The Shed

"When the world is ready to fall on your little shoulders, and when you're feeling LONELY and SMALL.."-JD Souther, from his song, You're Only Lonely

Sometimes, I wonder if there is a three-sided shelter, for which I can run into and find refuge from all that is really "bugging" me. Storms can rage outside, lightning can shatter the sky in half, drenching rain can fall as hard as it may want, and yet, inside my shelter, all is safe, warm and dry, including me.

"On life's journey Faith is nourishment,
Virtuous deeds are a shelter,
Wisdom is the light by day..."-Buddha

I think I am not so unique, in my desire to be happy and avoid suffering. You probably want the same things too, right? I expend a lot of effort and time trying to improve my conditions and create a peaceful life. And yet, while I try to create peace, my mind, is not at peace. So, why should I be surprised if my life reflects the chaos which is present in my mind?

Imagine if we approach our lives, in the same way that natural horsemen approach problem horses? We would just put our mind in the round pen, hoping to run out anger in all of its forms, keep it moving until we see our minds drop its head, lick and chew, while looking at us with both eyes, letting us know that “yes, I will no longer be bitter, resentful, jealous, greedy, depressed...”

I learn alot by watching my horses and one fact that is obviously clear is that horses, unlike people, live in the present moment. There are no mistakes from the past to dwell upon and no future to worry about. Its this moment, wait, stop, this moment…no, really, this moment. Horses are incredibly successful in making the most, out of every fraction of every second which tick-tock towards NOW.

Have you reached a point where you know you really need to do “something” but for the life of you, you can't figure out what that “something” is? Sometimes, I am overwhelmed and although I recognize what needs to be done to remedy the situation, I remain paralyzed, unable to prioritize what really needs to happen next. I look at my life, as if I am standing on a highway that is littered with the bloody carcasses of mistakes, bad decisions, poor problem-solving skills, painful hurts and stuff that really makes me mad.

WARNING: THE SURGEON GENERAL HAS ADVISED THAT MID-LIFE ROADKILL IS HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH

When my daughter was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, I realized at the time, how very little we know about the human brain. The brain is like a new world, in the time of Columbus, a rich and vast land, beautiful and exciting, waiting to be discovered. And like our understanding of the brain, so, it is with the human mind. People may think of the brain as "the mind" but the brain is an object, a very real thing with mass, a part of our physical body, able to be seen through an X-ray or through surgery. The mind however, remains intangible, invisible to our eyes, even with an x-ray. I am awed by the power that our mind has and the influence that our thinking mind has over shaping our lives. That’s when I remember horses and their ability to “live in the present moment”. My horse, Rose, does not remain mad with her stablemate, Lady Rocker, because she bit her on the rump yesterday. That moment is over and they have moved on. Watching Rose, I learned how she treasures this moment, she savors it, she lives it, she makes it the very best moment, before another moment comes and wipes out the memory of this moment. So, while horses seek shelter from the annoyances that life may bring them, eventually, horses leave their shelter to enjoy the richness that the great, big wonderful world also offers. And in between the time spent in the shelter and the time spent outside grazing, horses never change and remain steadfast in who they are and how they feel. There is a lot of peace to be found, when living life is no bigger than living the present moment. I think everything I have ever learned well, I learned from my horses. Happy summer you all.

EnJoy your life, EnJoy your horses,

Ralph

1982

"Bentwood Farms has sought to consistently breed Arabians with correctness, athletic ability and the classic elegance which excites the mind and never deceives the eye for beauty."-Bentwood Farm: A Breeding Philosophy, from the 1982 advertisement in Arabian Horse World

For me, the mere mention of the word "Bentwood" is the equivalent of saying "Disneyland" or "Hollywood".

So many wonderful horses....

