March 28 2017 update: he has found a home. More later. Reposting from Aug 2016: I am putting Wadd, my 5 year old Davenport stallion, up for sale. He is the youngest offspring of the grand Triermain CF, out of Wisteria CF, one of the prettiest Triermain daughters and a favorite of Charles Craver. He is a Kuhaylan Haifi by strain, bred within the strain for four generations. His sire was the main Kuhaylan Haifi stallion at Craver Farms in the last period of its activity, as was the sire of his sire before him. He would be best used to perpetuate his breed, preferably within the asil group of horses, including the Davenports, Saud, straight Syrians, North African, Bahraini, Sharps, and other Arabian horses lines that came directly from the Arabian and Syrian deserts. He sired one offspring for me, a filly now two months old, and is an easy breeder. He has a curious and playful disposition. He leads easily but is not broken to ride. For readers from the Arab world where these things matter, almost every one of his ancestors came from the desert with a certificate of authenticity (hujjah) from its Bedouin breeder or owner.…
Tuwaisaan Talleb M555, grey stallion, born 2009, by Rabdan Alawsaj M291 out of Tuwaisah Khabaari 927
This is a photo of the 2004 Hamdani stallion Laura’s Major WA, a horse of Davenport bloodlines. A closely bred stallion by Sergeant Major CF out of Miss Laura SHF by Mimic out of Kestrel by Saluation out of Trill by Tripoli. I saw this stallion last summer at the farm of Dawn Woods in Parker, CO. He was bred by Mary Gills from horses tracing to the program of Fred Mimmack. Fred was asking me about this horse, and at the time I did not appreciate enough the combination of power and refinement he exudes. The muzzle is small, the eye placement low, and the eye big and expressive.
Ma´anaghieh Shagrah M367, chestnut mare, born 2003, by Dhahmaan Alashgar M139 out of Maánagieh Dana M188
Saqlawieh Dhabiya 1621, grey mare, born 2010, by Obeyaan Al Muheeb 957 out of Saqlawieh Manaar 1246
Sheykh Tahawi Saeed Mejalli al-Tahawi who is in his nineties was interviewed recently by Yehia Abdel-Satar Eliwa al-Tahawi. The old man, who is the memory of the Tahawi clan of Egypt, told him that the original Kuhayla Khallawiyah mare had come to Shaman Ghumah al-Tahawi from the Mawali Bedouins. I had hypothesized this connection of the Futna line to the Mawali tribe some seven years ago on this blog, here. It is now confirmed. This makes the Egyptian Kuhaylan Khallawi strain of Bint Futna one of the most prestigious strains of Northern Arabia, that of Khallawiat al-Nesswan [“of the women”, not sure why they are called this way]. A branch of the Mawali leading family, the Aal al-‘Aabed, who had settled in Damascus, and provided Syria with its first president, Muhammad ‘Ali al-‘Aabed, owned a Khallawi line that survived in Asil form until the late 1990s, in both Lebanon and Syria. I owned the last such mare in old age. These were quite the race horses. When Ottoman Sultan ‘Abd al-Hamid was on his way from Istanbul to Mecca on pilgrimage, he was hosted by the leader of the Mawali Bedouins near Hama, in central Syria, and presented with a Khallawia mare. In Syria,…
Shuwaimeh Al Zubarah 1292, grey mare, born 2002, by Hamdaany Nejd 850 out of Shuwaimeh Menwah 905 and her bay colt Shuwaiaan 1792 by Mlolshaan Wesam 1371
Krayaan 1706, grey stallion, born 2014, by Mlolshaan Wesam 1371 out of Kray Tameya´a 1399
