Woo Woo

I'll admit, it sounds like a silly thing to say but I first heard the term, when I began listening to Warwick  Schiller's Journey On podcast. Have you been able to listen to the podcast yet? It's good, not only for the horse content but for your personal development as well. After listening to a few episodes, you may start to understand things differently, in a positive sense. So, what does "Woo Woo" mean? It's an informal slang-type term that refers to concepts, beliefs and practices that are not supported by science but rather, are mystical or even, spiritual in nature. While traditional Horsemanship may focus on biomechanics and behavior psychology, "Woo Woo" explores alternative practices to connect horses and humans together.  For example  have you hired an animal communicator to "speak" with your horse? That's definitely "Woo Woo." To be transparent, I have been a little "Woo Woo" here, having published a blog or two (or three) that you may say are a little "Woo Woo" (or alot) but at the time that I wrote them, I really wasn't thinking them to be "Woo Woo," just stuff I either read, heard or even, experienced over my lifetime. I am enjoying Noelle Floyd's Substack (love, love, love her podcast) which includes a recently written article concerning the presence of "Woo Woo" in the horse world. 

 "So when modern horsewomen begin speaking about energy, animal communication, protection stones, frequency, manifestation, Reiki, numerology, ancestral healing, or sacred contracts with horses, I do not see that as a strange new trend." -  Noelle Floyd

So where am I going with all of this and why am I taking space within this sacred spot focused on the Arabian horse? It's all because of a photo but before I say anything else, let me remind you that what you are about to read is a very informal study, made by a student of the breed, me and only me, without endorsement by anyone else. 

Ansata Nadra (Ansata Hejazi x Ansata Neoma) owned by Al Shaqab, Darryl Larson photo

I started to notice something uniquely different with some of the Arabian horses pictured in the photos I had collected. The horses were looking straight into the camera, not in a challenging or defiant way, engaged with the photographer and making full eye contact, heart wide open and eyes full of compassion and understanding. I melted every time I saw it, as the horses were presenting themselves,  no holds barred.  It is how you would expect a trusting, always raised by loving people, live-in-your-tent kind of horse to look, right? Aĺl the kindness, inner wisdom and people-loving curiosity seemed to be bubbling up to the surface, visible to the world for a second or two, while radiating a loving energy like agape type love (the highest form of unconditional love), upon the onlooker.  At the time, I thought it had more to do with the photographer's expertise, skill and timing and less to do with any phenomena involving the horse and her soft, dark eyes. Certainly, nothing remotely close to a "Woo Woo." In the very beginning, I called it a "look" and then,  "expression," maybe a "gaze," and eventually, the recognition  that maybe this was the "Ansata look" as I found the phenomenon to occur more frequently in the Ansata horses, as compared to other bloodlines.

Ansata Queen Nefr (Prince Fa Moniet x Ansata Nefertiti) currently owned by El Gabry Stud, Judith Forbis photo

I was fortunate, blessed actually, to receive a copy of the collection of Raswan-penned articles, republished by Alice Payne (Thanks Kris). This book helped me to connect what I was seeing,  with Raswan's unique voice. Raswan, having lived in the desert amongst the Bedouin, offered a desert perspective that was very old, born out of a necessity which required living in close proximity to the horse. At the end of the article titled, The Head of the Arabian, Raswan wrote, 

"an expression in their eyes which proves that they are "thinking" (meditating), rational beings with a soul and not just subject creatures to serve us phyically."  

However, Raswan did struggle to define the "look," as I am now stumbling, trying to find just the right words to describe it.  Raswan wrote additional material in another article titled, The Arabian Horse as Your Friend and Companion.  One of the things Raswan said really caught my attention. He said that Ishmael saw a reflection of a deep love for God in his horse eyes. It's like living heaven-on-earth, "...thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven..."

Ansata Delilah (Ansata Shah Zaman x Ansata Bint Misr), Judith Forbis photo

When Judith Forbis published Born to Reign, I read the following passage about Ansata Delilah (Ansata Shah Zaman x Ansata Bint Misr), 

"an independent soul marked Delilah from the day she was born. Standing in the pasture apart from her mother, she would look off into the distance at something sensed but not seen." 

After reading what Judith Forbis wrote, I began to go through the photos that I had collected, to find that more of the horses pictured in the manner I have explained, had Ansata Delilah as a common denominator, on the maternal side of their pedigree, which of course points to one of the most important mares at Ansata and from there, to the worldwide community of straight Egyptian Arabian horses.

*Ansata Bint Bukra (Nazeer x Bukra), Jerry Sparagowski photo

Sometimes the transfer of psychic powers may skip a generation, as we may see with *Ansata Bint Misr. However, in studying the available photos of *Ansata Bint Bukra (the maternal granddam of Ansata Delilah), it is possible that she also had this all-knowing,  loving, intentful gaze and passed it on to her granddaughter, Ansata Delilah. Raswan also wrote about this, which  I now offer to you in closing:

"For this supernatural reason, the mare is always considered supremely important among the Bedouins. A stallion can only take secondary place. The psychic powers of Arabian horses descend through mares only and are thus retained within pure Arabian horses."

Maybe dear reader, you may read all of this and dismiss the photos as nothing more than a one in a million moment, taken by a world class photographer, forever frozen in time. Or maybe, you are like me and in a fraction of a second, recognize something sweeter, something special, swirling like a fragrance around you, only to be absorbed into the core of your being. Then, you decide, after all, it is your woo woo.

