A blog on desert arabian horses, past, present and future
I am sure many of you have alreay seen the piece Yasser Ghanim al-Tahawi recently wrote for the Kuwaiti Bait Al-Arab’s magazine. Yasser has emerged as one of most precise and boldest thought leaders on the subject of the identity of the Arabian horse. Scroll down to the end of the pdf for the piece. … Read more
This is Jamr again, in stills. I want to see similarities with the Blunt horses in this 1922 video by British Pathe. Again, I wish the neck was a tad longer; and if he had three more inches to him. Part of it was due to poor nutrition because he was weaned at three months … Read more
I feel very comfortable with Jamr‘s head, because of the combination of the straight profile, the small muzzle, and the deep jowls. I think one needs to see beyond the flashy, in-your-face, provocative, even disturbing “beauty” of present day heads of Arabian horses of the showring kind, with its exaggerated features. One instead needs to … Read more
In relation to the previous post, I am showing here two screenshots from the book Heroic Poets, Poetic Heroes: The Ethnography of Performance in an Arabic Oral Epic Tradition, by Dwight Fletcher Reynolds (Cornell University, 1995). They provide a good introduction to the epic of the Bani Hilal.
On a very old strain, from the Arabic original of the Abbas Pasha Manuscript, translation mine: The Gmassah [a branch of the Sba’ah tribe] were asked about the [strain of] ‘Ubayyah of Ibn ‘Alyan, which marbat she is from? The elders of the Sba’ah informed that: ‘She is ‘Ubayyah Huwaynah, [belonging] to [the tribe of] … Read more
The following are excerpts from the RAS Dr. Ahmed Mabrouk’s book “A Journey to Arabia”, pertaining to his visit to Eastern Arabia in 1936: [King Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia] gave me two recommendations, one to H.H. Prince Seoud Ibn Galawi, Ruler of El-Ehsa […]. The well known hospitality of H.M. The King and his … Read more
A mes lecteurs francais: je vous conseille vivement ce livre, auquel j’ai eu le plaisir de contribuer il y a quelques annees: Homer Davenport’s Quest of the Arabian Horse. Les images sont superbes et les annotations tres documentees.
I bought AAS Nelyo last July from Edie Booth as a potential outcross for my horses down the line. He is a ‘Ubayyan, from the line of *Mahraa, a 1943 mare of the horses of Sa’ud ibn ‘Abd Allah Ibn Jalawi Aal Saud, the governor of the oil-rich Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. I think … Read more
Barakah is now 5. I think she may have more growing (and widening) to do. She is 95% Davenport (four generations of Davenport stallions on top) but she looks nothing like full-Davenport horses. She is leggier, and differently balanced, with flatter bone. She has her sire’s drooping quarter (when moving this does not show). Pity … Read more
Wadhah is now 11, and looks truly magnificent. She is in foal to Monologue CF, and due in mid-May for her first foal. She really looks like the Thadrian daughter that she is. She has fully transitioned from the zarqa (darker, blue-grey) to the safra (light grey, almost white, with yellowish mane and tail) shade of … Read more
I am about to state the obvious about horses that combine different, well-established bloodlines: sometimes they look like horses of one bloodline, and sometimes like horses of the other bloodline, depending on the angle, the stage of growth, the light, etc. Jamr, who is roughly half Davenport, half Doyle (i.e., Blunt), sometimes reminds of me … Read more
I went to see the horses a few days ago. They looked wonderful. The younger ones have finally matured into what I was expecting of their bloodlines. I felt so vindicated, in terms of the breeding decisions I took over the past decade. I had remained uncertain about these decisions until recently. Jamr, albeit small, … Read more
From the 1936 book of Dr. Ahmad Mabrouk of the Royal Agricultural Society of Egypt, “Rihlah ila Bilad al-‘Arab”, comes this picture of a stallion of King Abd al-‘Aziz Aal Saud at the al-Kharj stud in Najd. Arabian horse fans would do well to carefully study the horse in this picture: he was the senior … Read more
This video sent along by Talal Farah shows a race held in Bahrain between a part-bred Arab horse from Lebanon and a Bahraini mare owned by the Bahraini ruler. The part-bred, a grey owned by famous racehorse owner Mahmud Fustuq, is Bahr al-Hadi, who sired a good deal of the Lebanese part-breds. He was very … Read more
In the same vein as the photos of lesser-known Crabbet horses which Kate re-published below, here is a photo of Rasim (Feysul x Risala, born 1906) from the December 1933 edition of the French magazine Le Sport Universel Illustre, with a nice description of him in French. The photo was taken during a visit of … Read more
This evening I had a bout of nostalgia for my old horses, so I went looking for pictures of Dahess, the desert-bred stallion my father and I bought from a racing stable in Beirut in 1993. I was 15. One afternoon, as I was just coming back from school, my father told me that he … Read more
From the Arabian Horse Archives comes this beautiful photo of the 1922 desert-bred Hamdani Simri stallion *Saoud, imported by Amin Rihani to the USA in 1928.