According to their own histories and the reports of British agents, the ‘Ajman are a Yemeni Bedouin tribe with an ancestral homeland around the city of Najran, today in South-West Saudi Arabia, but historically a Yemeni city until 1934. Their parent tribe of Yam still live in the Najran area. They trace further back to the Hashed, the dominant tribal confederation in modern Yemen. The ‘Ajman seem to have moved to the north-east first, to southern Najd around 1720 AD. Captain George F. Sadleir, the first Westerner to cross the Arabian Peninsula from shore to shore, encountered them in Eastern Arabia in 1819, and dated their settling thereto the end or the twelfth century Hijri, or around 1780. Around 1820, the ‘Ajman joined forces with Turki ibn ‘Abdallah, the 5th ruler of the Saud dynastty and the founder of the Emirate of Najd, which was seeking to reestablish control over Eastern Arabia, where the Shiite tribal emirate of the Bani Khaled held sway. In 1823, a large tribal coalition led by the ‘Ajman defeated the Bani Khalid and moved into their Eastern Arabian realm. The battle, known as al-Radhimah, reportedly lasted for three months, and unfolded over four phases: the first pitting the ‘Ajman on their own against the…
In his 1936 book “Rihlah ila Bilad al-‘Arab” about his journey to Arabia in search for Arabian horses, Dr. Ahmad Mabrouk of the Royal Agricultural Society of Egypt mentioned two mares of the Kuhaylan al-Kray strain in the stud of Prince Saud ibn ‘Abdallah Ibn Jalawi, governor of the Eastern region of the then newly established Kingdom of Saudi Arabia [translation mine]: “Krush al-Kray, golden chestnut, no white on the face, pretty head, nice legs but short neck, five years old, her dam the bay Kray, and her sire the bay ‘Ubayyan.” “Bay Kray, white on the hind legs, pretty, eight years old, not to be mated.” This seems to suggest that the strain of Kuhaylan al-Kray (or Karay), was actually an offshoot of the more famous strain of Kuhaylan al-Krush, but was not to be mated for some reason. As I came back from Bahrain where I saw representatives of this rare strain, I dug a bit deeper and found the following in the ‘Abbas Pasha Manuscript, in the section on Kuhaylat ibn Jarshan, the Jallabiyah: “and we [several elders from the ‘Ajman testifying] mated her to Kuhaylan al-Karay, the horse of Ibn ‘Ulbah of Aal Mu’yid of Al ‘Ajman” This reference constitutes…
Kuheila´t Aladiyat Wasamah 1296, chestnut mare, born 2002, by Kuheilaan Aafas Rakaan 886 out of Kuheila´t Aladiyat Ray Iaanah 809 and her chestnut filly born 2016 Kuheila´t Aladiyat 1782 by Shuwaimaan Sadeq
Kuheila´t Umm Zorayr Alia 1612, bay mare, born 2010, by Maánaghy Mesbah 1101 out of Kuheila´t Umm Zorayr Mafkhara 1387 (the first mare I posted here) and her bay colt Kuheilaan Umm Zorayr 1776, born 2016
Kuheila´t Umm Zorayr Nadija 1568, grey mare, born 2009, by Hamdaany Wadhah 901 out of Kuheila´t Umm Zorayr Zaraya 1036 and her colt Kuhailaan Umm Zorayr 1775, bay, born 2016, by Hamdaany Senafee 1381 Two colts playing: Kuheilaan Um Zorayr 1775 (right) and Kuheilaan Um Zorayr 1776 (by Hamdaany Ra´an 1294 out of Kuheila´t Umm Zorayr Alia 1612)
Rabda Eshtahar 1392, grey mare, born 2005, by Hamdaany Wadha 901 out of Rabda Hujaisieh 789
Hamdanieh Khawla 1637, grey mare, born 2011, by Shawaf Al Betaar 953 out of Hamdanieh Buttha 1198
Tuwaisah Ajla 1694, bay mare, born 2014, by Obeyaan Al Muheeb 957 out of Tuwaisa Sallamah 1072
Hamdaany Zaizoom 1349, bay stallion, born 2004, by Saqlaawy Saba´an 327 out of Hamdanieh Khaznah 914
Kuheilaan Aafas 1708, bay stallion, born 2014, by Dhahmaan Hoobeishi 1085 out of Kuheila´t Aafas Nood 1086
I met Regina and Warren in Bahrain for the first time, after corresponding with them for seven years. They have been preserving the Dahman strain branch of the original Bahraini mare Sawannah in Germany, with their foundation mare Ghazalah (Ibn Taamrud x DB Jasidah by Desert Jalam) and her daughter Muharraq by Theeb. They also breed a Hamdani strain from Al Kamila (Desert Dhellal x Bint Amiraa). The ancient Dahman strain died out in Bahrain with the death of Dahmeh Umm Wajnah, and is now only represented by a stallion, the last of his line, Dhahmaan Hoobeishi, whose photo Matthias Oster posted below. So the Royal Stud of Bahrain sought a replacement for their lost line, and Regina sent three mares, and now a fourth is on her way. When in Bahrain, Regina was gifted an Ubayyan stallion (photo below, with the ruler’s brother) who will hopefully reach Europe sometime next month.
