all for the love of a horse...: COURAGE: A LIFE LESSON

23 January, 2023

COURAGE: A LIFE LESSON

"In horse's eyes shine stars of wisdom and courage to guide men to the heavens." - Jodie Mitchell

The Open House at Imperial Egyptian Stud had already begun and I was late; the drive had been much longer than I had planned. If only I had left earlier! As I made my way to the indoor arena, I passed a mature chestnut mare who was being led towards the same place I was going. I noticed the labored way in which the mare was walking. I didn't recognize her and she sure didn't look like the mare pictured in any of the photos from her 1971 US National Championship win. Imagine my surprise, when later in the day, the young girl led the same chestnut mare to the ring, unclipped the lead and Barbara Griffith, after introducing *Serenity Sonbolah, asked the audience to share their enthusiasm and appreciation, as the mare was responsive to this type of vocal adulation. "What?" I thought, "she must be kidding" but it was no joke. And just as Barbara Griffith said it would happen; I saw a transformation slowly take place. You might even call it a miracle. With every clap and shout, this mare's powerful trot grew bigger and bigger, as she collected herself, tail curled over her back, her hocks driving her forward in ground-covering strides. With nostrils dilated, a deep snort rumbled from deep within her, like a herald, announcing what would be, an unforgettable performance for all. Suspended in the air, she floated this way and a quick change of lead and, she floated that way. She was like a prima ballerina, delivering the most important ballet of her life. The mare that I had barely noticed, as I walked past her, metamorphosed into the most beautiful mare on planet earth. A tear rolled down my cheek, as Sonbolah "flew" around the arena, enjoying every form of appreciation we gave her. How did I miss this? I quickly surveyed the audience and observed a variety of reactions, smiles, tears, while others were too stunned to even show any emotion. It was obvious that they were feeling what I was feeling too. I wondered, how is it even possible for this mare to move like this? The look on *Serenity Sonbolah's face was not like the face of the struggling horse from the morning. Sonbolah's joy, like a raging fire that burned deeply within her chestnut-colored body, threatened to consume us all and from the ashes, we would emerge as new people, having witnessed what we believed to be impossible. *Serenity Sonbolah gave us everything she had but she gave me more, so much more, at a time in my life that I really needed to learn to go deeper, to find something more real than I have ever known. She taught me a vitally important lesson about real beauty, way beyond all the hallmarks, the breed type, the classic look. Sonbolah's beauty was found in her courage, more than I had ever seen in a human being or felt within myself. She still inspires me to live life joyfully, boldly and courageously as she once did. It's a lesson of a lifetime, taught by a horse, to whom I am forever grateful.

***Everyone has that one inspirational photo that takes your breath away, makes your heart race with excitement and leaves all your hair standing on edge. This is that photo for me. I think Scott Trees is the amazing photographer who captured Sonbolah on film, so long ago. How did he keep it all together when he saw her through his lens?***

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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.

23 January, 2023

COURAGE: A LIFE LESSON

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