Jamr Al Arab — December 2023
I went up to Pennsylvania with Jenny Krieg to see the horses this past Sunday. Monica Respet and Linda Uhrich met us there. We spent a nice afternoon catching up. All the horses looked great. Jamr in particular looked drop dead gorgeous, muddy winter coat and all. He was let loose in the upper riding paddock and put on a big show.
May he and others like him live long and have many foals. I keep saying that — that such horses still exist in the current circumstances is a miracle. Some fifty years ago, speaking of the last asil horses of France, Robert Mauvy was already writing: de bons et beaux chevaux, sans mievrerie romantique — “good and handsome horses, without romantic soppiness”, i.e., nonsense].
All i can say is wow look at his extended trot.. Eat your hearts out andalusions and warmbloods!
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Bruce Peek
Yes, I agree. The thing I really love about this is not only can you see him moving through the back and with lift in the withers, but the motion is economical. There’s purity in the leg diagonals, with an open throatlatch and a head that’s in front of the vertical – no compressed poll. It’s only too easy to look at that photo and imagine what it feels like as he’s stretching toward the bit, and working to more elevation in the neck, more lift in the withers and the thoracic sling, and more pushing power from behind. The components are all there, and beautifully so. I am so excited to have a son of Jamr, because I love what I see, and I always have.
(To be absolutely fair to Andalusians and Iberians in general — they’re not really bred to extend. They’re bred for collection.)
Well i know – I did see an amazingly expensive Andy gelding at Devonwood in August that overtracked into a true extension- and didn’t hollow his back but he was the exception to prove the rule. I suspect that the problem with the hollow backed flicking extensions is current dressage teaching that keeps telling the student that they need to maintain , ‘contact,’ with their outside rein to ,’ balance,’ the horse. But the rider is the load and the horse is the support. The support must balance the load- the load cannot balance the support. If heavey rein feel balanced the horse then the train would keep the tracks in place, and the snow on top of mount Hood would keep the mountain standing up to the degree that avalanches would not happen.
I think Jamr is going to be the Princequillo of Asils- Mr. Fixit for conformationally flawed mares.
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I do so love this horse; he really is the type that appeals to me. That first photo is particularly gorgeous.
Bruce, I love the Princequillo reference; that little horse was a source of stamina and an excellent broodmare sire to boot.
I have an open pedigreed OTTB with 10 % Princequillo back to the 3.3% and 6and 2/3/% lines, and Stormcat at the one eigth line – open pedigreed meaning that there is only one line to northern dancer. One of the Tbred breeders hearabouts says there used to be a Princequillo son locally who got anglo arab looking foals with good hoofs but difficult dispositions. To which i say whats the heck just trainem they’ll be fine, and don’t whine about the time it takes you weren’t doing anything anyway. As to Anglos I’ve always thought the Asil Arab community was missing the boat by not breeding their stallions- especially Davenports to off the track mares. Most anglo arabs move about a zillion times better than the very best wamrbloods- they have good quality hooves and contrary to conventional wisdom far better dispositions.
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I have not talked about her on this blog which is dedicated to authentic Arabians, but Porte CF has an Anglo daughter (ADA Mammas Affair, aka Kris or Best Friend Krissy) who has succeeded at both hunter/jumper (Scottsdale championships) and low-level eventing (what I bred her for). I believe she’s currently at an eventing barn in SoCal with her doting owner.
2019 at her very very first event (some greenie moments but you can see her moving out) https://www.rideonvideo.net/105xc-randi-koehn-on-ada-mammas-affair-intro-cross-country-shepherd-ranch-august-2019_f98b6ab19.html
From her HT trainer in 2021:
ADA MAMMAS AFFAIR, owned by Molly Newman
-Kris is really starting to develop into a proper show horse and is becoming the superstar we’ve all believed in from the beginning. Jillian and Molly both put great rides in on her this weekend and I was able to take her for a spin in the Open Dressage type! She’s such a blast to ride and becoming such a dependable partner.
TWO SCOTTSDALE CHAMPIONSHIPS AND TWO RESERVE CHAMPIONSHIPS
-CHAMPION HA/AA Hunter Hack ATR
-CHAMPION HA/AA Modified Working Hunter ATR
-RESERVE CHAMPION Hunter Hack Open
Beautiful ride, Ambar. She has a lovely, free and well balanced gait. Even for a greenie!