A Quiet Dignity: The Story of Imperial Falaah

"For 'twas not into my ear you whispered but into my heart,'twas not my lips you kissed but my soul."-Judy Garland 

I had walked into the broodmare barn, focused on a conversation with Beverly Sziraky on the suitability of Egyptian Arabian horses for Dressage. I was really excited, as it had been a very long time since my last visit to Imperial and the barn we were walking into, was a veritable HALL OF FAME of crucially important  broodmares like BB Ora Kalilah, Imperial Safilla, and Imperial Mistilll. I am embarrassed to tell you that  I didn't even notice Imperial Falaah at first. The focus of my day was seeing Imperial Mistilll one more time. Across the aisle from Mistilll, was the *Pharrah grand daughter, Royal Kamiel. To her right, was Falaah, and in the stall next to her was Imperial Baarillla, a Baarez daughter who literally, knocked my socks off. Across the aisle from Baarillla was BB Ora Kalilah, next to her was Safilla and then in the next stall was Phandala. I was like a kid who had eaten too much sugar. I was darting from one stall to the next, not sure of who to stop and admire, as they were all gorgeous mares. I couldn't concentrate on just one horse! As I settled in front of Imperial Baarillla's stall,  Falaah kept looking at me, waiting patiently. She stretched  her neck out towards me and very gently, bumped me over and over with her nose, trying to get my attention. I was oblivious to what she was doing, as I was so enchanted with Baarillla. I turned around, to see who was tapping me and saw this beautiful face, "WOW, who are you pretty girl?" and I paused, as in that split second, I recognized a beauty so fierce, I could not hear or see anything else but her. "Oh my gosh, you are so pretty" I said, as I scratched her forehead, straightened her forelock hairs and the beautiful mare smiled in satisfaction. She didn't make a sound, not a whinny, nicker or even a thumping of the stall door with her hoof, as most other horses would to demand attention. Falaah had too much dignity, too much grace. A few minutes later, I was actually holding her head in my arms, as the mare dozed, content to be in close company with a human being. "Beverly, who is this mare?" I asked. She smiled and said, "That's Falaah, one of our Imdal daughters and one of our best producing mares on the farm. Remember that chestnut colt you liked so much? That's her son." The chestnut colt that Beverly referred to  was none other than Imperial Amir Kamar, who had given an electrifying liberty performance, earlier in the day.

Imperial Falaah, a 1991 grey mare, was a daughter of Imperial Imdal and out of Imperial BTFawkia. Her pedigree primarily reflected the breeding program of Gleannloch Farms, as the majority of the horses in her pedigree like Dalia, *Morafic, *Romanaa II, and *Hoyeda were either bred or imported into America by the Marshalls. She is also one of the straight Egyptian horses with a lower Blunt desert blood percentage, less than 6%. Her Egypt I, Egypt II and Inshass ancestral elements, combined,  total to almost 95%! What's also interesting about the components in her pedigree, is that for the most part, they represent the first wave of horses produced at Imperial. That is, the foundation horses and the first few generations produced with the foundation, before *Orashan, *Imperial Madheen and *Ibn Safinaz were added to the program. Once the broodmare band was selected and after initially breeding some of these mares with horses like Amaal and Hossny, Imperial purchased two colts who would not only complement their powerful mares but establish consistency and predictability, for the next decade and beyond.

“In truth, every one of Imperial’s leading ladies have been hand-picked and held to the highest standards-a necessity in breeding programs, large or small. I believe the mare’s contribution to her foal to be at least 60 percent, so she is extremely important. Many of our mares were successful show mares before entering our broodmare band. I’ve bred or purchased mares that I felt would be good crosses with Imperial stallions and I’ve bred or purchased stallions specifically for select mares.-Barbara Griffith”

The first colt was Ansata Imperial (Ansata Ibn Sudan x Ansata Delilah), who will forever be remembered  for siring the great Imperial Imdal. Much has been written about Imperial Imdal and the impact that he has had not only on Egyptian Arabians, but for Arabian Horses of all bloodlines. Imdal's influence has traveled farther and wider, significantly impacting stud farms all over the world. What I remember most about Imdal, was his abundant charisma. I loved him. There was just something about him, that really got you and you felt compelled to stand next to him, to touch him, to adore him. Susan Gilbert experienced his magnetic presence very personally, when she saw Imdal for the first time at the 1997 Egyptian Event, during the stallion presentation,

"I became aware that this magnificent stallion had an air of complete presence that was emotionally overwhelming to his many onlookers. As I touched his shoulder, Imdal turned his head towards my face, acknowledging my own presence with a calming power deep within his gaze. I continued to admire his completeness and the sheer beauty standing in front of me and I realized that I was crying .. he had touched my soul and heart. There was an aura to his nobility .. a hum of energy.-Susan Gilbert"

The other foundation stallion at Imperial was the Bentwood Farms-bred Moniet el Nafis, who started life with the name of AK Amin Bey. Known on the farm as "Nafis", he was an *Ibn Moniet el Nefous son, who sired Falaah's beautiful dam, Imperial BTFawkia. Nafis was a two-time Scottsdale champion stallion and the leading Arabian race horse sire in the late 1980's,

"...oh, what a horse he was! He had lovely legs and conformation, with strength and refinement, tremendous heart girth and shoulder, great tail carriage, presence, movement, and he reflected Arabian type although his head was not as typey as today's standards demand. As a sire, he produced a fair share of show winners and numerous race horses, at a time when Arabian racing was just beginning to take on a life of its own."-Lisa Lacy

Imperial BTFawkia was a lovely mare, a daughter of the Sameh-sired mare, *Fawkia, pictured to the right. Although I never met Sameh personally; I felt that I  knew him, through his daughters, like *Fawkia. Sameh stamped this mare very unmistakably. So many years later, after seeing her at Imperial in the 1980's and if you believe in coat color inheritance to phenotype, I believe that *Fawkia  favored her sire, more than her dam. Although Kuhaylah Rodaniyah by strain, *Fawkia looked physically, like what I imagined a Saqlawiyah to look like. *Fawkia was very different in type from her half-sisters, Serenity Sabra and Serenity Sonbolah but yet the same, if that makes sense. *Fawkia was smooth and strong of body, alabaster white and she trotted in the same style as her half-sisters, that is, her elastic nostrils became HUGE and she would snort that snort that came from somewhere deep inside of her, maybe pulled from the tips of her toes with her tail curled over her back and a powerful floating trot, elastic hocks driving into the ground pushing the mare  to cover a lot of ground in a few strides. I guess, trying to remember what made the most powerful impression upon me was how this quiet mare changed into a powerfully charismatic personality when turned loose in the ring. If Sameh is responsible for the dynamic personality in *Fawkia, then the influence of Sameh is multiplied in Falaah, as she has two additional lines to Sameh, through Romanaa II and Ansata Bint Misr. I feel that Imperial Falaah inherited her strength, her smoothness, her substance but most of all, her character, from *Fawkia. When Falaah moved, she had many of the Sameh-like characteristics. She was electric.