all
in
one
place

I don't know if people new to Arabian Horses, in these post-Bentwood years, will understand what Bentwood meant and for me and many other people, still means. At the time, Bentwood Farms had the largest and most diverse collection of Egyptian Arabian Horses, assembled in one location, not only in the United States but in the world. Bentwood Farm was a very HUGE place, so big, you had to drive a car, to get from one part of it to another. Almost 20 years later and 44,000 acres still shocks me, as much as it did back then. For someone outside of the USA and using metric measurement, 44,000 acres is approximately 17,814 hectares. The resources that made a farm like Bentwood possible, also made it possible for horses to be bred in unique combination of bloodlines. For a small breeder, with limited resources, it was not financially possible to do such things, in order to discover nicks or duds. Bentwood was able to arrive faster in a multi-generational program, without the aid of AI or embryo transfer and in the process give the entire community a bit of diversity, through these combinations. What this farm was able to accomplish, with treasured Egyptian Arabians, remains significant. I am forever grateful to the dream that made Bentwood possible. Bentwood made it possible to have horses with Sirecho, Babson and Halima lines blended with Moniet el Nefous, Anter combined with Babson lines, *Ibn Hafiza bred with Babson lines; just to point out a few of the crosses that the farm tried. If it were not for Bentwood breeding, many of the influential farms of today, would not have the horses that have made their programs noteworthy. For example, Ariela Arabians in Moshav Bnei Zion, Israel, purchased the mare, AK Latifa (*Ibn Moniet el Nefous x Siralima) a Bentwood mare, foaled in 1977. AK Latifa produced four foals for Ariela, the most famous of which is the stallion Laheeb by Imperial Imdal. Laheeb is one of the most influential sires, world-wide in the entire breed community. In 1998, Laheeb traveled to Poland, to become the chief sire for the Janow Podlaski and Michalow state studs. Because of Laheeb, we enjoy in the show ring, Polish-influenced Arabian horses like Poganin and Emira. Laheeb was so successful in Poland, that he returned 10 years later. In Israel, Laheeb produced a World Champion, the handsome and popular straight Egyptian stallion, Al Lahab, now owned by the Friedmann family in Germany. Like Laheeb, Al Lahab traveled to America and stood at stud at the world famous Om El Arab International in California. Al Lahab is spreading Laheeb's influence even farther. This is one example...ONE...AK Latifa is just one of many Bentwood horses, to illustrate the powerful influence that Bentwood breeding still has upon the Arabian Horse community, to this day. It is rare to look at the pedigree of an Egyptian arabian Horse and not find a Bentwood horse, somewhere in the pedigree.

Bentwood indeed was a magical place, filled with the horses that I had read about and saw pictured in all the books dedicated to Egyptian Arabian Horse breeding and also in the leading magazines dedicated to the community. In the early 1980's, after the death of *Ibn Moniet el Nefous, some of the stallions standing at Bentwood Farm were The Egyptian Prince, Ansata Abbas Pasha, Ansata el Sherif, *Refky, Fadl Dan, Ansata El Arabi, *Nagid and *Ibn Alaa el Din. The mare collection was impressive. Outside of the EAO, there was no other place in the world with a herd this large. As a matter of fact, there was no place in the world, even at the EAO, that had a collection as complete as Bentwood's mare herd, with the Babson lines. For straight Babson Egyptian fans, Bentwood Farm owned the largest collection of Babson Egyptian mares, outside of the Babson Farm in Illinois. This was the home of Maarena, Bint Fada, Henrietta, Fa Dena, Aarouser, Roufah, Maar Kamalla, Sabrah, Serrasab, to name a few of the names. Bentwood presented the mares in a format similar to the Egyptian Reference Handbooks, cataloguing the mares by strain. While Bentwood had mares from every one of the major strains (Hadban, Kuhaylan Rodan, Kuhaylan Jellabi, Dahman Shahwan, Saqlawi and Abayyan), the wealth of the collection was found in 2 strains: the Saqlawiyah and the Dahmah.

I had the opportunity, a few years ago to purchase a copy of an early 1980 edition of a popular Arabian Horse magazine. In 1982, when this list was published in the magazine, I was overwhelmed. I could not comprehend what it would be like to have all of these mares assembled in one place. When I visited Bentwood 6 years later, this feeling did not vanish, it was MAGNIFIED. Seeing all the names on paper was overwhelming...seeing many of these mares, with my eyes and touching their coat split me in two. While Bentwood was blessed to have many of the top Egyptian stallions on the farm, the bigger blessing, the treasure, the prized jewels of Bentwood, were the mares that Bentwood owned and leased.

THE BENTWOOD MARE CATALOG

"The enduring quality of any breeding program rests with the female lines which were its foundation. Stallions receive more notoriety, but in fact, the finest and most prepotent stallions are never from anything but the finest mares. At Bentwood Farms, we have placed particular emphasis on mare lines and their strains. With any pedigreed bloodstock, the female line most often contributes more to the genetic makeup of the individual. The tail female line in the pedigree is of particure importance in breeding decisions. We have engaged in the most tedious research and have spared no effort or expense to bring together the finest and most prepotent group of foundation mares possible. Bentwood Farms has been noted for the quality of their mares, evidenced by 13 National Top Ten awards, two Reserve National Championships and one National Championship awarded in mare halter classes in North America. Bentwood mares have won three Reserve International Championships in England and in Europe in the past several years. More importantly, these mares are producing foals which are elegant, refined and prepotent themselves..."-from the 1982 Bentwood Farms brochure

HADBAN STRAIN

*Nabilahh (Anter x Farasha

Lohelia (*Morafic x *Nabilahh)

Bint Masarra (*Tuhotmos x *Masarra)

*Dawlat (Anter x Sheherazda)

