Such reads the caption on the photo below, shared by Rehan Ud Din Baber on his wonderful Facebook page. Rehan tells us the photo is from the G. Eric and Edith Matson Photograph Collection, which I will certainly look up. Also sharing Severine Vesco’s beautiful comment on that photo, in French: C’est en regardant ces photos là qu’on comprend vite ce qu’est l’arabe… un cheval de guerre dans un des milieux les plus difficiles au monde, et dans une culture tribaleEt vu que le sport c’est quand même plus facile que la razzia ou la guerre, il devrait y exceller. Le cheval arabe est bien plus qu’un chanfrein concave ou une queue en panache. C’est un compagnon d’arme, garant et dernier rempart de son cavalier, un roc chargé de le protéger, de l’emmener en sécurité aussi bien qu’au combat, d’aller vite mais aussi loin, d’affronter tous les obstacles, avec Noblesse… Endurance, vitesse, polyvalence, volonté, proximité à l’homme, solidité, puissance, sécheresse des tissus, charisme, noblesse, Sang Voilà toutes les cases que doit cocher un cheval arabe pour survivre à ce mode de vie, et c’est tout ça qui l’a rendu si …. Parfait
Zalfa had to be put down yesterday, at the veterinary hospital. In many ways, she was just too good to be true. I just hate breeding when this happens. I just hate it. You buy a rare old mare in her twenties sight unseen from far, far away, you do export papers, you ask friends for help with shippers and vet papers, you have her hauled thousands of miles, you ask other friends to let you use their stallion a first time, she does not take the first year, you have her hauled to another friend, bred again, you give her to that friend, she offers you a future filly back, you wait, you hope, you wait again, eleven months, she is confirmed in foal, you’re elated when she delivers that big beautiful filly, you pick a name, you make plans to visit, then in a matter of seconds it all collapses, the dam, half blind, steps on the filly, displaces a hock, the filly can no longer stand, can’t nurse, your friend rushes to the vet hospital with her friend, you wait, you hope, then you get the bad news, you’re left with no other option, and you have…