****The photos of Ansata Nadra, Ansata Queen Nefer, Ansata Delilah and *Ansata Bint Bukra were published in Judith Forbis' Born to Reign. Many thanks to Judith Forbis. Darryl Larson and Jerry Sparagowski. Without you, there would be no story.***

A Million Thank Yous

I'm not really sure when we actually crossed over to a million page views but sometime over the last 3 days, it really happened for this blog. 

There are so many 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 50 or so years, helping to educate a long ago chubby Cuban 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, this is all for you and all for the love of an Arabian horse.

Once Upon a Time in September

The Arabian Horse, by the French artist, Jean Louis André Théodore Géricault. Executed by the artist for Adam and Zoë Elmore, during his London stay in 1821

In honor of his 96th birthday (8/2026), Desert Heritage Magazine published a new article written by Dr. Hans J. Nagel, titled: Nagel's breeding aims and its historical roots. A guide in turbulent times. I recommend the article to you, dear reader. It's good. While the majority of the article examines the historical heritage of the Arabian horse, (which in of itself, will offer you the opportunity to understand the breed a little more intimately); Dr. Nagel caught my attention when he discussed the modern Arabian horse of today. For many years, I understood that the breed was at a crossroads and now, well, it seems that we are past that point. With a global population somewhere around 200,000 horses, it is interesting to consider the  breed-changing influence exerted by the halter show ring upon the world-wide community of Arabian horse breeders. Which sort of makes sense, once you understand the metrics, in terms of the greater volume supporting halter showing. For example, in disciplines that are better-suited to the Arabian horse's historical strengths, horse racing or endurance riding, there are a smaller number of horses (1,500 to 4,000) participating, as compared to the 30,000 horses participating in halter presentations.  Of the remaining population (160,000 horses), a large chunk of that number are employed as breeding horses, in programs that are focused on producing halter horses for the showring. If you missed it, what Dr. Nagel is saying is that it takes 20 percent of the breed to support the production of the 2% who will be competitive in today's modern show arena. And by "competitive," we are referring to horses who align with modern show ring type per the scoring categories used by the judges: type, head & neck, body & topline, legs & feet and movement. The phenomenon has taken what is at its very core, an Eastern horse with thousands of years history behind it, to an Arabian horse shaped by Western ideas of correctness, untested or unproven through sport. Think of it, thousands of years of history, initially shaped by the unforgiving desert climate and fine-tuned through selection by the Bedouin for speed and endurance, has evolved to become a horse who can score perfect twenties, within an artificial setting. 

"How regrettable would it be if one of the oldest and most beautiful creatures produced by the Orient were to lose its originality. In its originality, this Arabian horse is a unique world cultural treasure - shaped by constant confrontation with the forces of nature, formed by the wishes and demands of its breeders and adapted to the limited possibilities available to a wandering, unsettled population that existed for a thousand years." - Dr. Hans J. Nagel

NK Lam el Dine

Have you seen the cover of the new issue of Desert Heritage Magazine? Dr. Nagel's newest breeding stallion prospect is pictured on the front cover. A handsome two-and-a-half-year-old black colt named NK Lam el Dine, by NK Nabhan (NK Nadeer x NK Nerham) and out of NK Lina (NK Kamar El Dine x Muneera Al Ariba). He is expected to assume stud duties next year, March 2027. Dr. Nagel offered, "he has been chosen to further strengthen the solid leg and body conformation and to guarantee the lightness and elegance of the NK Arabians is transmitted to the following generations.

I was looking for something else, which made me think of this colt and when I entered his name in Google, I found a much different horse, however, with the same name!

Bred and owned by the Al Saadi Stud, this is the 2019 NK Lam El Dine, also sired by NK Nabhan and out of NK Lina. He is definitely chestnut and the video shows him competing at the 2024 Iraq Summer International Festival, where he was named Silver Champion Senior Stallion, after placing 2nd in the 4-to-6 year old stallion class. The black Katharinenhof colt would have been a weanling, at the time of the chestnut stallion's Iraqi win.

Is it the "el" or "El" that makes the difference in the naming convention of these 2 horses? Who is the correct NK Lam el Dine? Or should I say NK Lam El Dine?

Chasing Unicorns

When I found the Arabian Essence video on YouTube, I knew from reading the auction catalogue, that the Janów Podlaski breeding parade happened on Monday, after the Summer Sale. No doubt about it, I had missed the Pride of Poland auction this year! As I watched the Janów video, little did I realize the surprise that I soon would be stumbling upon, approximately 27 minutes and 30 seconds into the video. I feel kind of silly saying this to you dear reader, after all, Pogrom, a highly decorated 2009 stallion, was leased and shown by David Boggs of Midwest Arabians and named champion in Scottsdale, Las Vegas and the US National Show rings, all in 2013. This is not a new horse, just breaking onto the Arabian scene. Although, that's what he feels like for me. For 17 years, Pomgrom has been making history, while I was lost, somewhere in a fog.

