"This was NK Nadeer; a truly noble horse, trusting, with a kind character, without falseness, full of temperament and fiery when given the opportunity."
Given that we all understand the straight Egyptian ancestral elements that are at the core of the Katharinenhof breeding program; what does it mean, when a horse is called noble? Is "noble" a descriptive term for an intangible quality of character like courage, kindness or generosity of spirit? Is "noble" more appropriately used to describe an impressive outwardly appearance? Dr. Nagel, not only within the article but also, in his newest book, The Arabian Horse, Nature's Creation and the Art of Breeding, has written,
"He is the most beautiful stallion ever born or used at Katharinenhof." A few sentences later in the same book, Dr. Nagel also writes,
"NK Nadeer is also gifted with an outstanding docile and pleasant temperament." Can the word "noble" describe both spiritual and physical qualities? Within the article, Dr. Nagel, in describing the chain of sires having had the most impact within his program, compares NK Nadeer with the 4 grey stallions who preceded him (*Jamil, Ansata Halim Shah, Salaa el Dine & NK Hafid Jamil):
"It is certainly permissible to say he was the gentleman among them, truly a distinguished horse and the one with the most refined and benign demeanor; calm in breeding, neither wild or impetuous, and when presented to visitors, he seemed to enjoy such a presentation and always kept himself under control." Perhaps, "noble" is a term we use, when we are overwhelmed by the entire being who stands before us and engages our senses? In this joyful "paralysis" of mind and mouth, when all words become elusive and "noble" is the only word that remains on our tongue, maybe, "noble" is the only word that can successfully capture the feeling of awe and wonder we experience, when we are with such a horse we admire? And what about the horses whom we cherish, to the point of loving? Is the use of "noble" then, like a term of endearment? Maybe "noble" is the word that crosses all language barriers to convey the myriad of feelings we experience, when we are present with such a horse. In further describing NK Nadeer within the article, we can observe first hand how Dr. Nagel feels about his horse,
"NK Nadeer impressed with his typical Arabian head shape; a slightly curved, noble profile, classic and elegant...He had small ears and a strikingly small mouth with large wide nostrils; this stallion could have drunk sweet tea from a cup, as the Bedouins once claimed of their horses." I am not certain that I have offered a proper definition of the word for you, dear reader, as it appears that the word can describe both spiritual and physical qualities. Also keep in mind that "noble" can also mean an individual who belongs to an esteemed or distinguished family, for example, his dam, NK Nadirah, is a full sister to
NK Nada, bred by Dr. Nagel, owned by the late Usamah Alkazemi of Ezzain in Kuwait and purchased by Al Waab. NK Nada was one of the most beautiful mares I have ever seen. There is an old British poem, Ode to the Horse, written by Ronald Duncan in 1954, which is relevant to this discussion and, I feel, will help you to better understand the use of the word to describe the long-lasting memory of a particular horse and how, through this word "noble", we can connect our mind, heart and even, our souls, all for the love of a horse.
"Where in this wide world can
man find nobility without pride,
friendship without envy
or beauty
without vanity?
Here, where
grace is laced with muscle,
and
strength by gentleness confined.
He serves without servility;
he has
fought without enmity.
There is
nothing so powerful,
nothing less
violent,
there is nothing so quick,
nothing more patient.
England’s past has been borne on
his back.
All our history is his
industry
we are his heirs; he
our inheritance."
***With many thanks to Alim Editrice and Tutto Arabi for making this wonderful magazine available. It is always a highlight for me when I see your email in my inbox. Without you, this blog is not possible.***
***It is hard to believe that Dr. Nagel's breeding program has been extant for 53 years and of that time, 38 years as a closed breeding program, without the addition of outside blood. NK Nadeer ushered a new era at Katharinenhof, exemplified by his son, NK Nabhan, whom I wrote about previously. If you don't own a copy of The Arabian Horse, Nature's Creation and the Art of Breeding, published by Nawal Media, I encourage you to purchase it. In the meantime, the Tutto Arabi article is a great place to start, to get a sense of NK Nadeer and the breeding program he is part of.****
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