all for the love of a horse...: Waheed Al Azhaar RZ

24 August, 2020

Waheed Al Azhaar RZ

Waheed al Azhaar RZ (Amer Azhaar x Desired Millicent) as photographed by Jennifer MacNeill

Three years ago, when the privacy issues of Facebook started to become better known, I decided to delete my Facebook account. It took a few months and in the beginning, it wasn't easy to live through social media withdrawal and the overwhelming urge to put an emoji on something. In the very beginning, I did miss all the sources of equine information that Facebook provided but I soon figured out that I could still read the posts made within my favorite Facebook page, Al Khamsa Arabian Horse Breeders with limitations; I am not able to click on the "like" button or even, comment in the discussions. The last few weeks have been extremely busy and I haven't had the opportunity to keep up with the new material posted to the Al Khamsa facebook group, until yesterday, when I unexpectedly stumbled upon a photo posted by Angela White of Roze Arabians in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. The photo, taken by Jennifer MacNeill, is of Angela White's 2015 stallion, Waheed Al Azhaar RZ. He is sired by the late Yorklyn Arabians stallion, Amer Azhaar, a Laheeb al Nasser (Al Adeed Al Shaqab x Bint Saida al Nasser) son out of the Dorian Weil-bred mare, Dorian BintHadidi (Hadidi x Dorian Fa Halima). His dam, Desired Millicent, was bred by Kendra Wells and is by her late stallion, Desperados Getaway (Thee Desperado x ImperialBtKalilah) and out of Menouthis, a mare bred by Melissa Huprich, who traces through Bint Moftakhar to Ansata Fatima and from there, to *Ansata Bint Zaafarana.

I have always felt odd and just out of step, in this world of Arabian horses, which is so dominated by the influence of the show ring and the artificiality employed, to show horses in that all defining, singular fairy-tale moment, which makes all of our hair stand on edge and jaws drop in awe and wonder. It wouldn't be so bad, if we could just show horses in a relaxed manner, confident, happy and not well, frightened, stiff and hollow-backed, who at any moment will have their eyes explode like balloons, as they jump out of their skin. How did we ever let anyone convince us that a horse is more beautiful when in this heightened sense of fear and panic?

So, here's this refreshing photo of this beautifully moving and very attractive horse, using his back, showing freedom in the shoulders and elasticity and driving power in his hocks! His muscular development tells a great story, which is best explained through a quotation made by Alois Podhajsky in My Horses, My Teachers,

"Correct work had made him more beautiful, his muscles had developed, and he moved cheerfully and powerfully in balance and harmony. He was convincing proof that systematic and methodical work will result in the increasing beauty of the horse."

In 2017, Waheed Al Azhaar RZ was named a Reserve Champion Sport Horse in Hand, both at Region 15 and at the East Coast Championships. The following year, he returned to the East Coast Championships and was named Champion Sport Horse in Hand. A proven sire, his 2019 daughter, Jassirah RZ, out of the MB Mistaz daughter, Mistazah, went to the world famous show, Dressage at Devon, where she was named Champion in the individual breed class, as well as reserves in the pony championship classes.

A closer look at function, form and beauty by Jennifer MacNeill Photography

Genetically, what I found interesting about Waheed Al Azhaar RZ is his tail female line, which runs back to one of my favorite horses of all time, the 1946 mare, Zaafarana (Balance x Samira), bred by the RAS. Zaafarana was celebrated in her time for her brilliant action and presence. She must have been electrifying, when moving. She captivated all who watched her, including Judith Forbis who said, "she was a mare of exceptional quality and brilliant action." Zaafarana was an excellent producer, passing on her athleticism to her sons *Talal (by Nazeer) and Amrulla (by Sid Abouhom), who became champions and much loved racehorses in Egypt.

On the flip side, the sire line of Waheed Al Azhaar RZ is one of the most popular, that of Saklawi I:

Waheed Al Azhaar >Amer Azhaar >Laheeb al Nasser >Al Adeed al Shaqab >Ansata Halim Shah >*Ansata Ibn Halima >Nazeer >Mansour >Gamil Manial >Saklawi II >Saklawi I

In straight Egyptian breeding, this sire line dominates our gene pool, as widespread as the sire line is today, primarily through the stallion, Nazeer.