Pogrom, a son of QR Marc (Marwan Al Shaqab x Swete Dreams) was the result of the wisdom and lifetime expertise of Dr. Marek Trela. Despite the promising results seen in America, the fact that QR Marc was still young and had not had many opportunities within a pure Polish breeding program,  was like a test of faith and Dr. Trela was up for the challenge. He was committed to finding the right mare for him. Dr. Trela decided upon Pętla (Visbaden x Petra). Why Pętla? Dr. Trela explains, “we were trying to go back to the pedigree of Kuhailan Ajuz, which was lost in World War II. The idea of sending Pętla’s mother to Bábolna to be bred to Visbaden, a Russian-bred stallion on lease there, was Director Krystalowicz. We were trying to get a stallion to continue that line; we didn’t succeed with a stallion, but we did with the mare. Pętla is really a very good, strong producer." In April of 1990, Pętla foaled one of the heaviest foals born at Janów, almost weighing 125 pounds! Dr. Trela remembers the day warmly, "If you see a newborn foal that big and strong, correct and pretty, that means that something important has happened.”

It was  interesting to listen to Dr.  Trela's comments, throughout the rest of the Pogrom footage (ends at 31:40). One begins to understand the value of incorporating Pogrom in the program, for his correct conformation, including the strength of his body and legs. Not only as an individual is Pogrom built perfectly, but also, as a prepotent sire, particularly of daughters, who mature to become foundational broodmares. I believe Dr. Trela when he says,  "he is everything a Polish stallion should represent. 

Below, additionally are a few horses who also appear in the video and are connected to Pogrom as sire or grandsire, to underscore his consistency, as a breeding stallion:

• Barbula (filly out of Bforta) @ 37:58q
• Arabis (colt out of the Ekstern-sired Atma) @ 35:03
• Colt foal (out of Winnica, racing program) @ 31:54
• Europea (a Paris-sired filly out of the Pogrom daughter, Eunuria) @ 1:03:42

No horse lives forever and the reality is that Pogrom is not getting any younger and is approaching his 18th year. Pogrom makes me wish that I owned a mare, just so I could breed to him. No kidding. He is that good, no, wait, scratch that, he is recognized for siring his outstanding conformation and type onto the next generation. Plus, history will continue to reveal that  Pogrom sires mares who become influential broodmares, by establishing vibrant families of their own. In this community, I have seen too many stallions die, only to read breeders quickly express their "if only...". Well, here's a "heads-up" from me to you dear breeder...NOW IS THE TIME. Take action before it is too late and you run out of "if only" because regret, well, that's not so easy to live with. I personally know that.

***thank you to Arabian Essence, for once again providing the window to the Arabian horse world. I am a fan, for many years now. Also, thanks to Midwest Arabians for the Pogrom article. Without you, this blog would not exist.****

Pride of Poland 2026

The Pride of Poland Auction occurred on Sunday, August 9th. The Summer Sale followed on Monday morning. Although I have never had the opportunity to attend, I look forward to the auction each year and selecting my favorites from the lots offered. I had downloaded the catalogue in July and initially, skimmed over the pages, making note of the several Ekstern daughters, grandaughters and great-grandaughters. I figured that I would return to the catalog in a few days. 

It wasn't until last weekend, that I was able to finally, grab some quiet time and dive deeply into the catalogue. It was then that I realized that the auction was now past. How did that happen? And now, what does it matter which horses I liked more? I struggled with this post all week! Should I or shouldn't I continue writing what felt like old news. What is done, is done and can't be undone, right? OK, so this blog post is for the fans, who love to talk about Polish horses any time, any day.

While any of the mares offered represent an opportunity to own some of the very best horses that Poland has to offer, initially, my Pride of Poland choices were:

• Wiosenna Miłość (Al Ayal AA x Waranga) her maternal granddam is an Ekstern daughter
• Pila (Abyad x Piba) her maternal granddam is Pilar, a Fawor daughter. If you believe that the coat color predicts the genetic influence, Fawor was similarly colored
• Elfira (Ekstern x Elfuria) her dam was sired by a Simeon Sadik son
• El Gazona (Kahil Al Shaqab x Elgazonda) her dam is an Al Maraam daughter
• Mahira (Ekstern x Mata Hari) double Monogramm
• Efidenia (Pomian x El Fatna) her sire is a Gazal Al Shaqab son out of Pilar, her dam is an Ekstern daughter

My Summer Sale picks are as follows:

• Foggara (Ganges x Foggia) Ganges combined with Gazal Al Shaqab & Fawor
• Passionaria (Gazal Al Shaqab x Pianosa) there aren't many Gazal Al Shaqab daughters left, combined with Pianosa, a Eukaliptus daughter
• Penta (Ecaho x Pepina) there aren't many Ecaho daughters left, combined with Pogrom's dam, Pętla
• Pia (Ganges x Pianissima) a Pianissima daughter combined with Ganges
• Pelifa (Lawrence  El Gazal x Peresta) At the 2022 Summer Sale, Celadon, a Pogrom son out of a Lawrence El Gazal daughter was offered

As I thought about the significance of each horse completely, I narrowed my choices down to my top 3: Passionaria and Penta, because the sires of these mares are no longer available for breeding and given their reputation for siring excellent daughters, that quality is maximized, as these sires have been combined with powerfully elite mare lines, the very best that Poland has to offer. My 3rd choice would be the bay Pomian daughter, Efidenia. I really like her look. I just fell in love with her. She is substantial but yet, elegant with a lot of type. And that neck! I would love to breed her to Pogrom, to further her body type for future generations, all for the love of the Polish Arabian horse.

Ten Feet Tall

El Shaklan (Shaker El Masri x Estopa) was one of our taller Arabians, measured at 16 hands

In Count Waclaw Rzewuski's 1821 manuscript,  Concerning Oriental Horses, he writes, 

"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." 