Imperial Falaah produced more sons than daughters.In 1996, she produced Imperial Sarouf by *Ibn Safinaz, Imperial Amir Kamar by Imperial Al Kamar  in 2001. Then, she produced Imperial Birak in 2004, Imperial Baaron in 2005 and Imperial Baaru in 2006, all three colts sired by Imperial Baarez.  Her two daughters, Imperial Koublah by Imperial Al Kamar and Imperial Orahllah by *Orashan were produced at Imperial, while her third and last foal born in 2010, Nadira al Hadiyah by Ramses Mishaal Nadir was bred by Susan Gilbert of Sumerlan Egyptian Arabians in Texas.

"..Imperial Falaah's daughter, Nadira al Hadiyah, by Ramses Mishaal Nadir, graces our farm with the same magic and nobility etched in time by her beautiful dam and grandsire. Falaah's last gift to me .. in gratitude for loving this beautiful mare who captured me.-Susan Gilbert"

Well before Beverly died and well before Imperial announced their closing, I had called Beverly to inquire about Falaah, as the memory of my last visit was still so strong in my mind. I just had to have her. Beverly was firm with me, "she is not for sale at any price, Ralph. She is only one of two Imdal daughters that we have and she is very important to our program." I wasn't surprised and felt that even if she were available, she would be well outside of my  budget. It was the closest that I came to owning a mare who was like a princess to me. She had so much class, so much dignity, so much love in her heart. No horse could ever be sweeter than Falaah was, not even the ones I already owned.

"If I am a princess in rags and tatters, I can be a princess inside. It would be easy to be a princess if I were dressed in cloth of gold, but it is a great deal more of a triumph to be one all the time when no one knows it."-Frances Hodgson Burnett,  A Little Princess

I went about my business, content that I had done everything that I knew to do and well, time passed and eventually I forgot about Falaah. In the meantime, Susan Gilbert visited Imperial Egyptian Stud with the memory of Imperial Imdal still vivid in her mind.

"In August, 2006, the spirit of emotions created that day by Imperial Imdal were realized the first time I saw his beautiful daughter, Imperial Falaah. It was a beautiful day spent with friends as Beverly Sziraky spoke passionately about each stallion, each mare, and each foal. Imperial Falaah was one of the last mares we saw that day, and she was standing on her own basking in the day's sunlight as if the day belonged only to her. She drew me into her gaze the very same way her noble sire had drawn me back in 1997. She imprinted my heart so much so that I asked to come back to the farm later that day to see her once more."

In February of 2007, Imperial Falaah was sold and her buyer was Susan Gilbert. Of all the people who had expressed interest in Falaah, Beverly picked Susan. The impression that Susan must have made on Beverly that summer, when she visited Imperial must have made a profound impact and convinced Beverly of where Falaah must go. I think that Beverly Sziraky had made a very big statement, as to how she felt and the fact that she could  not trust anyone else, with Falaah. She wanted a forever home for Falaah. That's how valuable Falaah was for Imperial. For Falaah, she had been blessed, as she could not have been purchased by a more loving and adoring owner than Susan.

"Falaah graced our farm in every way possible. Each day spent with her was a gift which touched my spirit. Many onlookers visiting our farm were so captured by her presence that they were drawn to ask me if they could lead her back to her stall. Such were the gifts this magnificent mare offered to one's heart. She lived and died in complete nobility. I miss her so much that I have not spoken to many. The loss feels like it is happening again today as I write this. I will never forget her."-Susan Gilbert

Earlier this week, while casually reading on the internet, I learned the very sad news that Imperial Falaah tragically died a year ago, from cancer. I was stunned and found myself reading the same sentence over and over.  "How could this be?" I thought over and over. The princess, the sweet mare who had captivated me, so many years ago, was gone, leaving the planet as quietly as she had entered my world, so many years ago with both dignity and grace. Now, she lives in the memories of all who loved her, her children will now carry her name and her influence far into the future. And one day, one of these horses will stretch their neck to bump the pant leg of someone with their nose, for attention.  A long ago memory then becomes fresh and new, and the rest of us will smile, because we have just witnessed that the princess, the very sweet and dignified Falaah still lives.

"Promise me you'll never forget me because if I thought you would, I'd never leave."-A.A. Milne

Goodbye dear, sweet Falaah,
Ralph

*opening photo of Imperial Falaah credit: Carol Maginn, Bear Creek Ranch, Photos of Moniet el Nafis and *Fawkia credit: Johnny Johnston

NK Nadeyrah

"Promise me you'll never forget me because if I thought you would, I'd never leave."-A.A. Milne

I have sad news to share with you today. The very beautiful straight Egyptian mare, NK Nadeyrah has died. She was one of Usamah Alkazemi's most treasured broodmares and a NK Hafid Jamil daughter out of NK Nadirah (a full sister to the perennial Queen of Ezzain, NK Nada). She had a very interesting pedigree, having four lines to the Ansata Halim Shah son, Salaa el Dine. However, what I liked most, was the fact that at the very top of the pedigree appears the Alaa el Din daughter, Lotfeia, as well as the very bottom. Yes, in tail female, she traced to this mare who was purchased by Dr. Nagel from Babolna and became an important broodmare at Katharinenhof, giving birth to Nashua, a crucially important mare for the program.  In tail female, through  the Sheikh el Arab daughter, Kamla, Nadeyrah traced to the celebrated Hadbah Enzahiyah mare, Venus. So in one horse, you have the influences of the Abbayyah-El Obeya Om Grees, the Hadbah-Venus and the Dahmah-El Dahma. Which one would have the most influence on Nadeyrah? 

