What Does Beauty, Courage, And the Wind Look Like?
- CG Judd
- Aug 18
- 3 min read
Arabian horses are beautiful and majestic creatures. They are the oldest purebred horses in the world, dating back 3,000 to 5,000 years.
The Arabian horse originated in the Arabian Peninsula. They were first discovered and bred by the Arabic-speaking nomadic Arab tribes, known as the Bedouins who lived in the Middle Eastern deserts, especially of North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Egypt, Israel, Syria, and Jordan.
Bedouin tribes used the horses as companions and considered them to be members of the family. They even shared the same tents.
The women would take care of the baby horses. The colts and foals were fed camel’s milk and dates.
However, their main function in the tribe was as a war horse. According to Wikipedia, “The Arabian horse became the ideal instrument of war: swift, responsive, agile and enduring, with courage, loyalty and the ability to withstand privation.”
The tribesmen used the horses to steal the livestock of their enemies and add to the wealth of their own tribe. The Bedouins sent the mares into battle rather than the stallions. The mares were used because they would approach silently, not warning the enemy’s horses of their approach.
The Bedouins saw the Arabian horse as a gift from God. They treated the horses with honor and respect. An Arabian mare is the most treasured gift in the Arab culture. The Arabian horse has many functions in the modern day. They are used as ambassadors and given as gifts from one country to another.
Arabian horses have many adaptations for desert life. They have large nostrils to take more oxygen into their tremendous lungs. Their long mane and tails go up when they run to allow heat to escape faster, keeping them cooler in the Arabian heat. They have strong hooves that help them withstand the sand and rocks of the desert.
Arabian horses have spread out to other parts of the world over time. Wealthy Count Rzewuski brought Arabian horses to Poland in the 1800s. Other wealthy horse lovers brought Arabian horses to Russia. Russia and Poland developed breeding programs to increase the population. Peter the Great rode Arabian horses.
Wealthy American entrepreneurs brought Arabian horses from the Middle East, Russia, and Poland to the United States to be used as family horses. A breeding program was then begun in America.
There are currently one million Arabian horses in the United States. It is historically known that George Washington owned and rode Arabian horses.
Arabian horses live 30 to 40 years. A Polish Arabian horse named Magic lived to 49 years of age!
Arabian horses have a sweet, kind nature and are great with children. They are extremely intelligent, want to please their owners, and develop strong bonds with them.
Arabian horses are used for shows and competition as well as movies. The Black Beauty movies all featured a black Arabian horse.
Genetically, Arabian horses come in four basic colors: black, gray, chestnut, and bay. The Arabian Horse Association recognizes the additional roan color.
Within each color, there is a wide variety of expression. Some can look blond, gold, or white. All Arabians have thin black skin underneath, except where they have white markings. This black skin color protects them from the hot sun.
Beauty, grace, and free spirit are exemplified in physical form through Arabian horses. Because of this, they need to be treated with love and respect for who they are and what they embody.
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