So much of the available written information concerning the Arab horse does appear to be unified in support of a smaller size. 

One of my favorite prints ever, AN ARABIAN HORSE, as drawn by Jean Louis André Théodore Géricault, in 1821

James Luck, the translator of Rzewuski's book (published by Andrew Steen's Tales of the Breed), added, "When reading Rzewuski's comments on the size of horses one should keep in mind that for him a medium sized horse seems to have been between 15 and 16 hands."  

Count Rzewuski, in recognizing the taller Bedouin-bred horse,  offers some of the sizes of the taller horses he purchased, "I even bought, for Her Highness, the Queen of Württemberg, the Bedouin horse Abou-Arkoub, a deep iron-grey, two-year-old, that measured 17 hands; Obeiyan abou Dahman, a bay, age three-years, that stood 16 palms, Seglawi Giedran, a golden sorrel, age four-years, that also stood 16 palms. Among those that I have reserved for myself, was the famous El Messenneh el Wehabi, which I purchased from Abd-el-Aziz, Prince of the Wahhabis, who was 17 hands high."

Size does matter to Rzewuski as he makes it a point to forever record in his significant reference tome the height of the taller horses that he was personally involved with. 

In Lady Wentworth's The Authentic Arabian Horse, she wrote, "There is no standard height, but so long as type is not lost, the bigger, the better." In an article written about the stallion, Pogrom (QR Marc x Pętla), and published on the Midwest Arabians site, noted breed historian, Scott Benjamin shared, "Pogrom represents size. “I think [his sire Visbaden] is the first time that the Poles have introduced a stallion outside of their own program who actually has length of leg. We need that, because people are getting taller; they need horses with size.”

How does the height of Arabian horses compare to other breeds? Check out the following chart, published by Horse Illustrated magazine:

I'm not suggesting that taller horses are better than horses who measure 14 hands and/or smaller. If that is what you are getting from this blog, then, apologies, because that was never my intent but if our breed narrative favors a smaller sized individual, then perhaps our history needs to be updated to celebrate our taller-sized horses, which according to Rzewuski, were more common than we were led to believe.

Change Your Diapers, Change Your Mind

I love Substack! How about you dear reader? I'm currently reading, exploring, discovering and still, finding articles that are substantial and interesting, like this post I found, published by Think More:  

I couldn't stop thinking about how these words can also apply to all things Carl Raswan and the criticism he endured, concerning the sharp contrast in his perspective, especially between his older, published work and his newer writings. 

The following  example of early Raswan (a letter that Raswan had written to W.K. Kellogg, shortly after arriving in England, from Mary Jane Parkinson's Kellogg book)  and how little he understood, at the time (1920's) about bloodlines and their applied use within the Crabbet program and from there, to the rest of the world. 

Hmmmm...purest Arab blood and Skowronek's priceless blood? A far cry from the man who published The Arab and His Horse thirty years later!

Despite what I have shared, I hope we don't succumb to thinking that Raswan was wrong in all his philosophy because he later changed his mind! He remains a major voice in our world, as was his call to preserve and protect the Arabian horse!

A Song for Karen

DF Karen's Song is a 2010 grey mare bred by Susan Robertson and named in honor of her late sister, Karen. She is now owned by Christine Emmert, whom many people know through her equine photography. I took Christine's photo through an AI program to create the smoky background and remove distractions like fencing and trees. I did not use AI to alter or enhance the mare. She doesn't need it. She is perfect as is. Her full sister, DF Faaiqs Farida is part of the Dubai Stud's breeding program.

"Song" as she is called, foaled a beautiful filly, Kinz el Koloob in 2025, sired by Christine's home-bred Ameer el Koloob (Nour Al Kamar MH x DHS Tarah), a young stallion who is now in Australia with Diane Wilson.

Song's sire Faaiq El Madheen, is the result of breeding paternal siblings together: MB Ibn Sehnab and MB Masaleena, both horses sired by Imperial Madheen. To take this family connection one step further, Imperial Madheen is the son of Messaoud (Madkour x Maymoonah) who also sired Orashan, the sire of Imperial Orbilahh, the dam of MB Talmaar, who sired Manintha Maymoon, Song's dam. Maymoonah appears a 4th time in the pedigree, through her son, Maymoon, by Kaisoon.

Also on the maternal side of the pedigree, you will find another familial connection between Halim El Mansour , the sire of Bint Bint Maymoon (Song's maternal grandddam) and El Halimaar, the sire of Maar Bilahh, Imperial Orbilahh's dam. Halim El Mansour and El Halimaar were full siblings, sired by *Ansata Ibn Halima, out of RDM Maar Hala. Between the genetic influence of Messaoud and his sons, Orashan and Madheen, plus *Ansata Ibn Halima and his sons, El Halimaar, Halim El Mansour and El Hilal, almost half of the pedigree (45%) is represented by 7 stallions! Of course, any discussion of families would be remiss without mentioning the matriline, which in this case traces to Rodania, the celebrated desert war mare purchased by the Blunts for Crabbet Stud. Her daughters, grandaughters and great-grandaughters have continued to impact breeding programs, all over the world and remain relevant, to this day. However, the matriline is made even more special through the German-bred stallion, Manal, the sire of Zeemana, great great granddam of Song. Manal was sired by Anchor Hill Halim, a Hadbah (Fabah x Fa Deene) son out of Silima, an *Ansata Ibn Halima daughter out of Asal Sirabba. What's really interesting is how this line, rooted in Babson breeding as it is, complements the matriline of MB Masaleena, the dam of Faaiq El Madheen. Through Amal Albadeia, she goes back to a mare named Zahra, a 1922 grey mare purchased as a 5-year old by King Fouad, from her breeder, Prince Mohamed Aly Tewfik. To combine the blood of Rodania with the genetic influence of the Prince Mohamed Aly horses is a horseman's dream come true. All for Karen, all for the love of a horse.