I was captivated by NK Nadeyrah.There was just something about her that I couldn't explain. I emailed her picture to my friends, as I didn't want them to miss seeing such a beauty. "Why do you like her so much?" they asked and I had difficulty expressing with words what I felt. My eye kept going back to her pictures and video for an answer. I was fascinated by the power that her body conveyed. The connection of her chest and her shoulders was strong and smooth. Her neck came out of her chest a bit higher, which helped to give her more reach in the front. Her chest was wider, balancing the strength of her hind end. She was a picture of harmony..

I just love how she used her back, almost as if she is trying to curl her hindquarter under her, driving into the ground, to P-U-S-H her body forward and sail across the ground.

Her head was dry and the prominence of the bone in her face was amazing. Her muzzle was tapered, with large, flaring nostrils, delicately curved upward and her eyes were round, large and black, with no trace of white in them. NK Nadeyrah was refined and elegant and yet, has the substance that reminded me of a long ago horse, racing across the desert sand, tail held high proclaiming the truth of what she was...a true daughter of the desert.

Goodbye Nadeyrah, goodbye.
Ralph

I must give credit to Jennifer Ogden for capturing this beautiful mare with her camera.

The Story of *Malekat El Gamal

Malekat El Gamal, a 1968 grey mare,  was imported by Imperial Egyptian Stud in 1974, in foal to the *Morafic son, Kayed.  She was bred by Sayed Marei of Al Badeia and was sired by Waseem, a Nazeer son, out of the Kuhaylah Rodaniyah mare Malaka, a daughter of Bint Bint Riyala. Malekat's dam was the Nazeer daughter, Nagdia, out of the Sid Abouhom daughter, Zahia.  Malekat El Gamal, by virtue of her sire and dam, was 50% Nazeer, which is the equivalent of having Nazeer as a sire, even though the horse had died eight years earlier. I met Malekat in person a few times and she was unforgettable, an absolutely beautiful mare. She had the most incredible face...so soulful...her eyes just captivated you, no, actually, I got that wrong...her eyes, they, well, just enchanted you.

“...when the heart is overwhelmed with beauty and the imagination is electrified by some haunting quality in the world or by a spirit or voice speaking from deep within a thing, a place or a person.Enchantment may be...“-Henry Louis Mencken

I'll never forget her look.  I guess her eyes not only pierced my heart, she also pierced my soul...forever. She was harmonious, close-coupled,  balanced and smooth. I think she was perfect, not too big, not too small, everything looked like it belonged on her.

Her son, Ameer AlBadeia, also by Kayed, was a very significant horse for Al Badeia, siring the extraordinary, multiple champion stallion Farid AlBadeia, an influential and consistently strong sire for the Marei's breeding program. Ameer also sired the mare, Anhar AlBadeia, who figured prominently in the Al Badeia program, spreading the influence of Ameer farther in the world by producing the World Champion Mare, Gelgelah AlBadeia, by Imperial Madori.

At Imperial, *Malekat El Gamal was bred to Ibn Morafic, to Amaal, to Hossny, to Moniet el Nafis, to Ansata Imperial and *Ibn Safinaz. Beautiful mares resulted from these breedings like Imperial Ajmalika, Imperial Saahebah, Imperial Al Amali, Imperial Nadirah, Imperial Namunifa, Imperial Nafilah and sons like Imperial Hasib, Imperial Amir Nafis, Imperial Na Malis, as well as the lovely stallion named Imperial Im Mahal. However, *Malekat El Gamal's greatest achievement, would be made through *Imperial Sayyah, a full sister to Ameer AlBadeia, who made a very significant impact not only upon the breeding community of straight Egyptian Arabian horses but for lovers of the classic Arabian Horse everywhere. Without Imperial Sayyah, there would not be a Sundar Alisayyah and without Sundar Alisayyah, there would be no Al Adeed Al Shaqab, the horse who danced in people's minds for a long time, until the time the vision became flesh and bone. For me, there is no finer tribute to a most extraordinary mare...*Malekat El Gamal.

Thank you for being a fan of this blog and for the many wonderful comments you have left over the years. For those days when it was challenging to find just the right words to say, you inspired me and encouraged me to keep going...for the love of a horse.


THANK YOU...a million times over.

Hard to believe that six years has passed so quickly and now, this long journey comes to an end for me but not for you. Take what I have offered and embark on your own personal journey, to discover the horse of your dreams. He is out there, waiting for you.

EnJOY,
Ralph

Albaheiah Ezzain

There is a reason why the stallion Nooreddine Ezzain is one of my favorite horses bred by Usamah Alkazemi of Ezzain Arabian Stud in Kuwait. Her name is Albaheiah Ezzain and she is the oldest daughter of Nooreddine Ezzain and NK Nakeebya, a NK Hafid Jamil daughter out of Nabilah (Nahaman x Nashua). Through both her sire and dam, Albaheiah traces to the mare, Nashua, a Salaa el Dine daughter out of the Alaa El Din daughter, Lotfeia, a Babolna broodmare who also became an important broodmare for Katharinenhof, producing the stallion Nejdy, as well as Nashua. Both NK Nakeebya and Nooreddine are grand progeny of Nashua, as each horse is out of a Nashua daughter. NK Nakeebya is out of Nabilah, while Nooreddine is out of Nada. 

"The remarkable fact about Nashua is that she produced daughters, not sons: four mares by Adnan and three mares by another son of Salaa El Dine, Nahaman. NK Nada has three full sisters: NK Nasrin, NK Nadirah and NK Nadeerah."

To further underscore how closely related Nooreddine and NK Nakeebya are; both Nahaman and Adnan are Salaa El Dine sons. Nahaman is out of Ameera, a Madkour I daughter out of Hanan, while Adnan is out of Ghazala, a Ghazal daughter out of Hanan. So, the difference in pedigree between NK Nakeebya and NK Nada are two horses: Madkour I and Ghazal. 