*AK Dalia (*Ibn Hafiza x Aziza)

*AK Jaheena (Waseem x Mahbouba)

*Baheia (Shariar x Hemmat)

ABAYYAN STRAIN

*Magidaa (Alaa el Din x Maysa)

*Higran (Seef x Hodhoda)

SAKLAWI STRAIN

Bint Bint Moniet (*Rashad Ibn Nazeer x *Bint Moniet el Nefous)

Raya Del Sol (*Rashad Ibn Nazeer x *Bint Moniet el Nefous)

Monisa RSI (*Rashad Ibn Nazeer x *Bint Moniet el Nefous)

Muniet Nefous RSI (Umi x *Bint Moniet el Nefous)

AK Bint Monisa(*Ibn Moniet el Nefous x Monisa RSI)

Bint Binte El Bataa (Emam x *Binte El Bataa)

Sittana (*Morafic x *Bint Binte El Bataa)

Bataasha (*Tuhotmos x *Bint Binte el Bataa)

Saqlawia Jedraniya (*Morafic x *Bint Binte el Bataa)

Bint el Rih (*Farazdac x *Bint Binte el Bataa)

Bint El Hadiyi (El Hadiyi x Saqlawia Jidrania)

Fathia (*Ibn Moniet El Nefous x Muniet Nefous RSI)

Bint Bint Mona (*Morafic x *Bint Mona)

*Hoyeda (*Morafic x Mona)

*Hayat (Anter x Tanta)

*AK Karama (Alaa el Din x Tanta)

*Sallama (Seef x Fayrouz)

AK Shahmona (*AK Shahm x Bint Bint Mona)

Dafeena (Dakmar x Farsa)

Kieshta (*Tuhotmos x Farsa)

AK Fariha (Ibn Morafic x Gasaara)

AK Khalifa (Ibn Morafic x *Gamilaa)

AK Bint Korima (Nawaf x Korima)

Serenity Galala (Serenity Osiris x Serenity Bint Montaha)

Zaenap (*Ibn Hafiza x *Hoyeda)

*Gamilaa (*Morafic x *Bint Hanaa)

*Bint Hanaa (El Sareei x Hanaa)

AK Anzar (El Sareei x Hanaa)

*Habeeba ( El Araby x Bint Hanaa)

*Maymouna (Akhtal x Mahlaha)

Fa Dena (Fa Serr x Khedena)

Il Bint Khedena (*Ansata Ibn Halima x Fa Dena)

Bint Fa Dena (*Ansata Ibn Halima x Fa Dena)

*Hayam (Mashour x Tahia)

Gasaara (*Faleh x *Hayam)

Ansata Salome (*Ansata Ibn Halima x *Ansata Bint Nazeer)

Bint Moftakhar (*Moftakhar x Ansata Fatima)

Iziza (Ibn Hafiza x Izees)

Sahrah (*Zaghloul x *Sooma)

KUHAYLAN STRAIN

Maarena (Fabah x Fada)

Maar Kamalla (Maar Rab x Maar Jumana)

Bint Fada (Fa Serr x Fada)

Aarouser (Fa Serr x Aaroufa)

Monaaroufa (*Ibn Moniet el Nefous x Bint Aaroufa)

Ahroufa (Ibn Fa Serr x Bah Roufa)

Roufah (Ibn Fa Serr x Bah Roufa)

AN Mon Ami (*Ibn Moniet el Nefous x Bint Fada)

AN Monica (*Ibn Moniet el Nefous x Bint Fada)

Bint Mon Ami (*Ibn Moniet el Nefous x AN Mon Ami)

AK Bahiya (*Ibn Moniet el Nefous x Aarouser)

AN Moroufa (*Ibn Moniet el Nefous x Bint Aaroufa)

Nefousah (Ibn Moniet el Nefous x Maarifah)

Bah Rouse (Ansata Abbas Pasha x Bah Roufa)

Talnoa (*Talal x Noha)

*Nazzli (*Tuhotmos x Nagda)

Hamaama (Ibn Anter x *Hekmat)

*Omnia (Alaa el Din x Ameena)

Bint Omnia (*Morafic x *Omnia)

*AK Mayaada (Aseel x Madiha)

*Takwa (Aseel x Rawayeh

*Thawra (*Sultan x Rawayeh)

*Sanaa (Sid Abouhom x Yashmak)

Rabeeah (*Sakr x Romanaa II)

Bint Samim (Samim x Il Durra)

DAHMAN STRAIN

*Nagat (Anter x Abla)

*Somaia (Anter x Abla)

*Ein (Anter x Abla)

Serroya (Fa Serr x *Nagat)

AK Nashahma (*AK Shahm x *Nagat)

AN Mona Lisa (*Ibn Moniet el Nefous x *Nagat)