Halima

Halima, a bay Sheikh el Arab daughter out of Ragia (Ibn Rabdan x Farida)

 Not a flattering photo of Halima, some may even criticize me for using it. I spoke with Judi Forbis and she didn't care much for the photo. Since the photo has been kicked around on different social media sites, I "colorized" it, for a different perspective. I like the photo, as it very obviously shows the desert-like dryness of Halima's head, the prominence of bone in her face, plus, a real muzzle that requires 2 cupped hands to hold it.

Halima, a 1944 broodmare, represented the classic breeding formula used by General Tibor von Pettko-Szandtner at the EAO: Mansour top-crossed onto Ibn Rabdan. Combining Sheikh El Arab (Mansour x Bint Sabah) with Nazeer, also a Mansour son, intensified the impact of the Ali Pasha Sherif horse, Saklawi I, and yet, was also a very smart decision, as Nazeer was known for carrying the influence of a mare forward, to the next generation. If that statement is correct and truthful, then it speaks volumes of Halima's quality, in spite of the photo.

In closing and offered in tribute, is a sweet poem, written by Shahwan, included in Judith Forbis' Authentic Arabian Bloodstock, Volume I (the blue book):

I love you, O Dahmah 

As if you were part of me 

And my family, 

And though there may be horses many 

You are more to me 

Than all the others.

Light & Shadows

It has been a while dear reader, thank you for your patience. Despite the disturbing headlines, a rapidly changing natural world, the unexpected deaths of loved ones and brutally hard economic times; you will find that joy still remains a plentiful theme here, common ground for more than several blogs. 

Joy, the bright, warm light in a cold, dark world is like a new foal, prancing alongside its dam, every step airborne, as if the foal is trying hard not to float away, like a helium-filled balloon held by a string. The foal's tail, curved over its back, only adds to the joy-filled image.  Therefore, while thinking about this image may make us feel happy; joy is not equal to happiness, a fast and fleeting emotion, not meant to last.  Joy, on the other hand, runs deeper, a feeling that arises when we are content and fully connected to the thing itself which provides the joy we feel. Through joy, the Arabian horse inspires us to focus our attention solely upon him, instilling a desire to further develop the relationship with him.

The Arabian show ring can be an extraordinary experience, if we remain mindful of the accolade and the temptation to feed our insatiable hunger for recognition, power, riches, all of which eventually, take us further away from the horse than we want to be. If we succumb to these temptations, the horse becomes the means for something else, something darker, something which lacks the light of joy.  We must resist the distractions and remember why we chose the Arabian horse in the first place. 

***The photo above was taken by Christine Emmert of Princeton Maarena (Serr Maariner x Princeton Gamila). Christine's husband was also part of the photo and I used AI to remove him and create the smoky background which inspired today's blog.

***I love Substack! Matt Brown is a 5-star event rider and a pretty good author too. His Substack, The Woman in 34C, inspired me to write this blog too.

Random Thoughts on Equine Wholeness

He really loved people...an honest to goodness "live-in-your-tent-horse," Haliluyah MH (El Halimaar x RDM Maar Hala) with Melissa McCarty Raulerson

For 20 years or so, I have blogged about individual Arabian horses, like many other similarly-minded breed enthusiasts you will find currently on Facebook, Instagram and other forms of social media. Despite the great storytelling, are we using this shared knowledge to make better, more informed breeding decisions? Have we incorporated the genetic influences of the horses presented in social media outlets or am I placing more weight on what may be just "feel good" stories solely meant to entertain us?

A few weeks ago, I was listening to an interview that Paul Kostial had with Joel Desmarteau of Markelle Arabians. Joel, the breeder of the celebrated stallion, Marajj (Marwan Al Shaqab x RGA Kouress), repeatedly stressed the value of the matriline throughout the interview.

"And when you have a strong proven tail female line, you can start seeing patterns and consistencies with structure and presence and look that they give and that gives you something to rely on." - Joel Desmarteau

It's not that what Joel was saying is brand new, never before said; it's just that in our current breeding culture, the role of the stallion is so unrealistically over-stated, which is a bit weird when you stop to consider that the breed has always been matriline-focused. It's like we want to tell whomever will listen that we honor the Bedouin tradition, while still grasping a western sire line perspective, especially if you own and stand a stallion.

When my friend, Gari Dill-Marlow was alive, she helped raise awareness for and appreciation of elite mare lines, across all breeding groups. She treasured mares who reproduced their equal or better, especially in male form. She felt that in this way, a breeder could dominate a pedigree faster and more completely with a particular matriline, both top and bottom. 