Zayn al-Khayl, a desert bred Rabdan stallion from the breeding of the Sheykh of Tay, was one of the main stallions in Syria before the war. He was something of a sensation. Everybody wanted to breed mares to him, and his daughters were superb, and correctly conformed as he was. He was standing at the farm of the sons of Mustafa Jabri when ISIS-affiliated thugs came and took him away, along with most of the herd. Later on information filtered that he was kept in an ISIS-maintained stud in Albu Kamal, on the Euphrates valley near the Iraqi border crossing, and that he may have died there about six months ago. I don’t know who took the photo and when it was taken.
In the same vein as this note in 2014: Fadlallah Jirjis, a Syrian Christian from the area of Wadi al-Nasara, and a close friend of Dr. Iskandar Qassis, owned a precious Hamdaniyat al-Simri mare from the Qassis herd. He would never be tired of repeating that she was from the breeding of ‘Ajaj (Ajaaaaaaj as he would say it) ibn Shibib, one of the Sba’ah leading Shaykhs. She was a bay daughter of Sahab, the beautiful bay Ma’naqi Abu Sayfayn head stallion of Qassis; her daughter Zabia, was by Qassis’ other stallion, Kharuf, a Ma’naqi Zudghum. Ma’naqi Abu Sayfayn and Ma’naqi Zudghum are the two most precious branches of Ma’naqi Sbayli, the first from the Fad’an and the second from the Sba’ah.
Jellaby Janah 1683, chestnut stallion, born 2014, by Tuwaisaan Tha´atha´a 1251 out of Jellabieh Hathaari 1380
Musannan Al Sabah 1701, chestnut stallion, born 2014, by Mlolshaan Wesam 1371 out of Musannah Albushiya 1409, one of the rare chestnut horses in Bahrain
Ma´anaghieh Tabasheer 1057, grey mare, born 1997, by Musannaan Dinaar 866 out of Maanaghieh Shalfa 774 and her filly Ma´anaghieh 1789 by Mlolshaan Wesam 1371: Ma´anaghieh Ghada 1665, grey mare, born 2013, by Dahman Hoobeishi 1085 out of Ma´anaghieh Tabasheer 1057 Ma´anaghieh Maysa 1625, grey mare, born 2011, by Obeyaan Al Muheeb 957 out of Ma´anagieh Tabasheer 1057 Ma´anaghieh 1714, grey mare, born 2014, by Rabdan Sary Al Leil 1090 out of Ma´anaghieh Tabasheer 1057
Suwaiti Mamdooh M671 at the stud of Sh. Muhammad B. Salma in Umm Jidr. From a strain recently received from Saudi Arabia after the original Bahraini line of Suwaitia Kuwaitia had died out. He looks different from the other Bahraini horses. Photos Amanda Jane Smith.
Ubayyaan Azheer M361 at the Stud of Sh. Muhammad B. Salman. Photo Amanda Jane Smith.
Mlolesh Wesaal M654 at the stud of Sh. Mohamed b. Salman. Photo courtesy Amanda Jane Smith.
Putting together information from Judi Forbis’ series of articles “Pearls of Great Price” on Bahraini horses as reproduced in Classic Arabian Bloodstock, with information from Dana Al Khalifa’s introduction to her “Living Treasures of Bahrain”, and comparing these with the current strains existing at the Bahraini Royal studs, one can list the Arabian horse strains lost to Bahrain in the course of the last 80 years: Shuhayban, which is Kuhaylan ibn Waberah (mare gifted to Egypt in 1930s, as reported in Forbis, strain died out before 1970s) Kuhaylan Om Soura (in Forbis, strain died out before Forbis visit in 1970s) Dahman Najib (in Forbis, strain died out before Forbis visit in 1970s) Kuhaylan ‘Ajuz (reported as current in Forbis and Danah, died out before WAHO conference of 1998) