date back 4500 years. Although the characteristics of the findings aren’t exactly the same, the similarities have suggested that they belong to this breed.
Source: Ealdgyth
This type of horse originated in the deserts of the East. It subsequently expanded due to trade and war. Soon, many people started to appreciate its characteristics, such as its speed, elegance, and bone strength. As the Arabian horse started to spread, many people started to use it to improve other horse breeds. Therefore, all modern horse breeds have this breed’s characteristics.
In the beginning, nomads of the area looked after these horses very well. These nomads even let them in their tents to protect and care for them. This made the Arabian horse build a special connection to humans right from the start, which improved its willingness to obey, learn, and please humans.
However, this horse was also used in wars due to its strength and other abilities, such as alertness, which made it perfect for this task. Over the years, this made Arabian horse owners learn to treat them with respect.
Characteristics of the Arabian Horse
Head
This horse has a wedge-shaped elegant head, with a large forehead, similar to its eyes. It has very broad and open nostrils, while its muzzle is small.
Body
It has a short back that ends with a long, thick, high-carried tail. The Arabian horse has heavy and strong bones, which makes it have powerful and burly extremities.
Size
According to the United States Equestrian Federation, the breed measures between 57 to 61 inches (143.3 and 153.4 centimeters). However, the federation has accepted other specimens that are a little shorter or taller as thoroughbreds.
In Europe and America, this size didn’t seem to be enough. Thus, there was a time when they crossed the Arabian horses to breed horses that measured between 60 and 64 inches (152.4 and 162.6 centimeters).
Source: José Reynaldo da Fonseca
The temperament of the Arabian horse
The Arabian horse has had a close relationship with humans from the beginning of history, which is why this breed is very docile and easy to train. So much so that, for example, in the United States, this breed is used for sports competitions for young adults 18 and younger.
The intelligence of this animal, along with its sensitivity and how well it gets along with humans, have made it into a horse that learns quickly and which is easy to communicate with.
However, due to these same qualities, this horse must be treated with respect because it learns bad habits as quickly as it learns good ones. Therefore, if it sees abusive gestures or inexperienced riders treat it rudely, it could rebel.
After learning more about the Arabian horse, you’ve probably realized that each horse breed is unique and that the beauty of animals will never cease to amaze humans. What did you think of this majestic animal?
Image sources: Jimmy Baikovicius, Ealdgyth, and José Reynaldo da Fonseca