Today I found the following note in the 1935 book of Prince Mohammed Ali. It is an excerpt from the Abbas Pasha Manuscript (or one of its drafts), on a mare of the Jilfan Dhawi strain acquired by Abbas Pasha: The intensely black Jilfah Dahwa mare of the Fid’an, owned by Nasir al-Wayil of Shammar, … Read more
Today Kate found my Holy Graal. Two of my Holy Graals. Ever since I was 12, I have been wanting to see photos of the two fountainhead mares of Algerian Arabian horse breeding, at the Jumenterie of Tiaret: the two mares Olympe and Primevere. Robert Mauvy’s precious gem of a book, “Le Cheval Arabe” has … Read more
I just miss beautiful photos of Davenport mares and stallions, so I went digging among the old ones. I am particularly fond of chestnuts with blazes, long pricked ears, broad foreheads, protruding eye sockets and beautiful soulful eyes like Decibel CF.
روى سليمان العزو السليمان الفيحان من قبيلة الشرابين تجاوز الستين من العمر عن تاريخ قدوم الخلّاوية الى أهله قال: درجت الخلّاوية الى جد أبي اسمه فيحان منذ ما يقارب 180 عام من اعنزا حيث حدثت مشاجرة بين الرعاة من اعنزا والشرابين على المراعي حوالي منطقة جبل سنجار وفي هذه المشاجرة أُصيب رجل من الشرابين وبعد … Read more
Marwah had these magical soulful eyes and long eyelashes. She was small, but built like a tank. Both photos from Marwa’s owner Basil Jadaan. The strain belongs to Hasan ibn Amud who led the Amud clan of the Northern Shammar, but traces to the Jadraniyat mares of the Frijah clan of the Ruwalah. The Frijah … Read more
Basil Jadaan’s gorgeous foundation mare Marwah, a Saqlawiyah Jadraniyah of the marbat of Ibn ‘Amud from the Shammar, pictured here with the late Najm al-Himmayri. Najm’s day job was “horseman”, or “horse expert”. Marwah was the dam of Hijab (by Ward al-Mayel), exported to France and the maternal grandam of the French-bred Syrian stallion Menjad … Read more
Fawaz al-Rajab passed away last week. The news of his passing saddened me greatly, perhaps because he was directly connected to my family’s story with horses. Fawaz was one of Syria’s very last hassanah, (in Arabic حصانة, “men of horses”). Part merchants, part experts, part brokers, part stallion handlers, but never breeders nor owners, the … Read more
Register here to attend, if you can.