I love many things about this mare, Albaheiah. She is a taller mare with a nice, wide chest conveying substance but still, very refined and elegant. She has  fine skin quality with excellent  pigmentation. I like the prominence of the bone in her face. Her muzzle with the larger sized nostril is not heavy or meaty and accentuates the shape of the head, which is shorter and wider with the loveliest black eyes, deep, round and placed lower in the head with much width between them. She is close-coupled and her back is strong and smooth. Her tail carriage is extreme; even while standing, her tail is like a flag, proudly carried.

I admire the courage and the vision of Usamah Alkazemi. The horse that he is producing, is an ultra-refined, elegant Arabian, the horse of Kings. Every time that I feel that he has reached the pinnacle and can go no farther, along comes yet another horse to prove how wrong I was in my thoughts. He has bred Albaheiah to Yasoob Ezzain, who is also closely related to Nooreddine, as he is out of NK Nada as well. I dream about the resulting foal and the role this horse will play in the Ezzain breeding program, towards breeding Usamah's version of the ultimate Arabian horse.

EnJOY,
Ralph

Lost in a Sense of Wonder

Christmas time...for many people, especially children, it's the magical season of wishes, dreams and wonder. A few years ago, a friend shared the following poem with me and for the first time, the feelings that I experience whenever I see a picture of the straight Egyptian stallion, Al Adeed al Shaqab, have words. For me, it was like magic, that someone who had lived a long time ago, through the words of a poem, gave a voice to the 'thing" that happens to me, every time I see a picture of this horse.

I wonder about you and me
you are the ultimate wish of all wishes
You drew me closer and closer to you
Until I lost myself and became one with you
I lost myself in a love so deep
That I no longer existed as me
Oh my blessing, my life and my solace after death
I have no one but you
You are my every fear and my refuge
You, whose garden blossoms with all of your senses,
embracing all that is beauty
If I could wish for one
YOU
are all that I could wish for.

May the wonder of the holiday season, never stray far from your heart.

EnJOY,
Ralph


This poem, I Wonder, was written by Al Hallaj, a Sufi poet, of Persian origin, who lived from 858 to 922 AD and was translated into English by my friend, Mr. Majid Alsayegh. I would have to say that that this particular picture is one of my favorite photos of Al Adeed Al Shaqab, as the horse is not only physically beautiful but he is also a beautiful horse inside, as one can see the depth of the relationship that exists between the horse and his beloved friend, Sheikh Hamad. This is the people-loving disposition, for which the horse is famed and loved by all.

A Christmas Angel

If only I had a horse...how many times had I said this to anyone who would listen? If only I had a horse, I would be so happy. If only I had a horse, my life would be so much better. If only...I was getting desperate...and older. I was afraid that owning a horse would never happen for me. I was losing hope.

HOPE

The thermometer registered 15 degrees Fahrenheit. It was a bitter cold December morning. My hands ached. I drove them deeper into the pockets of my coat, searching for any warmth I could find. The snow crunched under my boots, as I walked carefully on the sidewalk, towards the building where I worked.  It was Christmas time and lights twinkled all over town and yet, I felt bleak and gloomy inside. I had been working harder than I have ever worked before and the results? I was making less  than I ever earned before. How could I even consider owning a horse in this mess? I thought of all the bills that I needed to pay by month's end and my stomach started churning. A horse, really? Well, that was the least of my worries now. My boss had been riding me pretty hard, as my sales were falling short of my budget.

"Your sales are really, really bad and your pipeline is weak. Unless you do something about it, and do it fast, we are going to be having a different kind of conversation." he said.

"Pressure, pushing down on me, Pressing down on you,  no man ask for, Under pressure, that burns a building down, Splits a family in two, Puts people on streets"-from the song, Under Pressure written by David Bowie and Queen

My head was spinning. "Doesn't he understand the state of the economy and the effect it is having on everything, including my sales?" The fact was that my sales were a little less than 90% to budget; a worthy accomplishment on its own, in terms of the new growth which cushioned the impact of cautious customers buying significantly less than in previous years. It had been a long, challenging year and frankly, I just wanted to get past Christmas and into a new and more prosperous year.

I heard him before I could see him. "C'mon Angel baby....let's go!" he shouted at her. He slapped the reins hard against her back and she sprang forward, digging her hooves into the asphalt, every muscle in her powerful body straining, until finally, the carriage started moving. She was a dark bay colored mare, about 16 hands tall, with powerful shoulders and a well-muscled hindquarter.  She really didn't look like a carriage horse. I thought she looked more like one of the scopey Warmblood horses advertised in the English riding magazines. She was beautiful and her body just screamed to be ridden. I picked up the pace and soon, I had caught up with the carriage. Now that I was closer, I could see that the mare looked tired, cold and hungry. "yup, she's no carriage horse." I thought.

The carriage driver was an older man, about 60-something, maybe a little older. "Hey mister, how much for a ride?" I asked.

He turned to face me. "Where you headed?" I noticed the twinkle in his eye and a faint smile of recognition spreading across his face.

"500 Market Street, right at the corner of Broad." I told him.

He looked at me intently, as if he was studying every feature on my face. "10 bucks, not a penny less." he said.

I dove deep into my pockets and pulled out a ten dollar bill and gave it to him. He nodded at me, tipped his top hat and then, he patted the empty seat next to him. "C'mon up and sit here next to me kid. I want to talk with you. You remind me of my nephew." he said.

I jumped up into the carriage and sat down next to him. "You on your way to work, kid?" he asked me. I nodded and added, "unfortunately."

"I know how you feel kid, I know how you feel. This cold weather...it's not for me. I am tired of it. I'm cold all the time. No matter what I do, I'm just cold. I want something warmer. Today, I am dreaming about Florida. You know, my sister has been trying for years to get me to retire down there. She's got a cute little place in Cocoa Beach.  You know about it?" I shook my head. "Well, it's all about palm trees, flowers, blue sunny skies and no worries. I think she's onto something. Yup, I really think it's time." he said and then he asked me, "so, what time is it for you? Looks like you are about ready for a change too." The mare turned her head around to look at me and then,  I noticed the shape of  the star on her forehead. It looked like a "thumbs-up". I couldn't believe it and I laughed. "You think it's funny to move to Florida?" he asked.

"No sir, I just noticed the shape of your mare's marking, on her forehead. It looks like..."