It's always interesting to determine the strain of influence and Waheed Al Azhaar's pedigree is very interesting in this regard. By virtue of his tail female line, he is Saqlawi, in strain. However, do you know that through horses like Laheeb Al Nasser (pure-in-strain Hadban), Thee Desperado (pure-in-strain Hadban) and Hadidi's sire, Norus (through Souhair and Hadban Enzahi), Waheed Al Azhaar RZ is almost 70% Hadban? Originally, the horses of the Hadban strain were called "Hadban", because they descended from a mare who had a long, bushy and thick mane, so profuse, that it covered her withers, her shoulders and ran down to her forearms. Hadban strain horses are a substrain of the Kuhaylan strain and physically, these horses show their Kuhaylan influence as they are strong and balanced horses, not extreme in their characteristics and combine well with horses of other strains. As interesting as it is, to learn of the influence of the Hadban strain in Waheed Al Azhaar's pedigree, what I also found interesting is the presence of two other pure-in-strain horses: the Dahman BKA Imeer (Ansata Imperial x Imperial Mistic) and the Saklawi, Reg Madaha (TheEgyptianPrince x AK Nasula). Along with the Kuhaylan Rodan strain (Imperial Sonbesjul and Dorian Shahwaniyah), these 3 strains represent the 30% of his pedigree, after the Hadban strain.

Historically, summer has been the time of year where I try to experience personal growth, finding ways to push myself out of my comfort zone, in the hope that when autumn returns, I will be that much closer to living the best version of myself. Most summers, I have chased after Carl Raswan, trying to recapture something that I lost along the way. Here we are, almost at the end of yet another summer and I still haven't caught Raswan and somewhere in the process, I am older and wiser in the ways that I wish that I wasn't, trying to find my way in a world that feels so strange. Yet, it is largely because of horses like Waheed Al Azhaar RZ that I continue to harbor hope that maybe one of these summers, I will find that place I am searching for, where I will finally put all the broken pieces back together and the questions that remain unanswered, will no longer remain as questions but answers, bringing clarity and direction.

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MY FAVORITE WEBSITE

If you want to understand the desert Arabian horse on a deeper level, then you will want to visit Daughters of the Wind, a blog maintained by Edouard al-Dahdah, since 2008. It's my favorite place to visit, on a regular basis. For me personally, the information that Edouard presents is at times so profound, that I find myself weeks, even months later, still thinking about what he has written. I consider him a treasured source of inspiration and for the times that I don't feel like writing anymore, a significant source of encouragement. In one place, you will be able to read of the horses, their heritage; as well as the culture, traditions and the geography of the land, from where they originated. I strongly encourage you to visit his blog to broaden your understanding and deepen your appreciation for the Bedouin-bred horse.

MY FAVORITE WEBSITE X 2

The Horse In Word and Picture is the blog of Rania el Sayed, a very talented photographer, whose equine photography is second-to-none. I still remember when I first learned of Rania, it was all because of the late Dr. Nasr Marei. At the time, Nasr published an article that featured Rania's photography. I was thrilled by the photography and later, "meeting" Rania was one of the highlights of my horse life. I loved her photo of Mangooma and Rania, in an act of kindness never to be forgotten, let me use her photo in my blog. Thanks Rania for all of your support. You'll love Rania's blog and all of the equine topics she covers, including the straight Egyptian Arabian Horse. She really pushes me to think deeply about things that I haven't thought in a while. And you don't have to join Facebook, to read her posts. .

MY FAVORITE BOOK

One of the questions that I am asked most frequently is which book(s) do I recommend? Judith Forbis', The Classic Arabian Horse, published in 1976, is MY FAVORITE BOOK...EVER. Prior to the publication of this book, we really didn't have anything that compiled the history, the bloodlines & breeding practices and conformation (including breed type) of the straight Egyptian horse in one volume. You had to dig through multiple sources, sometimes in languages foreign to one's own, to try and develop an understanding of the Egyptian Arabian horse. So, this is my recommendation to you today, especially if you are just starting, this is the most important book you will ever own. You can find the book on Amazon, previously owned, at a very affordable price.