وقعت عيناي على حجة باسم جهيم المطخان يفيد بها ان ام الفحل الشهير كروش جهيم المعروف باسمه هي كروش محمد النواف الجربا مما يعني ان كروش جهيم يرد الى فرس علي العبد الرزاق الجربا التي وردت مع امه العمشة اثر رجوعها من حائل حيث اقامت عدة سنوات في ضيافة ابن رشيد وقد اتى ابن … Read more
Seven years after this post, it’s time to say goodbye to Ginger (DA Ginger Moon, photo below). She went to Bev Davison, who had been keeping her for me for some time. Bev now has quite a collection of horses with high percentage Abbas Pasha blood from the dam lines of both Gulida and Rabanna, … Read more
This interesting 2019 article from Aramco Expat is an obituary of sorts for John Ames, an early (pre-World War II) Aramco employee. He was the husband of Dr. Esther Ames, who imported the Ubayyah mare *Mahraa and her daughter *Muhaira to the USA. The following exceprt struck me: John was married to Esther – Esther … Read more
This handsome stallion, a personal favorite of mine, born in 1988, is the sire of the flee-bitten Kuhaylat Ibn Mizhir mare that many of you liked in the entry below. He was one of the last stallions the Tai Bedouins used as a herdsire, in the village of al-Na’em, where some Tai had settled. This … Read more
تُعتبر كحيلة ابن مزهر من الارسان الحديثة وهي بالأصل كروش بطحها رجل من الجوالة من قبيلة طي يُقال له حماد الاسيود الخابور من رجل من الفدعان يُقال له ابن ماضي ثم اخذها من الجوالي ابن مزهر من اقارب شيخ طي انذاك محمد العبدالرحمن العساف توفّي نهاية اربعينيات القرن العشرين وهو الذي أطلق عليها اسم كحيلة … Read more
يقول حماد الجدوع الجزعة سمعتُ من أبي يقول الصگلاوية الجدرانية التي عندنا بالأصل لآل غبين شيوخ الفدعان من اعنزا وقدا أهدوا فرس الى ابن اختهم ضاري ابن محمود شيخ زوبع من شمر في ثورة العشرين في العراق جَلى ابن محمود الى الجزيرة السورية لأنّه كان احد القادة للثورة وجلبَ معه مجموعة من الخيل ضمنها الصكلاوية … Read more
DeWayne Brown visited the horses at Terry and Rosemary Doyle’s farm in Alfalfa, OR the other day. He sent me these two pictures of my Ma’naqi Sbayli colt Shaykh Al Arab (Tamaam DE x DaughterofthePharaohs by Chatham DE), who is now 15 months old. He has many barn names: Terry calls him Naj, Rosemary calls … Read more
This is the year I have planned the most breeding since 2006. Five mares were bred or about to be bred. Of these three are going to Davenport stallions: Andre DL, Anecdote CF, and Monologue CF. 1/ CSA Baroness Lady to the Da’jani stallion from Syria (planned) 2/ Wadha Al Arab to Monologue CF (in … Read more
Jens Sannek sent me this message, a few days ago: In Germany Falko Zimmermann bred the mare Murjana, a Saglawieh Jedranieh Ibn Sudan via Ghazieh, born 2012, bay, by Menjad Maram al Baida (Mokthar x Hijab) out of Assads Galifah (Maamoon Tarik x Gazeera (Sindbad x Golson)). Sindbad is by Hadban Enzahi out of Sahmet … Read more
This is the stallion I am going to breed my mares to this year. I chose him because of his extreme arched neck, his extreme throat latch, his extreme high set tail, his extreme muzzle, the extreme black skin around his eyes, and above all else, his extreme floating action. Wish me extreme luck.
Monologue CF still looks his same old self at 20. If anything his eyes look even more bulging with age. I like the balance on this horse so much, and I wish he was used more. Wadha is in foal to him. I think I will breed him to Barakah next. Because of his high … Read more
By far the nicest surprise of yesterday’s visit to see my horses was little Bassma Al Arab, now three months old. She is Belle’s daughter by Jamr Al Arab. She looks absolutely superb, and I hope she lives long enough to fulfill her promise. She is going to be grey. I confess having taken that … Read more
I was pleased to see how my 2016 mare Barakah Al Arab (Wadd Al Arab x Jadah BellOfTheBall) had developed over the past two and a half years. I left her a gangly two year old, and she has filled up since. She certainly has some more growing to do. Wadd improved the shoulder angle … Read more
Yesterday I went to see my horses for the first time since the onset of COVID-19 some two and a half years ago. Belle the Kuhaylat al-Ajuz looks good and has had two fillies in the last four years. Both fillies are an improvement over her, in terms of balance and structure. I am going … Read more
The dry, arid climate and terrain of the South Western USA are much closer to that of the steppes of Arabia than the wetter climate and more lush pastures of, say, the mid-Atlantic region or the plains of the Midwest. I have observed that these drier conditions are resulting in Arabian horses that look much … Read more
WhatsApp and Twitter threads of Gulf countries Arab horse and saluki breeders are spreading the news of the passing of Danah Al Khalifah of natural causes, the day before yesterday. Rest in Peace, noble lady of the horses, you have done so much.
Jens Sannek sent me these three photos of a stallion of his breeding in Europe. The bloodlines lines are absolutely unique in Europe. Ajman (Maamoun Tarik x Bint Aja by Mirath x Aja by El Haml) is a 1996 liver chestnut of the Hamdani Simri strain that traces to the *Halwaaji, a mare of Saud … Read more
Hopefully this time is the right time. Last time she slipped her foal at five months. She will be taking progesterone until she delivers. I can’t wait for this foal.
