TA Arapaho is a 2006 Ekstern son, out of Algira (Balon x Algeria). He was bred by the Janow Podlaski State Stud and imported in utero by Dick and Christine Reed, of Toskhara Arabians, Aubrey, Texas. In tail female line, through his maternal granddam, the 1982 Polish National Champion mare, Algeria, and her dam, Algonkina, the dam of Algomej, TA Arapaho traces back to The Babolna Stud breeding program and the mare, Bulwa, a Kuhailan Zaid daughter out of 12 Siglavy Bagdady. TA Arapaho is now owned by Lynne Dimmer of Mystic Side Arabians in Dunkirk, New York.
I really love this photo. It was the inspiration that I needed, which has now manifested itself in the form of this blog. TA Arapaho is using the muscling in his back, driving himself forward with his powerful hind end, while the freedom in his shoulders enables him to cover as much ground as possible. In this beautiful moment, TA Arapaho is air-borne, as he is in that moment of suspension that most Arabian horse people call "floating". I love how far under himself, he is reaching with that hind leg! A long time ago, when my mare was alive and we were working on the longe line, our goal was to achieve this frame, even if, it was only for only a couple of strides. To see a horse working naturally like this is a big thrill for me and never gets old. I guess this is the kind of photo that encourages people to say: "poetry-in-motion".
One of the other qualities that I really like about TA Arapaho is his size. He is 15.1 hands tall ( approx. 155 cm). I prefer larger-sized horses, especially if you will use them under saddle. Contrary to popular opinion I found within the book, In Concerning Oriental Horses and Those Originating from Oriental Strains, Count Waclaw Rzewuski, the author (Translated by James Luck and Annotated by Andrew Steen) says,
"It is a great error to believe that desert Arab horses should generally be small. Some of them are, as everywhere, below average size, but this lack of growth is not typical of the Bedouin strain. To the contrary, some of them are found to be large and even very tall."
Ekstern is recognized for siring daughters of great influence and despite having sired the beloved Esparto, who tragically, died in 2015, Ekstern is not known for siring sons of the quality that will rival his daughters. I don't know of anything that is more wonderful in this world than an Ekstern daughter. With that said, it was all the more important for me, to highlight another son, in a different color than his sire, who is absolutely spectacular. And I am not unique in expressing this sentiment, as many other people agree, naming TA Arapaho a Las Vegas World Cup Reserve Champion Stallion, as well as a Region 9 Champion Stallion, a Scottsdale Liberty Champion and a US National Top Ten Hunter-Type Stallion.
"Arapaho" is the name of a Native American nation, who settled in the great plains of the American West, from western Oklahoma through the Nebraska panhandle, up through Colorado, Wyoming and Montana. An agriculturally-focused tribe, once the Arapaho were introduced to horses, they became master horseman and admired for their warrior skills. I found it interesting that a horse whose origin traces back to the Bedouin, would be so honored with the name of a great horse nation like the Arapaho.
***This blog post is lovingly dedicated to the memory of Christine Reed, who tragically, died in January 2020. The Toskhara breeding program, which includes TA Arapaho, is a reflection of Christine's understanding and wisdom of the breed.***
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