AK Serrmonietta (*Ibn Moniet el Nefous x Serroya)

Sadaa (*Morafic x Somaia)

Sabrah (Fabah x Serrasab)

Serasaab (Fabah x Serrasab)

FA Halima (*Ansata Ibn Halima x Sabrah)

Serr Halima (*Ansata Ibn Halima x Serrasab)

Asal Sirabba (Sirecho x Habba)

Sirhabba (Sirecho x Habba)

Siralima (*Ansata Ibn Halima x Asal Sirabba)

Raalima (*Ansata Ibn Halima x Asal Sirabba)

AK Nadira (*Ibn Moniet el Nefous x Asal Sirabba)

Sirhalima (*Ansata Ibn Halima x Sirhabba)

AK Shahlima (*Ibn Moniet el Nefous x Raalima)

AK Bint Sirhabba (*Ibn Moniet el Nefous x Sirhabba)

AK Faiza (*Ibn Moniet el Nefous x Faarecho)

AK Yamaama (*Ibn Moniet el Nefous x Faarecho)

Dazeeralima (*Ansata Ibn Halima x Dazeera)

AK Monazeera (*Ibn Moniet el Nefous x Dazeera)

Henrietta (Ibn Fa Serr x Faaba)

AK Bint Henrietta (*Ibn Moniet el Nefous x Henrietta)

AK Jaleel Amaan (Ansata Abbas Pasha x Henrietta)

AK Amaana Moniet (*Ibn Moniet el Nefous x AK Jaleel Amaan)

*Bint Sharara (Galal x Sharara)

*Hegrah (Alaa el Din x Hagir)

Masada Safaana (Saafaddan x Mist Aana)

Masada el Aba (Saafaddan x Daal Aba)

AK Fataana (Ra'adin Inshallah x Rafaana)

Jazana Moniet (*Ibn Moniet el Nefous x Jazala)

Fa Saloul (Rafaar x Faarecho)

*AK Komeira (Ibn Galal II x *Pharrah)

Morajisa (*Morafic x Narjisa)

*Asilat Al Badeia (Seef x Atfa)

*Gazbeya (Shahriar x Hagir)

*Soheir II (Fagir x Tifla)

Ramses Ghazalahh (*Ramses Fayek x *Bint Ghazalahh)

*Bint Ghazalahh (Sid Abouhom x *Ghazalahh)

Rannana (*Soufian x Rahmaa)

Dahmah Shahwaniah (*Ansata Ibn Halima x *Bint Maisa el Saghira)

AK Layla (*Ibn Moniet el Nefous x *Azzar)

Akid Danzarra (Hamdan II x *Azzar)

*Azzar (Nazeer x Ahlam II)

AK El Sanaa (Mosry x *Deenaa)

AK Fanniya (*Ansata Ibn Halima x Narimaan)

Narimaan (*Morafic x *Deenaa)

*Nasra (*Morafic x *Zobeya)

*RH Desert Elan (Ghalion x Kayad-1)

AK Molly Moniet (*Ibn Moniet el Nefous x AN Janie)

Hannah (Fabah x Fasera)

In the late summer of 1988, I had an opportunity to visit Bentwood Farms. My memories of the grandeur of Bentwood had been formed many, many years before. Little did I know or even understand, that the sun had started to set for this most amazing place. I hardly slept the night before I was to visit the farm, thinking about the horses that I would finally get to meet. I set out early and I was so impatient, as the drive from Dallas seemed to never end. When I pulled up in front of the stallion barn, there was a beautiful, gleaming, silvery-white horse, turned out in a metal pipe corral, in front of the stallion barn. He was a little "hint", a preview if you will, the "opening act", for all of the beauty which I was soon to encounter. Later, I would learn that this horse was Prince Fa Moniet. Yes, the Prince Fa, who would eventually go to Ansata. I look back to this one day, a brilliant day, a beacon, still shiny and bright in the "fog of the past", directing me to this day in the future, to write of this farm and somehow, help to perpetuate these treasures of the past. I wonder if I fully realized how significant, how precious, how priceless this day really was and how I would look back, still, in wonder and amazement. I am grateful for the experience to have visited this farm and for the generosity of the people at Bentwood, to show me all the horses.

"As with all desert creatures, authentic Arabian horses possess an elegance and refinement which is unique." -Bentwood Farm: A Breeding Philosophy, from the 1982 advertisement in Arabian Horse World

Enjoy your horses,
Ralph

SUMMER...vacation?

"Vacation
All I ever wanted
Vacation
Had to get away
Vacation...."-from the song, Vacation, written by Jane Wiedlin,
Kathy Valentine, Charlotte Coffey

Summer officially begins on Sunday, June 21st.

SUMMER!!!