"a thumbs up" he interrupted, finishing my sentence.With a sweet face, begging me to help her, she nickered to me and SUDDENLY, what I had been thinking, illuminated into an idea and from there, a plan.

"Hey kid, I think she likes you. That's my Angel, always flirting with the boys." he chuckled to himself.

I looked at my watch...quarter past seven. Time was running out and I needed to be in the office in a little more than an hour.

"Hey mister, it sounds like you are ready to make a change in your life and well, meeting you this morning is proving that I need to do something different too. So how 'bout it, are you up for Florida and a change?" I asked him, summoning up every bit of courage I could and hoping that this quickly concocted plan would work..

"Many dollars later, a first class ticket to Florida and a newly emptied savings account; I was the proud owner of Angel, a Percheron-Thoroughbred cross mare with a "thumbs-up" mark on her forehead. When the driver had pulled the harness off of her, it was hard not to miss the loud sigh of relief that came from a place deep down inside of her. Her head rubbed my chest, her warm breath finding every cold spot on my person and making me feel warm and wonderful. I rubbed her forehead and whispered, "Merry Christmas, my sweet Angel."

"Angels and archangels may have gathered there, cherubim and seraphim thronged the air; but his mother only, in her maiden bliss, worshiped the beloved with a kiss." -from the song, In the Bleak Midwinter written by Christina G. Rossetti and music by Gustav Holst

"If only..." had finally arrived, SUDDENLY and unexpectedly, in the form of a carriage horse named Angel, who was now on a horse trailer, headed west to begin a new chapter in her life and mine. It was not exactly how I expected horse ownership to happen for me. "Gosh, what a morning this has been. It's like a miracle." I thought and then,

STOP

I suddenly felt hot and a bit weak, like I was going to faint. "Hey wait a minute." I shouted in my mind as the realization of something really profound hit me, like a block of concrete.

"Just who is the real angel in all of this?" 

as the image of the carriage driver's face popped into my head.. "I thought there was something really familiar about the guy. And it wasn't because he looked like Peter Falk either." I laughed at the thought, as I saw the private detective, Columbo, in his trademark trench coat  in my mind. My heart, which had been so weighed down with discouragement only a few moments before, became happy and light.. "Could it have been a little miracle, could that driver have been an angel in disguise, sent down from heaven to help me this morning?" I asked myself. I shook my head, trying to shake off such crazy thoughts. "Gosh, I am starting to sound like I have been watching one too many Lifetime channel movies.but...it's pretty hard to dismiss that I was stressing like no tomorrow, before I met this guy and now, I have the one thing I have always desired, since I was a little kid. That's another thing too..he kept calling me kid." I smiled, after all, it was Christmas and I really felt it now, both inside and out. I felt like singing at the top of my lungs, for all the world to hear...HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING.....I got a horse for Christmas...my very own Christmas Angel!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS,
Ralph

NO BLUNT BLOOD

Hallany Mistanny and a subsequent discussion with a friend, became the catalyst for a new way of thinking, regarding a more authentic Egyptian horse, namely, horses with absolutely NO Blunt desert horses in their pedigree. Hallany Mistanny, although bred in America by General Dickinson of Travelers Rest, was out of *Zarife and *Roda, who were 100% Egyptian horses, bred by Prince Mohamed Aly Tewfik. His pedigree is completely free of the Blunt ancestral elements like Kars, Queen of Sheba, Azrek, Jerboa, Rodania and Dajania.

ARE THERE OTHERS LIKE HIM?

I started to think about other horses, who like Hallany Mistanny, are free of the Blunt desert horses. So, I checked the Babson horses and to my surprise, *Bint Bint Sabbah has 9.4% Blunt desert blood, as the stallion Kazmeen is the sire of her dam, Bint Sabah. Another Babson foundation mare, *Bint Serra I has the highest percentage of Blunt desert blood within the Babson group: 25%, as Sotamm is her sire and Jemla, while predominantly an Ali Pasha Sherif mare, has Bint Nura in her pedigree. *Bint Bint Durra, an Ibn Rabdan daughter out of Bint Durra, has 12.5% Blunt, as Saadun was an 'Ubayyan Sharrak stallion bred by Shaykh Mishari Ibn Sa'dun of the Muntafiq and imported in 1911 to Egypt by Lady Anne Blunt. So, only three Babson horses: *FADL, *MAAROUFA and *BINT SAADA are free of all Blunt DESERT ancestral elements...100% Egyptian!!!! While *Fadl and *Maaroufa are generously represented in SE breeding, unfortunately, *Bint Saada is not. Which makes me sad, because time and a few horses have taught me that the presence of *Bint Saada in the pedigree, gives a horse a little extra something, than similarly bred horses without *Bint Saada.

OK, so where to go from here?

Inshass...Not all but some of the Inshass horses,  have no Blunt desert breeding either. The mare pictured to the right, is the beautiful Hafiza, the dam of one of the most beautiful horses ever produced in Egypt, El Araby and a Hamdan daughter out of Mahfouza. She is authentic Egyptian, her ancestors having been bred by Prince Ahmad Pasha Kamal, Prince Mohamed Aly Tewfik, the RAS and Ali Pasha Sherif, as preserved by Lady Anne Blunt. While Hafiza is technically considered 87.5% Egypt I and 12.5% Inshass; if you check her Inshass line which comes through El Mahrousa, the dam of Mahfouza, you will notice that her sire is El Zafir, a horse bred by Prince Kamal el Din and out of a mare named El Shahbaa, an 'Ubayyah Umm Jurays of Muhammad Ibrahim al-Hajj of Cairo, Egypt, purchased in 1931 by King Fuad.

