This is not an Arabian horse
By Edouard
Posted on October 3rd, 2008 in France, Racing
On paper, this stallion looks okay. I mean he has the pedigree of an Arabian horse. But he is not. He is an Anglo-Arab in disguise. Ba-Toustem (Djerba Oua x Bacchantara, at least that’s what his papers say) was born in France, at a time when Arabians raced in the same same races as Anglo-Arabs and English Thoroughbreds, with a weight “discount”. Ba-Toustem (check out his picture on allbreedpedigree.com, pretty typey, eh?) is the result of what French purist breeders call the “midnight breedings”. Arabian mares mated to Anglo-Arabian stallions. Their products registered as Arabians, with Arabian sires as a fig-leaf. Raced against Anglo-Arabians, and English Thoroughbreds [correction: only against anglos; thank you Jean-Marc di Francesco]. Then used as stallions on pure Arab mares. And the story goes on, and on, and on. The few French purist breeders that stood against such widespread practices were silenced. And WAHO accepted these horses. What a shame.
From now on, “Daughter of the Wind” will seek to escalate the debate on purity by featuring a regular series called “This is not an Arabian horse”, with the aim of “naming and shaming” those horses that should not even be called Arabians. Photo of Ba-Toustem courtesy of Pierre-Henri Beillard.
October 4th, 2008 6:55 am
have a look on Ba Toustem picture on http://www.allbreedpedigree.com
the presence of Thouroughbred blood is maybe more explicit
October 5th, 2008 11:55 pm
How far do you want to go back in history Edouard? Let’s say 1950 perhaps? I think you would have to list at least 10 horses a day…
October 6th, 2008 4:52 am
You’re right, but I’ll stick to those who did the most damage..
October 6th, 2008 12:40 pm
What about the TB blood coursing through the veins of all those registered Arabs with Skowronek?
October 6th, 2008 2:55 pm
We’ll get there… Ba-Toustem was a 25% anglo-arab, and has thousands of grandsons and grand-daughters alive today. Skowronek and his descendents are a icons of purity in comparison.
October 30th, 2008 11:52 pm
This is not the place but I could not resist in posting it.
ELMER BANDIT DID IT! 37-YEAR-OLD HORSE SETS NEW MILEAGE RECORD
Half-Arabian Elmer Bandit trotted under the finish line Sunday to set a new competitive trail mileage record of 20,720 miles, 201 days after his 37th birthday. The North American Trail Conference event took place Oct. 25-26 at Kanopolis State Park near Lindsborg, Kan.