These days, I find myself thinking a bit differently about Arabian horse breeding and I can't help but wonder over a fractured understanding of the breed, through segregation by bloodline. Maybe the breed would be better served if our breeding focus would be on equine wholeness (to borrow a holistic concept) instead of horses who by virtue of their pedigree, fit within the parameters of a highly favored bloodline group. Equine wholeness promotes horses who are sound of mind, body and spirit, that is, mentally stable, emotionally balanced individuals, with a spirit that is loyal to the breed, desirous of human connection, possessing the correct structure (conformation) and free from systemic  diseases, which allows said horse to function within an intended discipline free from pain, lameness or medication needed to treat said conditions.

Ensign to Fadaan

In the late 1930s, General J.M. Dickinson, purchased Gulastra from W.R. Brown. He bred Gulastra to *Aziza, one of the mares that W. R. Brown had imported from Egypt, producing the stallion, Julep in 1939. It is through Julep's son, Julyan, that the sire line of Mesaoud exists in straight Egyptian breeding. 

Julyan sired the 1966 bay stallion, Ensign.

Although Ensign is recorded for having sired 28 purebred foals; Al Khamsa recognizes only 2 of those foals: the 1969 chestnut stallion named Julyen and the 1972 chestnut mare, TF Aurora. It is through TF Aurora that this smaller branch of the Julyan/Mist Aana family remains extant in SE breeding.  Ensign was one of 6 foals that resulted from the cross of Julyan with the Hallany Mistanny daughter, Mist-Aana. El Reata Juan (1968) was their black stallion, while Julyana (1964), Julyanne (1967) and Bint Mist Aana (1972) were the 3 bay daughters. 

I found their 1971 son, Fadaan, really interesting  because he was so different! While the body color of his full siblings were either dark bay and black, Fadaan was grey, a coat color which I have noticed to intensify Arabian breed type dramatically. Add to this fairytale image a beautiful neck, a compact frame and big black eyes, and he is physically representative of what most people envision an Arabian horse to be.

Through Bint Maaroufa, found on the sire side of the pedigree and Aana, on the maternal side, are 2 lines to the ethereal, Fay-El-Dine, a double great grandsire of Fadaan. This is the interesting thing about genetics and how the impact of one ancestor, whose role is found way back, in the 4th and 5th generations is expressed. I am also sure that the additional crosses of Fadl and his full sister, Maaroufa,  helped to bolster the genetic presence of Fay-El-Dine! 

***Many thanks to the Facebook groups like Arabian Horse Historical Photos, Babson Egyptian Enthusiasts and Al Khamsa Community plus, Sheila Cone and Brittany N Thompson for the body shot photo of Ensign and Fadaan. Without you, this blog post would not exist***

Love is in the Air

Valentines day reminds me of the greatest equine love story that I know. 

Love Is In the Air 

Everywhere I look around (I look around...) 

Love Is In The Air 

Every sight and every sound (and every sound...) - lyrics from Love is in the Air, written by Harry Vanda & George Young

In the mid-60's, *Ansata Ibn Halima went to Gleannloch Farms to be shown and also, to breed the mares that the Marshalls had already imported from Egypt, before the arrival of *Morafic. In Judith Forbis' charming book, The Gift; she writes in the voice of her horse, touching upon the relationship that *Ansata Ibn Halima shared with one of the imported Gleannloch mares, *Bint Maisa El Saghira (Nazeer x Maisa): 

"My favorite traveling companion was Bint Maisa El Saghira, who often told me to calm down and relax. She became a very stabilizing influence during my show career. A tall bay mare beloved for her beauty and charm, she won admirers wherever she went. She too collected many halter championships as well as performance championships in English pleasure. Together we were wonderful ambassadors for the Egyptian Arabian horse because we were kind, handsome and athletic." 

Dahmah Shahwaniah was the result of the affection that both horses shared for each other. I don't think a greater love story exists in any breed, let alone the Arabian breed, across all bloodlines. 

 ***originally posted in February of 2023 and brought forward in celebration of Valentines day. Enjoy with my best wishes***

Pashas, Princes & Kings

NK Qaswarah (NK Hafid Jamil x NK Nariman) as photographed by Alaa Youssef Jr.   

This time of the year always reminds me of Ezzain and it still hurts like hell to know that NK Qaswarah is no longer alive but I can express the same sentiment for his owner, Mr. Usamah Alkazemi.  I wish it were not so in either case.

 13 years ago, Ezzain was home to 45 or so horses.  Approximately half of those horses were sired by NK Qaswarah and additionally, 12 horses were sired by a Qaswarah son like Aneesilnefous (x NK Momtaza) and Yaasoob (x NK Nada). If I had not fully understood the critical role that NK Qaswarah held at Ezzain prior to my visit, I was overwhelmed when faced with the reality of his importance in Kuwait. 

In Dr. Nagel's book, The Arabian Horse: Nature's Creation and The Art of Breeding, he wrote the following about NK Qaswarah, 

"NK Qaswarah is producing a very distinctive type with stunning expression and is among those stallions which are strong in producing excellent males and females."

Monika Savier in a Tutto Arabi article written at the time of NK Hafid Jamil's death, mentions NK Qaswarah too,

"This NK Hafid Jamil son was an eye catcher from birth on and left as a young colt for Ezzain Stud in Kuwait. All his life he was surrounded mostly by NK daughters who were, however, of different mare lines‐a unique situation. NK Qaswarah created his own kingdom; nowhere can you see finer Arabians and prettier heads than in this stud."