It wasn't so long ago, maybe within the last fifty years, that the possibility of establishing a breeding program (within the straight Egyptian gene pool) founded on horses with no Blunt desert blood (0%) was more realistic, than it is today. The horses that were needed for this type of initiative are long gone now, like the stallion, *Ibn Hafiza and unfortunately, this horse was not utilized in combination with other horses to preserve his non-Blunt-desert-horse pedigree for future use. Unless of course, you go outside of straight Egyptian breeding (but still within Al Khamsa) and use the Hisani horses, which are a combination of the Egyptian horses like *Fadl and Sirecho, combined with the non-Egyptian desert mares Muhaira and *Turfa. For now, the only option (within straight Egyptian lines) is to use horses whose Blunt percentage is very small, maybe under 10% and even, in fewer cases, under 5%. Considering the heavy influence of the stallion Nazeer and the fact that it is getting more difficult to find a horse without lines to him, it is a good option to have a source of blood whose ancestral elements are a bit different, for out cross purposes. It is in situations like these, that I think of people like Jane Ott and I start to understand where she was coming from, so long ago. Her message concerning the Blue Star horses was extraordinary and well, I wish that more of us had listened to what she said.

EnJOY,
Ralph

PS-The photo of Hallany Mistanny is from the Billy Sheets collection, via Daughters of the Wind Blog and the photo of Hafiza is a Judi Forbis photo.

HALILUYAH, I LOVE HER SO

"That's why I know, yes, I know, Hallelujah, I just love her so."-Ray Charles, from his song, Hallelujah I Love Her So

This is the 2006 filly, Amirah Moon MH, an Haliluyah daughter out of the El Halimaar daughter, Moon Storm MH. She was bred by Rancho Bulakenyo and is now owned by Ali and Yasmine Shaarawi of Shaarawi Arabians in Egypt. I wanted very much to support the statement that I had made in my recent blog about ibby, regarding the quality of the get that Haliluyah MH has and is siring.

Amirah Moon MH, by virtue of her pedigree, is concentrated in the blood of *Ansata Ibn Halima and the Babson horses: *Fadl, *Maaroufa, *Bint Bint Sabbah and *Bint Serra I, as you have an El Halimaar son, bred to an El Halimaar daughter. However, the maternal side of Moon Storm MH's pedigree introduces some Inshass blood through Sameh and the Hamdan-sired get like Ameena, Mahfouza and Anter, as well as the EAO horses like *Morafic and Alaa el Din. The Dahmah tail female line, through *Bint Maisa el Saghira traces to the Bahraini mare, Bint El Bahreyn, while at the same time bringing in an additional line to the *Ansata Ibn Halima son, El Hilal.

The effect of intensifying *Ansata Ibn Halima, as well as *Bint Nefisaa in the same horse, results in an intense concentration of the Farida bloodline. Between these two horses, there are fourteen lines to Farida which when added together with the one line through Balance, the sire of Yaquota, results in FIFTEEN lines to Farida. FIFTEEN! It is also very interesting to consider the influence of the Saqlawiyah mare Ghazala, the daughter of the Ali Pasha Sherif mare, Bint Helwa. Shahloul and Hamdan were full brothers, both horses out of Bint Radia, so with every line to Moniet el Nefous, Kateefa and Maisa, you have a line to Shaloul, and of course, Bint Radia. Combine the lines to Shahloul with those of Hamdan and very quickly, the pedigree jumps from five lines to eight lines plus one additional line through Zareefa, bringing the total to nine lines.

"Incorporating the Saqlawi type brings length back to neck and leg, which can be lost with intense use of Dahman and Kuhaylan strain types. It also yields finer bone structure and produces flatter and less prominent muscling. Too much Saqlawi can produce a long back and ears. Dahman type brings back an overall balance and harmony, including more dished heads and larger eyes, and shorter backs, but also has the tendency to produce shorter necks and legs, heavier muscling, and more bone."-Walter Schimanski

Amirah Moon MH confirms the wisdom and courage of her breeder and now, in Egypt, expands the influence of Haliluyah MH much farther, to include a new chapter in the birthplace of his ancestors.

EnJOY,
Ralph

PS-The photos of Amirah Moon MH were taken by the wonderful photographer, Jeff Little

Home

"Hi Marky, it's Mom. Just calling to tell you that I hung the ornament you made, on the tree today. Remember that? I love you and miss you so much. Please honey, come home soon." I knew my mom well enough to recognize that her voice, so warm and soothing, was holding back a sob. She was trying hard to sound strong and courageous. I thought of my mother and of the loving home that she created for me, all these years. Gosh, I lost count of how many times I must have broken her heart, including tonight.

HOME...

"I'm dreaming tonight of a place I love
Even more then I usually do
And although I know,
it's a long road back

I promise you

I'll be home for Christmas."-from the song, I'll Be Home for Christmas, written by Kim Gannon, Walter Kent and Buck

Like Dorothy, in the Wizard of Oz movie, I wanted to click my heels together and say, "there's no place like home" and find myself walking the long gravel driveway that led back to the farmhouse with red shutters, a warm and inviting glow radiating from all the windows. Home...my home. My heart fluttered. How I missed home. I imagined opening the front door, to fall into the waiting arms of my loving mother. Nothing could define home more concisely than my mother.

When I left home, I was determined to become my own person and do all the things I wanted to do, when I wanted to do them and never apologize.

LIVE FAST and DIE YOUNG.

Life,  for me, was meant to be lived on the edge, played hard and loud...like rock music. And yes, I had done exactly that...except that I hadn't bargained on living a life that was less than full, a life that paled in comparison to the quality of life I lived when, yup, you guessed it...when I was home. I was tired, ready for a change and now, listening to my mother's voice...well, I was not so proud of my so-called independent life. And yet, I knew that no matter what I did, what I said or how ugly I got, I knew that my mother would still love me. My mother still believed in me, even when I wasn't worthy of her trust. I craved forgiveness and I was struggling with the whole concept of redemption...and God. "Maybe, that's how I need to think of God...like I think of my mother, a person whose love knows no limits, always there for me. That's how God must love me too, maybe...even more."

"God calls us to come home for Christmas. God calls us to come back from all those places where we have settled for less...God calls us back from all the ambitions and possessions we have pursued, thinking they would satisfy us...Preparing for Christmas means looking deep within ourselves and asking if our hearts are truly at home in the lives we are living. "-Mary Lou Redding, from her book, While We Wait: Living the Questions of Advent

I really needed to do something, maybe I needed to accept this gift of love that I had been given...and so, I picked up the receiver and dialed.
 
One...two...three rings...no answer...
 
...just when I was ready to hang up...
 
"Hello?"

*pause*
 
"Hello?"

I was quiet for a second, thinking of all I wanted to tell her and couldn't. I was afraid.

