A little history and some legends........
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Historically, all pure blood lines of modern Arab horses (ethnic Russian, Spanish, Polish,Egyptian, etc..) are the result of Bedouin breeding. Over the years, different tribes have chosen characteristics which have been useful to themselves: outline,endurance,character, beauty.... Bedouins worked primarily on maternal characteristics (the only ones of which they could be sure as natural couplings were neither controlled nor planned...). Each name described a particular type according to the shape of the head, the coat, the character or the outline... The evolution of pure blood arab horses and the scattering of breeding throughout the world has given rise to different strains based on regions or countries. Globalisation now allows us to cross each one of these modern strains and so return to the goal searched for by the original Bedouin tribes of Arabia.
The legend of the 5 famous families and their characteristics
AL DUHAYM (DAHMA,DEHMAN,DUHAYMAN) :
Legend has it that this was the origin of King Solomon's horses;"dahman" means black. These horses have been reared by the Al Khalifa family of Bahrein and this strain is still present on the island. Our Duhaym are their descendants.
These horses have an excellent outline and are very elegant, very classical. They combine the elegance of the Saqlawi with the strength of the Kuhaylan. The forelegs are close to the chest. The hind legs are short, the rump is long and horizontal.
ALSAQLAWIYAT (SAKLAWI,SEGLAWI) :
This is an elegant femenine strain, beautiful and refined. These horses are well-bodied, large and very elegant. They have a good bone bone structure, a good back. Neck and legs are long. The head is also long from the eye to the tip of the nostril and is narrower than that of other strains. The chamfer is concave. The nose is fine. The eyes are wide and set at the base of the skull. The neck is set high to the body, straight and always very elegant. The rump is short but less horizontal than with other strains. The tail is carried like a flag - high above the rear quarters. Skin and hair are silky and fine.
Endurance qualities are the same as with other strains. These horses are lighter than others, seem thinner and the hind quarters are less strong. They have a tendancy to under-perform. They are good, natural, show horses and excellent racers -courageous and dedicated, proud but loyal. They frighten easily.
These characteristocs are still found in some Egyptian strains = Cervina.
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AL HADB (HADBAN,HEDBAN) :
This line is recognised as a strain to be mixed. Hadban stallions are famous for reproducing an identical female to the mare that they have mated while perfecting the outline. Like the Saqlawiyat they are very elegant, but more powerful when moving. The shape and style of the head varies depending on it's parentage. We often note a wide chest, large dark shiny eyes set at the base of the skull. The nostrils are large and well formed. The ears are small and set close together. The neck is long but lean and dry ( the length is sometimes the same as the back) and carried high from its base. At rest, it is not particularly curved, but very bent and springy when moving. The shoulders are long and deep. The rear quarters are long and light when compared to the shoulders. The rump is short, the tail is carried high. Bone structure is fine and long with good joints. It's movement seems free and floating. This horse has a good range.
Some of the best Egyptian horses are from Hadban stallions.
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ALABEYYAT (OBEYYAN, ABEYAN, UBAYYAN):
The Abbeyah strain is an extreme example of the Saklawiyah line. It is currently understood that the two strains Saklawiyah and Abbeyah are particularly well suited for breeding. This strain is retained today in the royal stables of of the Ibn Saud family, the ruling family of Saudi Arabia, themselves descended from from the Wuld Ali tribe who originated Alabeyyat horses.
This strain is feminine the extreme, very elegant, very slender and sometimes a bit angular. The head is usually very long and straight - somewhat square in outline. The forehead is long, eyes are medium and set very low. The blockheads are not very prominent. The nose is square and the nostrils are very fine. The ears are medium to long and set well apart from each other. The neck is medium to long and held very straight. The body is slim and long. Neither fore nor hind quarters are well developed.Shoulders are very powerful. The strap passage is not very deep. The rump is short and slight. The line of the back is seldom flat but often long. The point of the hipbone is a bit noticeable. The tail is set very high and carried extremely straight. The forelegs are very long and delicate. The hind legs are long, delicate, and very straight. The pasterns are long. Movement is rapid and attractive.These horses are particularly agile. They are very expressive, demonstrative, and sure of themselves.
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ALKUHAYLAT (KOHEILAN,KAHEYLAN,KOHAYLAN)
A very powerful and masculine type of horse. (A total contrast to the Saqlawi). This is a balanced horse with a rounded outline and very good shape. The ears are small and close to each other. The eyes are dark, large,and very expressive. The neck is sometimes as long as his back and the throat is muscular.The chest is deep and just as wide at the top as at the bottom.. He looks very compact and the hind quarters are particularly well developed. The front legs are large and well muscled (the lower legs especially so) and are set close to the chest. These characteristics can be found in modern Polish animals. These horses are famous for their intelligence, endurance and strength. Please look at the photos of Vanela.
Key criteria, however, are frequently overlooked: namely the character, handling ability and friendliness of these horses. A throughbred Arab horse is not only beautiful but also able to live in harmony with mankind.
