Of course, like anything in the world, the reputation of Arabians varies depending on who you ask, and the likability rate goes from “they’re crazy” to “the best horses in the world”.  

We will show you why they have both of those extremes of opinions surrounding them!  

“Crazy” translates to:

Spirited, Sensitive, Smart (some say dumb), Athletic, Agile.  

Therefore, the judgement of them varies so greatly, because what makes them “crazy” to one person makes them the smartest, most enjoyable horse to others! 

Full of Spirit:

Spirited is welcome by many.  The spirit is what we connect to, and it is what makes the bond with these animals so special.  The most special thing about their spirit is they WANT to connect with humans.  Arabians will practically BEG to work, by following you around the pasture while you’re carrying a halter, by waiting in their stalls, nickering, staring at you, and sometimes pawing, etc, to make sure you don’t ignore them.  Then if the work is boring, they might try to spruce it up themselves, offering things to you that you might not have asked for (Should we put in a flying lead change right here?)  

Work Ethic:

Arabians are born to work.  Their heritage saw them travelling long distances with their masters, being ridden in raids and wars, and serving the family pulling wagons, packing supplies, etc.  Arabians are best known for their endurance and are the most-ridden breed for Distance and Endurance Competitions.  They can literally “go all day”.   While, yes, there are the “lazy” Arabians too, and while there are many “jump on and go” horses, horse owners find their Arabian needs a lot of exercise and attention to stay happy and calm.  This is very welcome by horse show enthusiasts, lesson programs, endurance riders, trail riders, and people who love to spend hours with their horse.  

Athletic:

Dressage, Reining and other disciplines that are heavily dominated by one breed (Warmbloods and Quarter Horses respectively), might say about the Arabian that they do not have the athletic abilities to be genuinely good at these disciplines.  What I say to you here is, let’s not blanket statement the whole breed.  It is the conformation and trainability of a horse in ANY breed that determines whether they are good at it or not.  It is true, however, that an Arabian’s hip/croup/hind end conformation might make it harder for them to “break down” in the hind end for sliding stops and for higher level dressage moves like passage, piaffe and pirouette.  HOWEVER, many have the right type of confirmation and Arabians have been seen in practically every discipline there is!  There are beautiful and heart-warming stories of Arabians representing at prestige dressage or jumping competitions, etc, and placing very well over other, larger breeds.  

Brains:

Nothing irks us more than people saying Arabians are dumb or stupid.  They are anything, but.  The problem is they are TOO smart.  Too smart can make for over-active brains.  They HATE being in trouble, and want to please you, yet also need firm and safe boundaries so they are incredibly clear on what the expectations are.  They are so smart, they pick up on your energy and intentions, feeling thoughts that even you might not be aware you are having.  This can work in your favor when you know how to connect with them, and many people who love Arabians know how to connect with this specialty of theirs intuitively! 

That “too smart-ness” can wield some INCREDIBLE results in your relationship with an Arabian.  

Agile and Quick:

Yep, this is where the great delineation comes in in breed preference.  Arabians are known for “light” bones.  They are on the “smaller” side of the scale when it comes to horse sizes.  The light bones of Arabians are valued in many breeds.  Really successful Warmblood breeders breed back to an Arabian every 4^th generation or so, to keep their Warmbloods from getting too big and heavy.  The warmbloods need to keep a lightness to their bones and density to stay more easily trainable and ‘lighter’ for the dressage and jumping physical requirements.  Arabians coming to America was a welcomed thing for race-horse breeders.  The Arabian blood added a lightness and swiftness to Thoroughbreds and much of their speed is owed to the blood of the Arabian.  

Arabian horse enthusiasts love the smaller and more swift abilities of the Arabian horse.  They are arguably easier to ride because of their smaller size and abilities to move! 

Spookiness:

Let us be real, ALL horses can be “spooky”.  They are a horse!  Prey animal, herd animal!  They want to be together in groups for safety, and they are a fight or flight animal, ever on alert for predators.  I have met very spooky horses of ALL breeds, so if you ever hear someone say Arabians are spooky, you go ahead and fire right back, ‘all horses are spooky’.  Training, trust, desensitizing, and exposure is what makes horses of any breed less startled and calmer and more confident! 

Love People:

Again, all breeds can be very people oriented.  I (Leslie Cook) continue to use Arabians year after year for my lesson program and clinics because their interest in people is enormous.  They will even choose hanging out with a person over another horse-friend often.  Many of my Arabians are fascinated by babies and small children.  Arabians are interested in connecting with you on an emotional level.  Of course, treats always help the bond!  We see Arabians walk slower, be gentler and in general take pristine care of the rider.  They are just love-bugs!  

Conclusion: 

Arabians are one of the oldest breeds, and they will continue to be around for an exceedingly long time!  The “purebred” horse is well-preserved, and crosses with other breeds are widely used from ponies to draft breeds and everywhere in between!  Arabian blood is valuable and sought after.  Their beauty is unique, easily recognizable and captivating.

Their minds and brilliance are bound to give you a partnership that is magical and mood-uplifting! They will try their hearts out for you, and they love to show off how pretty they are. We choose Arabians for their versatility across many disciplines, their willingness to work, their light bones and easy-to-handle size, their smart minds and their love of people!

Why do you choose Arabians?  We would love to hear from you!

Arabian mares have always been a source of deep fascination for me.  They are unlike any other creature in the world.  Even among their own species and breed, they are vastly different than the other gender!

Many people are NOT “mare people”, and that is okay!  Many people absolutely love mares, and that is the category I fall in.  

Usually what differentiates mare people and non-mare people is the amount of appreciation one has for the outward display of moods that mares show!  As in, people who are not as fond of mares might not appreciate ears pinned, opinions on everything, heat cycles, etc.  People who are endeared to mares love that they do not have to guess their mare’s mood, and they like the outward and intelligent ‘communication’ that mares offer to us by not hiding their opinions, and value their ability to create life in their wombs. 

To win the loyalty of a mare is like being given a pin that names you, “Hand of the Queen”.  You become her hand, and she becomes yours in what is a truly magical partnership. 

I believe Arabian Mares are a rare and incredible creature because of how the Bedouin people raised, treated, and utilized them.  

It was the mares, and not the stallions that were ridden into their wars.  The mares were bolder and braver.  They were also quieter.  You did not want to be riding a stallion that was nickering and squealing at other horses when you are trying to sneak up on your enemy’s camp! 

Mares were prized above all else.  The best mare of the herd was brought into the tents of their masters, to sleep and rest.   

Mares did not have a price to the Bedouin people, and they could not be bought or sold.  They could only be won in races, which I am sure was an emotionally charged event.  The winner of the race got to pick any herd he wanted from the competitors he just beat.  

This blurb was taken from the website of trowbridgesltd.com, they did not cite who authored it:  

“The Arabian horse was primarily an instrument of war, as were horses in general in most societies of the time. A well mounted Bedouin could attack an enemy tribe and capture their herds of sheep, camels and goats, adding to the wealth of their own tribe. Such a raid was only successful if the aggressors could attack with surprise and speed and make good their escape. Mares were the best mounts for raiding parties, as they would not nicker to the enemy tribe’s horses, warning of their approach. The best war mares exhibited great courage in battle, taking the charges and the spear thrusts without giving ground. Speed and endurance were essential as well, for the raids were often carried out far from the home camp, family and children.”

It is my belief that even our modern Arabian mares, would still be chosen for the most important of tasks, and would be invited to sleep inside.  

Yes, they might be opinionated, and they might make you truly work for their respect and trust, but their loyalty is also very outwardly obvious.  They will try their hearts out for you when you create that bond.  They will push past little pains.  They will often try so hard to please you, that they try to anticipate what you might want and offer it to you before you have asked.  

What are your great experiences with Arabian mares? (Half Arabians too!)  What are your favorite traits?