"Hello?

*pause*

Is someone there?

*pause*

Marky? Is this you?

*pause*

Please, Marky, say something...anything."she pleaded.

*pause*
 
"Hello...Mom...uh, yes...it's me, I mean, it's Marky." I paused and said, "Mom...uh..I'm sorry...for everything. I've been so wrong about so many things...and..about Christmas, well, can I come home?" as I finally started to tear down the walls of anger and bitterness, that kept me separated from the people and the place I knew as...
 
HOME.

EnJOY,
Ralph

A Very BLACK STALLION Christmas

"If I had influence with the good fairy who is supposed to preside over the christening of all children, I should ask that her gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life."-Rachel Carson

Every Christmas, I looked for the horse of my dreams under the tree. I would wake up early, before anyone in my family would awaken, to look for and greet the horse that Santa Claus had left for me and that I spent the entire year waiting for. I expected and looked for

A MIRACLE

Many years later, the twinkling lights on a tree and the aroma of fresh pine and I think about these days. Christmas  was and still is the perfect magical setting, for dreams, for discovery, for something BIG like a much dreamed-about horse to find its way to your heart.

Mari Silveus is a breeder of Egyptian Arabian Horses. I admire Mari as a person who cares very deeply about all horses, about all life. She is breeding farther within the strain we knew for a long time as  Kuhaylan Jellabi, than anyone I have ever known and producing horses who are refined and elegant, with a phentotype that is the antithesis of what most people feel is Babson type.

A funny thing happened when I wrote about Princeton Faaris. I hadn't really planned to write about Gurjani El Jilani. And then, that's where Christmas trees, Santa Clauses, dreams and horses come together. Who would have thought that Princeton Faaris and Gurjani El Jilani would come together, in a blend so powerful, to ultimately create my magical Christmas horse? SR Manial Faaris is a son of "the black pearl", Gurjani El Jilani and out of the mare SR Bint Faaris, a Princeton Faaris daughter out of the mare, Rou Amirah (Amir Ibn FaSerr x Roulett). It is interesting to study the tail female of this horse, as Roulett was sired by Mahrouf, out of Roufina's daughter, Roulena. Roufina and Mahrouf were both out of the mare, Aaroufa. These two horses are siblings to famous horses like Fada, Aarouser and Roufas, to name a few members of this awesome family. The overwhelming influence of Bint Yamama present in this horse is amazing, as well as the influence of *Bint Serra and to balance it all out, the Dahmah, *Bint Bint Sabbah. I love the antiquity of this horse, who remains timeless in his appeal, both as an individual and as a breeding stallion.

A successful Hunter Pleasure Horse, SR Manial Faaris created living history at the 2003 Egyptian Event, becoming the first stallion, the first four year old, the youngest horse EVER, to capture the entire Hunter Pleasure division at the Egyptian Event. As a matter of fact, he won against the number one hunter horse in the country, at the time. He was an amazing success under saddle and at Mari's farm, he has transitioned from a champion hunter  to a successful sire.

So, maybe, miracles do happen? Possibly not in the way we expect them to occur, like under a Christmas tree with your name written on the gift tag but believe me when I tell you that miracles are an everyday occurrence, especially to those who still have hope that miracles happen...SUDDENLY...and their magic, well, let's say it's the season for a child-like sense of wonder.

“There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle.”-Albert Einstein

EnJOY,
Ralph

ibby

"There are white horses, but no more knights;

there are war horses, but no more warriors;

there are cavaliers, but no more chivalry;

there are authentic blooded horses, but fake horsemanship.
Yet hope is revived by your presence, and good fortune is tied to your forelock."-Rania Elsayed

IbnHalimElMansour is a 1997 bay stallion, a son of the *Ansata Ibn Halima son, Halim El Mansour and out of the El Hilal daughter, MFA Bint Maarree.When I think of ibby, I always start at his pedigree and marvel over the concentration of a few horses:

*Ansata Ibn Halima
*Bint Nefisaa
*Fadl
*Bint Bint Sabbah
*Bint Serra I
*Maaroufa

That's it...six horses...six completely wonderful horses...ibby's entire pedigree is made up of these 6 horses...used wisely and in different combinations, the end result is this handsome bay stallion, whom I know as "ibby".

STOP

There is another horse that I know about, bred similarly to ibby. Do you know who it is? We discussed him before.

Haliluyah MH

He is an El Halimaar son out of RDM Maar Hala.

El Halimaar and Halim El Mansour are full brothers, so the sire line is exactly the same in both horses. The ONLY difference between both horses is that Haliluyah has a double shot of the mare Maar Jumana, through RDM Maar Hala. Since ibby is out of MFA Bint Maarree, the mare Maar-Ree is much closer up in the pedigree, as compared to the position of Maar-Ree in Maar Hala's pedigree. There is no Maar Jumana to separate MFA Bint Maarree and Maar-Ree.

It's also extremely interesting to consider the coat color difference between both stallions, as this difference in coat color also existed between Halim El Mansour, a bay and El Halimaar, a grey but phenotypically, both ibby and Haliluyah are very similarly-built horses full of curves, generous proportions and rounded, flowing lines, maybe, ibby's topline is a bit stronger  than Haliluyah's.

ibby was bred by Caryn and Mark Rogosky, who owned both Halim El Mansour and MFA Bint Maarree. Eventually, Halim El Mansour was sold to Marilyn Lang at Fantasia Arabians in Sealy, Texas, where he lived, until he died.

One of the last times that I saw ibby, before blindness stole the joy that sparkled from his eyes; Caryn had turned him out for me in a large field and suddenly, this little horse grew in stature and proceeded to eat up the ground with stride after stride after stride. The youthful exuberance that he felt was contagious, and I found it extremely hard to stand still and not join ibby as he floated effortlessly around us, one circle after another after another. The joy pulsed from my heart, through my veins, finally escaping through my open mouth, disguised as laughter. "Gosh Caryn, I love this horse, I love everything about him but more than anything, I love who he is...I love his joy. It's infectious. It makes me happy just to see him." I remember saying.