I went to Kuwait having seen many photos of Qaswarah that Usamah Alkazemi shared with me, but it is really different to see the horse, in real life, standing before you, as compared to seeing the horse in the photo. Such was the experience I had with Qaswarah. I was overwhelmed by him despite being familiar with the horse and understanding the significance of all that had been written about him by people I admire, including his breeder.  He was stronger-bodied and more robust than he appeared in photos. That surprised me, he was no toy horse. In his presence, you felt the strength of his character and, immediately, felt compelled to honor him with respect. He enjoyed to be scratched on his back, especially by the wither and I appreciated the opportunity to engage with him, to touch the living, real horse, the "smilemaker," as Usamah referred to him. I remember that his back was significantly wider and stronger than many horses I had met; I could feel the immense power emanating from every muscle in his body. And yes, he was balanced, as if every part of his body was made, only for him. 

As Dr. Nagel already has said, NK Qaswarah was a consistent sire, equally siring memorable horses of both genders who possess his quality, for example, the full sisters: Badrilbdoor and Shamsilshmous (both out of Azhaar), Dorrah and her full brother Aneesilnefous (both out of NK Momtaza), Ekramilbari (out of NK Yasmin), Alttafilbari (out of Ajmal Ibtihaj) and Thettwa (out of Albaheiah). These were my personal favorites. NK Qaswarah defined the Ezzain breeding program with a very unique look that can not be found anywhere else in the world. Over his lifetime, NK Qaswarah has proven to be the type of horse that at one time, inspired Pashas, Princes and Kings with his beauty and the ability to pass it on. I am none of these men but still, equally inspired as these men were. It is only now, in this season of my life that I am able to understand Usamah's bold appreciation for his stallion. I am grateful for the opportunity he provided to me, that is, to go beyond the photo and experience how the dream of one man, became the cornerstone for yet another man's dream and from Ezzain, Qaswarah became the source of many, more dreams, in the hearts of Arabian horse lovers all over the world.

*Wafiza's Story

Polly Knoll photo of *Wafiza, circa 1980

*Waheeba was imported to America in utero, meaning, she had been bred and checked in foal to *Ibn Hafiza. Within a few months of her importation in 1970, *Waheeba foaled a bay filly, who was named *Wafiza, a feminine name of Arabic origin, meaning to protect or guard by someone who possesses a presence so refreshing, it is like someone opened a window to let the fresh air in. 

*Wafiza is a maternal sibling of Shaheeb but it is through the sires that the siblings are uniquely different, Shaheeb is sired by Ansata El Sherif, who carries 2 crosses to Nazeer, about 25%. While Shaheeb is low percentage Nazeer, *Wafiza has no Nazeer blood, as *Ibn Hafiza is a Sameh (El Moez x Samira) son out of Hafiza, sired by Hamdan, out of Mahfouza, a Hamdan daughter. What's also interesting about *Wafiza is that she carries a very low percentage of the Blunt desert horses, less than 3%.  

*Wafiza produced 3 fillies and 6 colts:

• Khepri, a 1974 grey stallion, by Ansata El Sherif
• Contentment Badra, a 1976 grey mare by Mohssen
• Chafa Sherfiza, a 1977 grey mare by Ansata El Sherif
• Chafa Al Bukra, a 1978 grey mare by Ansata El Sherif
• Chafa Hafiz Halim, a 1979 grey stallion by *Ansata Ibn Halima
• CES Sherif Feisal, a 1980 grey stallion by Ansata El Sherif'
• Chafa Halim Bey, a 1981 grey stallion by Halim Pasha
• Chafa Shah Walim, a 1984 grey stallion by Ansata Ibn Shah
• CES Anwar, a 1985 bay stallion by *Jamil

It's almost like you want to jump in her photo and invoke the full meaning of her name, to insure the perpetuation of an outcross line we would have today with no Nazeer influence and a lower percentage of the Blunt desert horses, i.e. the Gleannloch stallion, *Zaghloul (Gassir x Gharbawia), who also carried a low percentage of the Blunt desert horses: 2.3%. It's hard to believe that this opportunity existed 40 years ago and no one thought this may be good for the future of a healthy gene pool.

The Story of Shaheeb

Shaheeb (Ansata El Sherif x  *Waheeba) as photographed by Jerry Sparagowski 

Foaled in January 1975, Shaheeb, a straight Egyptian stallion, offered breeders a unique pedigree, as bred by El Sherif Arabians. His dam, *Waheeba, an EAO mare imported in 1970, was a complete outcross to Ansata El Sherif, a combination of blood that you just didn't find so easily in the eighties.  What's really interesting about the EAO-bred mare, *Waheeba, is the absence of Nazeer in her pedigree, not a single drop. Nada. While Ansata El Sherif is double Nazeer, approx 25%, *Waheeba has Nasralla, Balance, Shahloul, El Sareei, Sid Abouhom, Ibn Rabdan as the sires in the first 5 generations of her pedigree. If anything, *Waheeba shares common ground via the sires of the foundational broodmares in Ansata El Sherif's pedigree, i.e. Sheikh El Arab, the sire of Halima and Rouda, the maternal granddam of Zebeda (also the dam of Shaker El Masri by *Morafic) and Shahloul, the sire of Bukra and El Sareei.

In the May 1981 issue of Arabian Horse World, Rubio Arabians in Ukiah, California offerred the then 6-year old stallion for sale. Not only was he a proven breeding stallion; he was also trained as an English saddle horse.