I still have not forgotten the delight that this word managed to bring in my life, having grown weary of schoolbuses, heavy textbooks and stale classrooms. Each day was a countdown, until the day arrived, when school would become a memory. Summer was like a great, big, fresh adventure waiting to be discovered...waiting to be lived and thoroughly enjoyed.

How is it for you? Does the word "summer" still make you smile? Does the word "summer" bring to mind carefree, happy-go-lucky, stress-free days? What happened to those days? What are your summer vacation plans? Have you made any and do they include anything horsey???

I personally joined an adult summer reading book club on June 1st. I am hoping to expand my world, my vocabulary and my mind. Do you know that while president, Theodore Roosevelt read 5 books per week? While, he was president!

Not that I am planning to give Roosevelt a run for his money or anything, I committed to reading 19 books before summer ends. I am 8 books into my goal. You can follow my progress on Shelfari, in the sidebar to the right.

I am hoping that the intensity of the work place slows down a bit, allowing me the opportunity to take my mare out for more than a few rides along shady and COOL paths. Our local trail association is recruiting new members, to groom the trail system and I heard the trail network is fantastic. I am hoping to rediscover the joys of a summer childhood, this time, from the back of a great horse and companion.

Happy Summer,
Ralph

Beginner's Mind

Meeting the mare Jazelle and reuniting with my friends, Marilyn Lang and Caryn Rogosky, has had a profound effect upon all that I thought I knew about Arabian Horses. This experience has powerfully inspired a revolution, which requires a change. Its inevitable, change, that is. I can't even say that it is only a mind thing, as I feel this change, deep within me, past my heart, penetrating the very core of who I am. In Buddhism, there is a term called "Beginner's Mind", which refers to seeing life through a new mind, which is not influenced or biased by anything. Beginner's Mind is fresh...really fresh, like being born fresh. If Beginner's Mind were a flower, it would fill your senses with a fragrance which is indescribable. Beginner's Mind is so precious and so fleeting, that we must work hard to preserve it. Life is challenging and meeting all that comes your way, head-on, can "flavor" your mind with ingredients that you may never have wanted to add to this "life recipe". Ingredients, you may ask?

What the heck are you talking about?

Yes, think of negative feelings like "anger", "sadness", "bitterness", "jealousy", "hopelessness". These are all heavy feelings we may experience from time-to-time which can shape your outlook, your perspective, without you even realizing what is happening. It occurs gradually. And these feelings are so powerful, it can mean the difference between living a joyful life and an apathetic life. Have you been apathetic? Have you ever thought something was just too big, too unreachable or that the sacrifices were not worth the trouble or, or, or??? Have you ever said, "what's the point of...?"

STOP

"Beginner's mind" is child-like, embracing the wonder and the awe felt as a child,. "Beginner's Mind" means discovering something beautiful, something special, something so different, as if for the very first time. If we were to look at life through the eyes of a child, we would suddenly realize how surrounded we are by beauty, by miraculous events; for life is beautiful, every second. I am looking at Arabian Horses through new eyes, through a new mind and through a new heart, putting distance between all the junk, all the stuff that for whatever reason, I have been dragging along with me.

"Don't let others define you or dictate your attitude - you cannot control what other people say or do, or how they think. You only have control over what you say or do, and how you think."-Robin Roberts, from her book, From the Heart: Seven Rules to Live By

It is going to be difficult to be committed to living a life with a "Beginner's Mind" but it is not impossible. I may fail but I will keep trying and even if I only look at life for a few minutes with this new outlook; I will not be discouraged, for at the very least, for a few minutes, I will have been successful. Those few minutes will inspire me and encourage me to keep trying, to keep going, to keep living. Life is beautiful and we are meant to live it, with all that we have, so we can be successful in living a beautiful life.

Embrace the hope, EnJoy your life, EnJoy your horses,

Ralph

PS That's not Jazelle in the pictures, by the way. Clothilde Nollet of Maarena Arabians of France, recently visited Marilyn Lang and took these pictures of Fa Halii Halim, an El Halimaar son out of the Ansata el Sherif daughter, Fa Sherifaa.

We're having a baby, my baby and me!

"We're having a baby, my baby and me
You'll read it in Winchell's
That we're adding a limb to our family tree
While pushing that carriage
How proud I will be..."-Desi Arnaz

SunnyRu Maarena is pregnant!

I received the email from Clothilde Nollet and from Floyd Reid, revealing the good news. SunnyRu Maarena is the only daughter of my mare, Princeton Maarena (Serr Maariner x Princeton Gamila). Her sire is Princeton Faaris (Faaris x Black Satin). SunnyRu Maarena has a full sibling, the stallion SunnyRu Marine. Both horses were bred by Mari Silveus. This will be her first foal and the first replacement in 13 years! How exciting is this?

SunnyRu Maarena has been bred to SR Faaris Faaris (Princeton Faaris x Princeton Gamila), a very beautiful black Babson/Sirecho stallion owned by Mari Silveus. Hopefully, she will produce the filly which Floyd has been dreaming about, to help him start his new breeding program. It is very exciting to have Floyd breeding horses again with the same passion he had when he bred horses twenty years ago, like AK Sirhalima. It is also very interesting to see that Faaris Faaris is out of SunnyRu Maarena's grandmother, the mare Princeton Gamila, a Faaris daughter. I am also happy to see that Serr Maariner will again be reunited with the Babson mare, Black Satin through a double dose of her blood, as both SunnyRu Maarena and SR Faaris Faaris are sired by Princeton Faaris, a son of this most special mare. Serr Maariner sired two of my favorite horses out of this mare, late in Black Satin's life: the mare Princeton Maaroufa and the stallion, Princeton Maariner. The resulting foal will be intensely line-bred for Fa Serr and Maaroufa and also carry a tail female line to the great Habba, on both sides of the pedigree. I can't wait to see who this baby will resemble! There are so many great Babson horses in this pedigree.

I am also personally excited about this breeding, as the breeding perpetuates this bloodline, one more generation into the future. For me, this is a very joyful moment, which will only be eclipsed by the news that Princeton Maarena is also pregnant. God willing, that news will be coming soon!

"Our future looks brighter
But definitely
We're having a baby
My baby
and me.."-Desi Arnaz

Embrace the JOY and congratulations to Floyd, Clo and Mari,
Ralph

PS THINK PINK

PS the black and white picture of SunnyRu Maarena was taken by Clothilde Nollet of France.

AUTHENTIC

In Dr. Nagel's book, he sets a course for determining the foundation of the Arabian Horse and specifically for the rare horse of the Nejd: "the horse of the south". The adaptability of the horse, in order to survive a desert climate, necessitated certain physical characteristics which would allow the horse to successfully survive the harshness of this environment. Dr. Nagel lists these attributes as,

"...fine skin, hard sinews, compact and light bones of great structural density, dry muscles, tough and long, no excess weight of any kind. A physical size located at the lower end of the scale of the species, and typical characteristics that allow survival in a dry, hot climate: strong pigmentation as protection from the sun, few or no white markings, a short coat for better transpiration and a deposit of fat in the back or tail area for times of hunger. No fat within or among the muscles, but rather directly beneath the skin. Hard hooves that could stand up to the mostly rocky ground, and a calm temperament to preserve energy. Those are some of the conditions of nature these animals had to fulfill; other conditions were imposed by the men on whom they had to depend for their existence, demanding the greatest adaptability to human society and a will to perform what was demanded."

I was not raised in this desert environment. Contrary to the desert climate, I was raised in a country that is lush with vegetation and water. The horses that I knew in my formative years, reflected this bountiful environment. I rode Hunters and eventually, discovered Dressage and Warmblood horses and these horses, became my standard model for conformation excellence. These horses were all I knew on a regular basis. Tall, large-bodied, big-boned, heavily muscled, weighing approximately 1500 pounds or more; these were substantial horses, specifically bred to participate in equine sports, within a controlled environment. While these horses were admired and heavily rewarded for their big, elastic, ground-covering gaits; these same horses would not prosper in an unforgiving desert climate. They would perish. In an uncontrolled, harsh environment, where the distance between two points could adversely impact a horse, the Nejd horse is efficient. The Nejd horse does not waste energy. The Nejd horse or the "horse of the south", as Dr. Nagel described, conserves energy. This is one of the reasons why a calm and tractable disposition is so important in these desert horses. Without it, these horses would not survive as they would use their energy being fractious and would not have any left over, when they really need it.

It is challenging to have this background in sport, appreciating horses who move gigantically, recognizing the conformation which allows the horses to move in this fashion and not want to incorporate the same into a breed that was never designed to deliver this movement, because they were built for an entirely different purpose, reflecting the land from which they originated. What a travesty to change this desert horse, in order to adopt the characteristics of another breed, which was developed in a completely opposite environment. While the attributes of the desert horse may not make the horse as suitable for dressage, as compared to a powerfully built 17 hand Dutch Warmblood, one needs to really search inside their mind and heart, as to what it is that you want from the world of horses. I know for myself, this is a very difficult question and changes from day-to-day. My inner struggle and I have been candid with you throughout this blog journey, has been to find the right answer to this question.
Clothilde Nollet of Maarena Arabians recently visited with Marilyn Lang and took this wonderful picture of FA Carolina Moon. I love big nostrils and I love small ears. I just think a larger-sized nostril is one of the most, if not the most electrifying characteristic of the Arabian Horse. In most of the literature which has been written about the Arabian Horse, you will find the nostril described as "wide", "round", "flared", "expanding", "delicate". All of these words do not accurately capture the living, breathing Arabian Horse; who, when excited, huffing and puffing through his nostrils, portrays a very powerful, dramatic picture of the classic desert horse.