"Why can't I find you
Why have you gone away
Where is the laughter
You used to bring me..." -from the song, Where Are You Christmas, co-written by James Horner and Will Jennings

ibby was sold to Christina Muller-Levan of Breezewood Stables, Pennsylvania, where he has lived happily and quietly, as naturally as a horse can live, within fenced pastures. I spoke with Christina and she said of ibby,

"He is so beautiful!  And yes he is doing well.  He is still turned out in the same pasture with one mare.  WK Norah Moniet."

While ibby has not yet sired any get, Haliluyah has sired horses at Rancho Bulakenyo and at Al Abbasiyah, where he currently resides. The new foals are outstanding. One can only wonder what ibby might sire, given similar opportunities.

EnJOY,
Ralph

Gabriel

The night air was cold upon her face, even without the wind. She wept. Her heart, was broken in two and drowning in loneliness. The desert was a big place, especially at night. "How could she do this to me?" she wailed, "How could

HE

do this to me?" Her inner rage boiling, the fury launching from her lips,

"THIS IS ALSO HIS SON!"

Her tears, like icicles, frozen forever on her cheeks, a harsh reminder of the icy heart that betrayed her and driven her away from a place of comfort...her home. Her son, now fast asleep, wrapped himself tighter in her cloak, as the wind blew a little harder, a little colder. Yes, it was going to be cold in the desert tonight and Egypt was still a few more nights away.

"God of Abraham, I have no reason to trust you but if you are everything Abraham says that you are, please, do not abandon me!" she screamed into the black night.

The wind suddenly grew stronger and the sand, suddenly airborne, blasted angrily against all in his path. A whirling, dervish of sand surrounded her and her child.

"What is this, what is happening?" she questioned, with great concern.

"Hagar, your faith in the living God has been heard and God has sent me to you, to help you, in your time of need."

Suddenly, out of thin air, the handsome young man, with hair of gold, materialized out of thin air, right in front of her eyes.

"Peace to you, Hagar and to your son, Ishmael..." as the young man confidently walked towards them.

The angel Gabriel figures prominently in three world religions: Islam, Christianity and Judaism. I find this fact amazing, as many people, all over the world, share common ground through Gabriel. גַּבְרִיאֵל, Gavri'el, Gabrielus, جبريل Jibril, Jibrail, جبرائيل , Gabriel, in all the various names which people know him, means "strength of God". In all three religions, Gabriel is a messenger, between God and His creation.

In the time of Babylon, Daniel was visited by the Angel Gabriel, who helped Daniel to interpret visions that he experienced and did not understand. Gabriel's revelations bring wisdom and understanding, where there was none and bears witness to a God who loves His people and cares for each of us so much, that He would send an angel to Daniel, to counsel him.

"I am Gabriel, who stands before God.."-Luke 1:19

In Christianity, Gabriel is the angel who informs Zacharias of his wife's forthcoming pregnancy. Elizabeth, despite an advanced age, gives birth to a son, John, whom we know as John the Baptist. However, Gabriel's greatest message was to Mary, when He visited her to deliver the news that she would give birth to Jesus. Subsequently, Gabriel visits Joseph in a dream, to warn him of Herod's jealousy and his mission to slaughter all the newly-born male babies in Bethlehem. While the New Testament does not tell us that Gabriel was in fact, the Angel who delivered the news to Mary Magdalene of the resurrection, most Christians believe that Gabriel was the angel who said "Why do you search for the living among the dead?" Most Christians also believe that Gabriel was the angel who ministered to Jesus, as He agonized in the Garden of Gethsemane, the night before His passion.

In Islam, Gabriel is also an angelic messenger, delivering messages from God to His beloved people. During the last days of Ramadan, on Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Great Value), Muslims remember the night that Gabriel descended to earth, to reveal the Qur'an to the prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him). Muslims also believe that Gabriel accompanied the prophet on his ascension into the heavens.

One fact is amazingly clear, whether you read the Qur'an, the Bible or the Tanakh; Gabriel has been trying to get our attention. He wants to help us get closer to God, in the hope that we may form a deep and loving relationship with Him. Gabriel reminds us that all good things come from God and in times of great desperation, when we need God the most, his message is full of great joy and hope.

God loves you.  God wants you.

For those of us who love the Asil Arabian Horse, we are connected through the much-loved legends that have passed from one generation to the next, concerning the origin of the horse. Gabriel figures prominently in many of these stories.

"My blessed companion and friend of my creator, thou wilt never fail me."-from The Classic Arabian Horse written by Judith Forbis

"Who are you and where have you come from?" she asks, as she backs up towards her sleeping child, positioning her body between the stranger and Ishmael, offering her child protection.

Although she does not recognize him, she asks

"Has Abraham sent you for me?"

with a little hope still in her voice.

"I mean you no harm Hagar, the Lord God has found great favor in you. For you have remained steadfast in the faith of Abraham. You have not strayed from God and worshipped the pagan gods," he explained, "God is my strength and has sent me here, to this desert, to you, to bless you."

And as his words drifted into the growing wind, Hagar felt the heat rise and the sand started to swirl around her and from nowhere, the sound of a beating heart, amplified, pulsing in her eardrums, faster and faster.

"What is happening?"

And then, the most beautiful creature Hagar had ever seen, materialized out of the wind and stood before her, looking at her. She was extraordinary in her beauty and in her spirit, for she imparted an immediate feeling of peace upon Hagar, the likes of which she had never known. The creature was smaller than the camel but larger than the donkey, with eyes set wide apart in her broad head.  In the middle of her head was a white mark, shaped like a star, as if the star had fallen out of the night sky, landing upon her bulging forehead. She reached her nose out to Hagar, stretching her long neck and soon, her warm breath was dancing upon Hagar's skin. Her broad chest flowed into powerful shoulders, conveying the fact that this creature could fly like the wind, across the sand and away from danger. Her tail, like a flag, was blown from side to side, as if made from the finest silk.

"What is..?" her question, unfinished, drifted in the night air.

"She is a gift, from God. Her name is Kuhaylah and her children will inspire and encourage people for many years to come, long after you are gone from this place, for God has found favor with you Hagar and with your prayers...."

Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies"-from the song, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, written by Charles Wesley

EnJOY,
Ralph

PS The painting by Mary Haggard was the poster for the 2002 Scottsdale All Arabian show. The scond painting of the chestnut Arabian Horse is by Fred Verbeek