In the records that I have available to me, he sired the following horses:

• Sheba Shareei, a 1989 bay mare, out of Monshareei, a Shah Nishan+ grandaughter,  out of a Gainey bred mare
• Sultans Kasadd, a 1990 grey stallion, out of AK Mohra
• Eraf Rafeek,  a 1991 black stallion, out of AKMarnah
• Eraf Shahkar, a 1991 grey stallion, out of Al Tahara

While Sheba Shareei produced a son in 1997, sired by a Prince Ibn Shaikh son, he was gelded and this line did not continue further. The 3 sons also do not appear to have sired any get, as Al Khamsa does not record any descendants.

It's bittersweet to discover horses like Shaheeb and wonder over the impact that these horses might have exerted, if only the opportunities extended to them were a little broader.

Ansata El Sherif

"El Sherif  was a very classic, short-coupled stallion with a beautiful short face and large dark eyes." - Judith Forbis, his breeder

Some photos, like this Polly Knoll photo of *Ansata El Sherif, are deeply etched in my memory, never to forget. It's a favorite, as was the trend to photograph these horses portrait-style, against a dark background. No matter how many years may pass, one look and I immediately remember that long-ago summer day at Bentwood, meeting horses that I never believed I would meet in my lifetime. 

Ansata Rhodora

Ansata El Sherif, an *Ansata Ibn Halima son out of *Ansata Bint Bukra, was a full brother to Ansata Rhodora. As a young colt, he was sold to Dr. Clarence Hardin and his wife, Daisy of Placerville, California. Do you know that the Hardins loved Ansata El Sherif so much, they named their farm after him, El Sherif Arabians? Ansata El Sherif spent most of his life with the Hardins. He was purchased as a mature horse by Bentwood Farm. 

Do you know that "El Sherif" is more like a title or surname and less like a first name? Think of the word "El" as the Arabic equivalent of the determiner, "The" and "Sharif" as "Honorable", "Distinguished" or even, "Noble". 

Cynthia Culbertson, a beloved author, historian, straight Egyptian breeder and former Pyramid Society President, once said of Ansata El Sherif, 
"He was quite a 'fairytale' type of white stallion -- very true to his Dahman strain, compact with a lovely head and eye."

Overall, in terms of a particular horse who combined the best qualities of Bukra with the best qualities of *Ansata Ibn Halima; Ansata El Sherif was that beautiful horse. His strong topline, short-coupling, well-sprung ribs and generous heart girth enabled Ansata El Sherif to enjoy an athletic career. There was not much that this champion horse could and would not do. He was talented under saddle, winning many prizes in Native Costume, English Pleasure and Western Pleasure. Unfotunately, in the time period that Ansata El Sherif lived, there was more demand for straight Egyptian mares, than actual mares to purchase. Despite the short supply of Egyptian mares, Ansata El Sherif did cover Egyptian mares but he was popular with non-SE breeders too, as he crossed well with mares of all bloodlines but in particular, mares of Spanish blood. He sired approximately 167 purebred Arabian Horses who in turn, have produced grand-progeny that are spectacular too.

Something About Nazeer

1st Nazeer portrait by Gladys Brown Edwards

Gladys Brown Edwards, a much beloved and respected artist, author and breed historian  painted a portrait of Nazeer, selected as the cover of the 1972 December issue of Arabian Horse World. The original painting was owned at one time, by the late straight Egyptian breeder, Robert E. Cowling. 

2nd Nazeer portrait by Gladys Brown Edwards

Almost 10 years later, Gladys Brown Edwards painted a second portrait of Nazeer, one in a series of 7 paintings she created for the Arabian Horse Association of Southern California, in recognition of her 50+ year career with the Arabian horse breed. 

Nazeer, a masculine name of Arabic origin signifies vigilance, wisdom and guidance, qualities most often attributed to a prophet. While Nazeer, as a living, breathing individual was before my time (he was foaled in 1934); paintings, like the GBE portraits and photos of Nazeer were a good introduction to him. Still, I wish that I had the opportunity to see Nazeer in real life, to stand in front of me, in all his magnificence, as he had for people like Dr. Hans Nagel and Judith Forbis. In all the photos I have seen, I never got the sense that Nazeer was smaller in stature, approximately 14.2 hands. Maybe his significance in straight Egyptian breeding created a "larger-than-life" impression that also carried over to his physicality? 

Do you also know that Nazeer was more than 12 years old, when General Tibor Pettko von Szandtner found him at a private racing stable and brought him to the EAO for breeding? 

In his wonderful book, Hanan-The Story of an Arabian Mare and of the Arabian Breed, Dr. Hans Joachim Nagel wonders why it took so long for someone to recognize Nazeer's value and include Nazeer within the EAO breeding program. Not only were his hocks poor, Nazeer had uneven front hoofs. Could this be the reason?  Dr. Nagel explains that Nazeer's neck was shorter in length than normal and in order to graze, he had to spread his front legs apart, the left front leg placed behind, while the right front leg was placed forward.  While the right front hoof remained flat on the ground; greater weight was borne by the tip of the left front hoof, giving the heel room to grow. As a consequence of this behavior, Dr. Nagel explained, a club foot develops.  So it is important to state that the club foot in Nazeer's case occurred as a behavioral defect, rather than a hereditary defect he can pass onto his get. 

I've owned the Hanan book for many years and have read it several times. It's one of my favorite books and I am sure it is yours too and if you don't own a copy, I strongly encourage you to look online for an available copy.