A NEW FAVORITE BOOK

Many times, I have heard other enthuiasts say, "if only I could get into the mind of this breeder and understand the Arabian horse as he or she does!" Dr. William Hudson, a long-time breeder, weaves together his lifetime of experiences including the latest developments in equine genetic science with the history, art and culture of the Arabian horse. This is not the type of book that you will read, cover-to-cover, in one sitting. You will find yourself turning to this massive 1,500 page, 2-volume set, over and over. If you love Arabian horses and want to understand the breed intimately, on a deeper level, this is the only book you will ever need to own. If you are breeding Egyptian Arabian horses, I urge you to purchase this 2-volume set before you breed one more horse!

MORE FAVORITE BOOKS...

One of the questions that I am asked most frequently is which book(s) do I recommend? Previously, I mentioned Judith Forbis' THE CLASSIC ARABIAN HORSE which is a great introduction to the breed and to Egyptian Arabian horses specifically. But now, you have read that book and are ready to go deeper. So, this is the book that I recommend reading (VOLUME II ) without hesitation. It's fantastic. The depth of this book, within tail female lines, sire lines and strains found in Egyptian (EAO) breeding is not found anywhere else. If you are serious about the Egyptian Arabian horse, whether a breeder, student or enthusiast, you must read this book, at least once!

STILL MORE FAVORITE BOOKS

In the Preface, Dr. Nagel wrote, "Since it is claimed that the Arabian horse breed is one of the oldest on earth, one has to accept that it is also in the crossfire of many opinions which sometimes clash vigorously. There are obviously many doubts and errors, and the advocates of different concepts seem to be not ready to settle on a common stance. It should encourage the reader to think...The refreshing variety of thoughts surrounding this noble member of the great family of horses should not be lost." Whether you agree or disagree with Dr. Nagel, is not what is important but rather, the resulting thought that this book will inspire. I can't even tell you how many times I have read this wonderful book cover-to-cover. It's one of the more provocative books that I have ever read and each time I have read it, a part of the book that had not impacted me previously, will cause me to think deeply for days, weeks and even months at a time. So, dear reader, I recommend this book to you, in the hope that it will inspire you to think deeply about our breed and examine why, you feel the way you do.

"The ideal Arabian type is recognizable at sight to the experienced horseman and novice alike. It falls short of the ideal if it reminds one of another horse or breed. It falls short of the ideal if it is so plain and uncertain of type as to require a sign: 'This is an Arabian horse.' It falls short of the ideal if it is so coarse and masculine as to remind one of a small Percheron, at one extreme, or so highly animated and elf-like as to remind one of a gazelle at the other extreme. The ideal type stands out alone. You know it immediately when you see it."-Ben Hur, from his 1951 Western Horseman article, Type in the Arab

In the summer of 2006, when I discovered Blogger, the last thing on my mind was creating a blog. At the time, I had been participating in a popular Egyptian Arabian horse website and desired to find a website that would allow me to "cut-and-paste" the posts that I had written for future reference. From those humble beginnings, this blog was born. I'm not a professional writer and although I want to say that writing is a hobby; I think it is better to say that I write for the love of the breed. I've had the good fortune to meet a number of horses who are now considered legendary, as well as some really wonderful people, who are equally legendary. Over the years, people have suggested that I charge a subscription fee or pursue paid sponsorships but you know how money changes everything and this blog, after all, is a labor of love. So, there you have it, the story of the blog. Many thanks to the people who make this blog doable, for example, where would I be without any of the photographers, the "visual storytellers" of our breed, who allow me to post their pictures and to the authors of the many books and magazine articles that I have read over the course of 45 or so years, helping to educate a long ago kid, crazy in love with Arabian horses. And finally, an overwhelming amount of gratitude for you dear readers, for coming here to this place, to read, discover and celebrate this common ground we share, all for the love of an Arabian horse.

24 August, 2020

Waheed Al Azhaar RZ

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