Arabian Horses are used in horse racing, sports riding, dressage, showmanship, and western riding.
The Arabian horse is a versatile breed and it excels in numerous activities such as those mentioned previously. It’s no wonder that a lot of riders opt for this breed, it’s surely a horse that showcases excellent stamina, endurance, and intelligence.
So what other things are Arabian Horses used for? In what other disciplines do Arabian Horses excel at? Unravel the answers to these questions as you read along.
What are Arabian Horses Used for?
Arabian Horses are used for horse racing, sports riding, dressage, showmanship, and western riding. These are the common activities that Arabian Horses are used in.
In addition, this breed is also used for other events such as:
- Carriage Driving
- Breeding In-Hand
- Country English Pleasure
- Cutting
- Distance Riding
- English Pleasure
- English Show Hack
- Equitation
- Hunter Hack
- Hunter Pleasure
- Jumper
- Ladies Side Saddle
- Mounted Native Costume
- Park Horse
- Pleasure Driving
- Ranch Riding
- Reined Cow Horse
- Reining
- Sport Horse In Hand
- Sport Horse Under Saddle and Show Hack
- Trail
- Working Cow Horse
- Working Hunter
What are Arabian Horses Known for?
Arabian Horses are known for being one of the oldest breeds of horses, the foundation for most of the modern breeds seen today, intelligence, gentleness, trainability, stamina, endurance, courage, and beauty.
There are a lot of things Arabian Horses are known for and these qualities mentioned barely even scratched the surface! However, these qualities are what Arabian Horses are best known for.
Arabian Horses are the One of the Oldest Breed of Horses
The Arabian horse is such an ancient breed of horse to the point that it was actually domesticated by the people located in the east by 1500 BC. However, the exact date on which this breed had actually existed is still being debated by archeologists.
About 3500 years ago in a very distant past of the world, the Egyptians used these horses to their full extent.
They have ventured beyond Egypt and discovered places outside of their home, they have conquered battles by using the powerful strength that their horses wielded, and the horses also aided the Egyptians in linking empires with other civilizations.
This wouldn’t have been possible without the power and courage of the Arabian horse. Who would’ve known that a horse attached to a chariot had the ability to heavily influence change history?
Arabian Horses are the Foundation of Most Modern Horse Breeds Today
Arabian Horses are known to be one of the foundations of modern horse breeds today because breeders in the past wanted to transfer the qualities, attributes, and desirable traits that this breed had.
The breeders’ main reason as to why they did cross-breeding is also because they want to create a breed that surpasses the Arabian.
Here are some horse breeds that came from the cross-breeding of Arabian Horses:
- Thoroughbred
- American Quarter
- Orlov Trotter
- Morgan
- American Saddlebred
- Trakehner
- Welsh Pony
- Australian Stock Horse
- Percheron draft horse
- Appaloosa
- Colorado Ranger horse
Intelligence
Among all the horse breeds, Arabian Horses are viewed as the most intelligent. The way an Arabian horse’s mind functions differently in a way that it is much more developed. This is exactly why Arabian Horses have been the chosen companion for most riders in the past and up until this day.
Temperament
The Arabian horse is a gentle and calm breed. This makes them a suitable horse for beginners and children alike. However, these horses may have a shift in their temperament once they are abused or mistreated.
Trainability
Arabian Horses are easy to train all thanks to their intelligence. This breed is able to compete in a variety of activities due to their trainability and this is why a lot of riders prefer Arabian Horses over other breeds.
Stamina and Endurance
Arabian Horses have superb stamina and endurance. One way to prove this is the breed’s record in Endurance Racing competitions. The Arabian horse owns the #1 spot in this particular activity and these horses have always seemed to land in the #1 spot countless times.
Another reason why Arabian Horses have excellent stamina and endurance is because of their low heart rate. The lower the heart rate a horse has, the larger the capacity of its heart.
