DOUBLEVISION

HC Abla Raqqas is a 2013 Hadidi daughter, out of Ravenwood Sensation (Ravenwood Majesty x Ravenwood Cody). I wasn't planning to blog about her again but her owner, Christine Emmert, shared the above photo with me. Her hind end is engaged, her back serves as the "bridge of energy", connecting back to front, allowing her hind leg to reach far under her, to drive her body forward, in a relaxed and calm manner, while remaining supple. Do you see the bulging muscles on each side of her spine, in the area between her loins and croup? That's your proof that she is really working her hind end. Christine takes alot of photos that I enjoy seeing but this particular photo ranks up there with Gigi Grasso's photo of Taghira B, *Pharrah, Emira, Zlota Nic and *Serenity Sonbolah. I love it because it is comforting to know that there are still robust Arab Horses who move like HC Abla Raqqas. So, million dollar question, is there a genetic reason for this movement?  

Her pedigree unites several key breeding programs, namely Gleannloch, Marbach, The Babson Farm, Albadeia, Pritzlaff (by way of Rafter G and Ravenwood Ranch), plus as an added bonus, an infusion of additional EAO blood through the harder-to-find stallion, Akhtal (Amrulla x Hagir). Digging a little deeper, you will discover an interesting relationship between Ravenwood Majesty and Ravenwood Cody on the maternal side of the pedigree. They are paternal siblings, both sired by RG Al Mone, an Alcibiades out of *Bint Moniet el Nefous, a Nazeer and Moniet el Nefous daughter, imported by Richard Pritzlaff in the late fifties. There are additional sources to Moniet el Nefous blood in the pedigree, for example, *Bint Moniet's maternal siblings, Mabrouka and *Soufian, who are somewhat different from *Bint Moniet el Nefous, on account of Sid Abouhom and Alaa el Din. Despite the diversity in type and size between these 2 horses, together they intensify Moniet el Nefous' genetic influence. 

The stallion Anter, is also a horse whose influence is concentrated in the pedigree, through his son, Gharib, as well as his daughter, *Somaia, an Anter/Abla daughter imported by Gleannloch. I want to also believe that the multiple crosses to Hamdan, further enhance the influence of Anter. And, as if having Farida in the matriline is not already a great thing, her influence is further strengthened through horses like Noha (the tail female line through Nefisa), *Soheir II (the tail female line of Fagir) and *Ansata Ibn Halima (the sire of El Hadiyi, who appears twice). 

It's not that these horses are better than other Egyptian horses, that's not what I am trying to say. Throughout my years of study, the horses who make-up the ancestry of HC Abla Raqqas are the horses that I have learned to look for, as they more consistently produce the phenotype which appeals to me, that is, strong-bodied mares with broad chests, deep heart girths, wider backs and powerfully muscled hind ends. You see these attributes come alive in HC Abla Raqqas' body. 

Double Vision? The EAO-bred mare, Abla (Nazeer x Helwa)

HC Abla Raqqas is strongly reminiscent in her phenotype of the Anter/Abla daughters and yet, the strength of her body reflects the impact of Farida and the power this particular foundation mare continues to exert through the generations to improve the coupling. I am reminded of what Judith Forbis once said after meeting Abla at the EAO, "a very classic, pretty-headed and strong-bodied Nazeer daughter." I feel that today, one can describe HC Abla Raqqas with the same words said by Judi over 60 years ago.