I feel the same way about the ears. Long ears seem to have become more common in Egyptian Arabian Horses over the last 25 years. I am not sure when it became acceptable to breed for a longer ear but I prefer the look of a smaller-sized ear on an Arabian Horse. Balance is crucially important in the overall silhouette of an Arabian Horse, which I firmly believe also includes the length of the ear. Like all of the other body parts, the ear must look like it belongs on the horse and should not distort the unity of graceful lines in the Arabian Horse. Smaller ears is like "the frosting on a cake". On a very typey Arabian Horse, smaller ears emphasize the exotic appearance.

Marilyn Lang designates her Maar Hala/Bukra breeding program with the suffix "Moon". FA Carolina Moon is a Halim el Mansour daughter out of the mare, FA Bukra (Fa Asar x SF Khala Zahra). FA Bukra's sire, Fa Asar, is an Ibn Fa Serr son, out of the straight Babson Egyptian mare, Serasabba (Fabah x Serrasab). While her mother, his half-sister in blood, is a daughter of Ansata el Sherif and out of the full sister to Serasabba, Sabrah. What I like most about Carolina Moon's pedigree is the blend of the Dahman and Saqlawi strains, which results in a refined and beautiful Dahmah Shawaniyah mare. When I asked Marilyn to tell me more about Carolina Moon, she said,

"She is a Halim El Mansour look alike, no doubt. She has been bred to FA Halii Halim this year. Lovely mare with a very sweet disposition much like her Dad. We will probably put her under saddle this fall as she will make a wonderful mount for any amateur, including my better half."

Carolina Moon reinforces in my mind all that Dr. Nagel presents in his Hanan book about the desert horse. I find her to be incredibly authentic to the attributes assigned to the Nejd horse or the "horse of the south", as Dr. Nagel has termed this horse. I am also reminded of the breeding philosophy that Walter Schimanski employed in his program which focused on breeding within the Dahman strain of Egyptian Arabians. He believed that alternately mixing the Saqlawi strain with the Dahman strain, would emphasize the refinement needed, to avoid becoming "short and thick". When I see Carolina Moon, I understand fully what Walter was striving for, in terms of refinement.

I love what Marilyn has been doing with her program, as it is resulting in a very authentic, high class, fine and elegant desert horse. In reading Dr. Nagel's book, one may get the impression that only the horses of Dr. Nagel's program are Nejdi horses. However, I know that this is not true because I have seen this horse of the south in other places. Meeting Marilyn Lang, getting to know her "vision", her goals, has been a tremendous learning opportunity for me, as I am learning to focus on important details for which, in my heightened sense of wonder, I may have missed. Meeting a breeder of the caliber of Marilyn Lang, with Dr. Nagel's book as my guide, is invaluable for recognizing and appreciating the authentic Nejd horse. Many times, I have swooned over a particular horse and in my enthusiasm, I may not have paid as close attention as Marilyn has to the details. Many times, I revert to my old ways and pick out substantial horses which lack the physical attributes which resulted in the Nejd horse. Many times, I have chosen horses, who compared to the Nejd horse, are coarse or lack the human-like expression, the thin skin, the silky quality of the hair, the dryness, the dark pigmentation. Marilyn's devotion to the "details" is succeeding in recreating the authentic "horse of the south" in a land that is foreign to the desert horse of the Nejd.

EnJoy your horses,
Ralph

Grace from all sides

"Nature is art's raw material. Art is invested with human imagination, a longing for beauty, with ecstasy in understanding, the thrill of intelligent planning and a profound sense of fulfillment when something new is born."-Charles de Kunffy, from his book, The Ethics and Passions of Dressage

In my entry titled ROAD TRIP, I introduced you to the straight Egyptian mare, Jazelle:

A horse like Jazelle becomes more than just a horse, she becomes the catalyst for change. She becomes a physical representation for hope, for liberation and for the materialization of a closely-guarded dream. It's real. She is really all of my dreams, rolled into one individual.