What this means is a horse doesn’t have to exert much effort in distributing blood all throughout their bodies. One interesting fact about this breed is it can travel for 100 miles per day.
Beauty
A lot of riders and horse enthusiasts alike admire the elegance and beauty that Arabian Horses hold. Arabian Horses just have this signature dished face and high tail carriage that makes them stand out. Now, this may look beautiful for some, to others it’s a case of extreme breeding.
Veterinarians find this particular practice very horrific as it causes several issues to the horse such as breathing problems. Arabian Horses weren’t supposed to resemble cartoon characters that much in the first place.
It just so happens that people wanted to have a horse that puts up with their standard of “beauty”, and it just shows how breeders have tampered with the horse’s genetics.
On a side note, a man named Wayne McIlwraith, a founding director of the Orthopedic Research Center has stated that the dished face of Arabian Horses doesn’t cause restricted airflow.
What are Arabian Horses Good at?
Arabian Horses are good at activities such as horse racing, sports riding, dressage, showmanship, showjumping, trail riding, and western riding. They’re also good at being companions to humans.
Horse Racing
Arabian Horses are extremely athletic and quick, couple it with their elegance and beauty, they make perfect racehorses.
Arabian Horses have been used in horse racing for a long time and the actual Arabian Racing event was organized way back in 1959. Arabian Horses today have improved on their skills when it comes to racing and this breed has successfully garnered both advantages and opportunities in the sport.
When it comes to the racing industry, Arabian Racing has become more and more popular. In addition, Arabian Horses are so good at the sport to the point that this breed has won over a whopping amount of $4 million.
Show Jumping
Although Arabian Horses aren’t usually perceived as great jumpers, they can still prove a lot of people wrong and actually show great potential in show jumping events.
To prove this, rider Kristin Hardin and Arabian horse Ability have consistently won 1.10m show jumping competitions for three years!
Dressage
Dressage is another activity in which the Arabian horse shines. An example of a great Arabian horse in this particular event is a stallion named Aleros. Aleros placed 3rd in an event called the Region 7 Freestyle Grand Prix Championship.
Another excellent Arabian horse named Zee the Man has debuted quite well in dressage competitions. He along with his rider won a Silver Medal in 2012, and take note, this was Zee’s first Prix St. George tests.
Trail Riding
Arabian Horses showcase their superb endurance and stamina when it comes to trail riding. Having great endurance enables them to travel long distances without getting tired easily.
Moreover, Arabian Horses have a desert background so this makes them withstand traveling long distances without having to drink water, and most breeds can’t do this.
Arabian Horses Make Great Companions
These horses have been around the presence of humans centuries ago and it made them form bonds with humans easily.
Plus, Arabian Horses have a gentle disposition and are affectionate and that makes them the best companions to have, be it with kids, beginners, or experts.
Are Arabian Horses the Best?
Arabian Horses are considered to be one of the best breeds out there, this is because the Arabian horse embodies great characteristics, attributes, and skills.
They’re extremely talented horses all thanks to their superior intelligence, great stamina and endurance that enables them to cover vast distances, and a compact body that is both dense and strong.
For those who are interested in owning their very own horse, an Arabian horse would be a great choice. The temperament of this breed is something that can be handled by beginners, especially if they are willing to really bond and understand their horse.
Beginners won’t encounter too many problems in terms of training an Arabian horse because they are intelligent and would eagerly please their riders, especially if the horse is being treated well. With that being said, Arabian Horses are definitely a great companion.
Arabian Horses are also a great choice for several kinds of competitions. The record of Arabian Horses that have competed in the past up until this day has proven that they excel in a lot of events.
Overall, Arabian Horses can’t be considered as the best breed among all the others, simply because each breed has its own strengths and weaknesses. Every breed owns its own set of potentials that make them great.
Resources:
https://www.arabianhorses.org/discover/arabian-horses/
http://imh.org/exhibits/online/breeds-of-the-world/asia/arabian/