شكر وتقدير للاستاذ خالد الرخلاني الذي جهد في ادخال بيانات انساب الخيول العربية السورية على قاعدة www.allbreedpedigree.com
Bev saved him. She really did.
This account was recorded in early 2021. It reads like a testimony in the Abbas Pasha Manuscript. My translation: I, Hammad Jaddu’ al-Jaz’ah, of the tribe of Tai, the clan of al-Jawwalah, am the owner of the strain of Saqlawi Dari, the horses of Jaddu’ al-Jaz’ah, in the town of Abu Hujairah, in the district … Read more
Yesterday Ginger foaled a little male, who as of this morning was still fighting for his life. He could not stand to nurse on his own, so Bev — bless her heart — has been waking up every two hours to lift him so he could nurse. I hope he pulls off. He is Ginger’s … Read more
فرس شقراء كحيلة الخدلية يعود مربطها الى عضيب الوقاع السبيعي ابوها الصقلاوي الجدراني من خيل دريعي الاحدب من عشيرة شمر ابو امها المعنقي السبيلي حصان الشويطي من خيل النجرس من عشيرة العقيدات
صورة للشيخ خالد بن عضيب الوقاع شيخ فخذ المجاهمه من الموايقه من قبيله السبعه من عنزه كان لوالده عضيب الوقاع السبيعي مربط معروف لكحايل الخدليات درج على قبيلة العقيدات في ما بعد
Kim Davis has a new colt by Othello LD out of HH Nadira Krush, in yet another demonstration of the continued vitality of her wonderful breeding program. It looks like he will be black after his sire and grandsire.
A rare photo of Abd al-Jalil al-Naqashbandi, one of the preeminent Sufis of the Euphrates Valley, and the owner of a famous marbat of Kuhaylan al-Nawwaq that is now 110 years old. He is pictured here on one of his Nawwaqiyah mares. He was a partner of Fanghash al-Nawwaq, who was the last member of … Read more
This was Belle, the Kuhaylat al-Ajuz, with my daughter Solenn in 2018. Belle was 16, Solenn 5. I am still on a quest to know who this line of horses originally belonged to, back in 1925. I have clues but no hard facts.
I like this image so much that I will make it a blog header for a few days. I think the beautiful mare on the left is a Kuhaylat al-Mimrah.
This year I will be using for the first time frozen semen from one of the Syrian stallions now in France. I chose Arnault Decroix’s Dahjani Al Arab (same prefix as my horses, by chance). He is a Kuhaylan Da’jaani from the old Syrian desert bloodlines I have known and loved for three decades (sheesh!). … Read more
A quick snapshot of little Bassma from two weeks ago. She is unfolding slowly. I will be back in the USA in July and will take good pictures. I just love the combination of bloodlines this filly brings. A Saudi tail female to *Nufoud with a cross to *Turfa in the bottom, a female line … Read more
RJ Cadranell took this nice photo of Belladonna CHF several years ago. She was a Kuhaylat al-Ajuz tracing to *Nufoud, and was a favorite mare of mine. I saw her in 2001. She is my Bell’s dam and Barakah and Bassma’s grand-dam
Andre LS (Zachary CF x Aliah LD by HB Adrian), one of Diane Lyon’s Davenport stallions of the Kuhaylan Haifi strain is now California at Michael Bowling’s. Michael is going to take him to a vet clinic for testing. If fertile, he will be bred to one of my mares. He looks good, and is … Read more
Bassma Al Arab was born at dawn today. She is by my stallion Jamr Al Arab (Vice Regent CF x Jadiba by Dib), a Saqlawi al-‘Abd, out of “Belle”, Jadah BelloftheBall (Invictus Al Krush x Belladonna CHF by Audobon), a Kuhaylat al-‘Ajuz tracing to the desert-bred mare *Nufoud. She is only the fifth filly alive from … Read more
Yesterday, Jana and I spent a lovely afternoon in the company of Pienaar, Pauline and Gerhard Du Plessis at Saruk Arabians outside Albertinia in the Western Cape. We came for lunch on Easter Sunday and spent a lot of time chatting so time flew by. They run a successful endurance racing operation mainly oriented towards … Read more