Jazelle is sired by Halim el Mansour, an *Ansata Ibn Halima son out of the Rancho Bulakenyo foundation mare, RDM Maar Hala (an El Hilal daughter out of the Babson mare, Maar Jumana). Jazelle's dam is WK Elsaria Moniet, who is sired by the *Tuhotmos son, El Mon Moniet and is out of the mare Ghazalaa Tu, also sired by *Tuhotmos. Jazelle's pedigree is fascinating for several reasons: she has 3 close crosses to the stallion *Tuhotmos, all on the dam side of the pedigree: two of the three crosses come from El Mon Moniet, as his dam, Amira Moniet, is also a *Tuhotmos daughter (out of the Anter daughter, Ein) and the third cross comes from Ghazalaa Tu, who is a *Tuhotmos daughter (out of Bint Ghazalahh, a Sid Abouhom daughter) and multiple crosses to Farida, through Halima and Nefisa, including her tail female line through Ghazala which has become extremely rare. Jazelle, in her genetic compostion is very uniquely bred, there is no other horse quite like her. It is also bittersweet, now, in the days after Gleannloch Farm, to combine the Gleannloch horses, Bint Ghazalahh and El Hilal.

"When I look at her I immediately see Maar Ree, but bigger and bolder; then *Ansata Ibn Halima, but stretchier; I see flickers of *Tuhotmos in the overall refinement and chiseling, especially in her dryness of face, delicacy of nostrils and ears, silkiness of mane and tail --but when she moves... well, then it's hard for me to see any other ancestor but her maternal great granddam, the exquisite Egyptian import, Ghazalahh (Mashour X Bint Farida), brought to the USA by Gleannloch. To me, Jazelle's overall balance and smoothness of body, underpinnings, wonderful legs, neck set ...the harmonious union of her body, head, and neck screams Farida, Farida, Farida, Farida and...FARIDA."-Caryn Rogosky

She has a fantastic dispostion. This mare is friendly, generously kind and loves the attention that people shower upon her. It is very easy to get up in her face, overwhelmed by her beauty and forget for a moment that for horses, this behavior may appear threatening, similar to how a predator may act. Jazelle is not affected by any of this and demonstrates the people-curious disposition which makes this breed suitable as companions. She is authentic to the Bedouin lifestyle of her ancestors, who depended on their people for survival. As unique as her pedigree is, her conformation is also unique, manifested in a neck that is elegantly long, high-set and quite different from the shorter, thicker necks that have become more common in Egyptian Arabian Horses today. She has a beautiful throatlatch, with so much room and accentuates the beautiful angle of her head and neck. One cannot help but think of the word GRACE, when looking at Jazelle. She is blessed abundantly by grace. Her topline is one of the strongest that I have seen in a long time, maybe the best top line of any mare that I have ever seen. She has a powerful shoulder, at an angle that gives her much freedom and balanced with a powerful hindquarter, this mare can really move.

Marilyn Lang asked Caryn Rogosky if she would consider breeding Jazelle to her Halim el Mansour son, WK Halimelshahkir. "Shahkir" is another one of Caryn's horses, whom I also consider to be one of her best. "Shahkir" has an exotic face, with a pronounced jibbah and like Jazelle, has one of the best necks; long, elegant with a wonderful mitbah. He is solid-bodied and "leggy", with impressive athletic ability and remains, six or so years after first meeting him; a harmonious individual. "Shahkir" is out of the beautiful mare, Akira Zarif, a *Fakher el Din daughter, out of the Babson-Sirecho mare, Masada Bellesabah.
I am curious to see this cross occur, because of the additional source of Moniet el Nefous through *Fakher el Din, as well as for the additional sources of Ibn Rabdan blood, through the Babson horses and *Nasr, Sirecho's sire. It would be interesting to combine these sources of Ibn Rabdan with the lines already present from Anter and *Ansata Ibn Halima.

However...can you keep a secret? That is, between you and me?

I find myself wishing for a foal sired by one of the newer Ansata stallions with the Prince Fa Moniet influence. One of my favorite horses of this cross would be Ansata Almurtajiz, who was purchased by Usamah Alkazemi, as head stallion for his Ezzain Arabians in Kuwait. Ansata Almurtajiz, whose name means "The Poet Warrior" is sired by one of the most important Ansata stallions since Ansata Halim Shah: Ansata Hejazi. The dam of Ansata Almurtajiz is Ansata Samsara, a Prince Fa Moniet daughter out of Ansata Samantha, who traces to the influential Ansata mare, *Ansata Bint Misr. While reinforcing the blood of *Ansata Ibn Halima, through his son, Ansata Halim Shah and adding more Moniet el Nefous blood through *Ibn Moniet el Nefous, it is exciting to consider the outcome of this breeding, by bringing in the influence of Sameh and Bukra.

"Gratitude opens a crack in consciousness that lets grace in."-Harry Palmer, from Love Precious Humanity, The Collected Wisdom of Harry Palmer

I love this mare and I appreciate the revolution that her beauty has brought to my life, pushing me into action, disposing the staleness of old ideas, in order to find a better place, a new motivation, inspired by fresh discoveries and restoring my appreciation for this breed, as if I am looking at these horses for the first time, through an overwhelming sense of wonder and awe.

EnJoy your horses,
Ralph