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I do not believe Arabians are horses. They are literally so much more and so cannot be classified as merely a "horse." Treat an Arabian like any other "horse," and you will be highly disappointed in the results- Arabians are just different. They are special creatures, and have to be treated as such. They are literally royalty, descended from those horses all but worshipped by the Bedouins, and they know it.
Besides their physical characteristics, the Arabian is known for its intelligence and loyalty, something the Bedouins also bred for. Mares were kept in tents with the women, prized above the stallions, for the Bedouins believed that the mare had more to do with the offspring's characteristics than the stallions. The mares were trained for riding and battle, while the stallions were kept mainly for breeding purposes; temperment aside, during a sneak attack, the mares were less likely to call out to other horses, thus warning the enemy of their approach. The horses grew up around people, surrounded at all times by humans, and therefore were bred also for their gentleness- it would hardly do to have a horse freak out in the middle of the night and tear down the tent. The Bedouins had similar relationships with their horses as people today have with their dogs. The Arabians had to be able to go for many hours without water, and eat whatever little food was available. As a result, they are a smaller horse, usually no more than 15 hands, although they are strong and can easily carry a full-grown man. They are hardy horses and should be relatively easy-keepers, living well into their thirties. The Arabians are known for their "floaty" gait, in which they seem to really bounce or float above the ground when they move. While many Arabians have small, delicate legs, their bones are actually supposedly denser than those of other horses. Even the colors of the horses were important. The Bedouins believed that the darker the horse, the more blood the horse had, and therefore the stronger the horse. The most coveted color of all was black with a white star. A bay Arabian (brown with black socks, mane and tail) was said to have excellent endurance. A dark chestnut is supposed to be the fastest (and was Mohammed's favorite color). The white horse is supposed to be lucky, and leaders such as Napoleon and Washington had white Arabian mares. Those white horses with large red marks are said to have a "bloody shoulder." This is a sign of bravery and courage, for it is said that a horse with a bloody shoulder was killed in battle in a previous life and was allowed to return with her mark of bravery as a reward.
In 7th century B.C. Mohammed placed all of his prized mares in a pen and kept them there for three days without food or water.
He released them after the three days and they ran straight to the nearest watering hole to satisfy their thirst. When they were almost to the watering hole, Mohammed blew the horn of battle, sounding all of those noble horses to return home. The mares kept running, straight for the water, save for five horses who stopped and turned around and answered the call. It is said that all pure Arabians have been descended from these five obedient mares. Arabians are the oldest breed of horse in the world, and literally their own sub-species of horse; while other horses of the world draw their lines back from three other sub-species which interbred, only the Arabian, or Equus agilis, has the honor of being a separate sub-species. As a result of this and of the extremely stringent breeding guidelines of the Bedouins, the Arabian's genes are so strong that it can pass on an overwhelming majority of its characteristics when crossed with another breed. This has helped the Arabian refine a number of breeds of horses as well as creat the light-horse breeds of the world. Even the tall English Thorougbreds can trace their lineage back to three Arabian stallions. Before written history, mankind had already tamed these beautiful animals for his own use, carving their likeness onto cave walls. The Arabian is mentioned in the Bible, Greek writings, Egyptian hieroglyphics, and the Koran. The Bedouins prized their horses above all else, for their horses meant their very livelihood. Their mares were their mounts- as aforementioned, the stallions might nicker to a mare when approaching an enemy camp, warning those inside of their presence. Their horses could help them raid enemy camps, protect them from their enemies, and they were their main source of transportation. Their foals were raised on camel's milk, allowing the mare to go back to service as soon as possible. It was rare that a prized mare was ever for sale- if she were, the price would be astronomical. These animals were more important to the Bedouins than a pocketful of gold; for without their horse, they had no way to gain more. The Islamic prophet Mohammed had probably the largest influence on the breed. He created a breeding program to carry his army throughout the world- into Europe, the middle east and even into China. During these various conquests, the Arabian was spread throughout the world, and the world started to take notice of this "little" horse. In many countries the only "small" horses were ponies, and these fast, sturdy mounts surprised and awed leaders across the world. Exalting the Arabian into a place not only in history, but in religion as well, Mohammed stated that Allah had created the Arabian, and that those who were kind to their horses would be rewarded in the afterlife. Mohammed's teachings included how to breed, keep and even groom the horses- the reason that Arabians are to have long manes and tails is because Mohammed stated that they should not be cut so that they could protect the horse. Stallions were not allowed to be castrated unless they were vicious, and those mares ridden into battle had to be calm and even-tempered. Breeding regulations were strict as to keep the purity of the breed. Even to this day, a straight Egyptian Arabian must have papers going back to desert bred horses on both sides. As Mohammed's conquests grew, so did the popularity of this breed. It has been heralded as the epitome of grace and beauty and perfection. It is even said that Al-Burak, a white winged horse, carried Mohammed to heaven.
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