BELOVED

El Thay Maryam (Ansata Selman x El Thay Mansoura)

This lovely mare, El Thay Maryam, is a maternal sibling of the beautiful chestnut stallion, El Thay Mameluk, both horses are out of El Thay Mansoura, a Machmut (Ibrahim x Molesta) daughter, out of Morawa (Nizam x Momtaza). While El Thay Maryam was sired by Ansata Selman (Ansata Hejazi x G Shafaria); El Thay Mameluk was sired by Ibn Nazeema (Ameer x Nazeema). If you look carefully at the photo, you will notice that she is airborne, all 4 feet are off the ground. It's that miraculous moment of suspension, when the horse drives off the ground with their hind end and the momentum or energy created in that moment propels the body forward, and the horse appears to float above the ground. No matter how many times I see it, this moment remains exciting and thrilling. Her name, "Maryam" also inspires wonder, as it is the Arabic  form of the Hebrew name,"Miriam", which is believed to have been the name of Mary, the mother of "Jesus" or as He is known in Islam, "Isa." Maryam is the only woman named in the Quran, considered one of the great women in the Islamic narrative. The name itself can mean several things, like "beloved," "rebellious," "bitterness," or "star-of-the-sea." My personal preference are for stronger-bodied mares like El Thay Maryam. For me, their substance and the power that is conveyed, is vitally important,  enhancing the mare's beauty. She is closer-coupled, with a strong and smooth topline, a massive front end including a broad chest, with a beautifully-muscled shoulder, a deep heart girth and an equally powerful hind end, muscled through the gaskins and hocks. Despite her strength and power, she is expressive in her breed type, with dark eyes, set low, in a head that features a prominence of chiseled bone and fine, dark skin to elevate the dry, dramatic look of a desert queen.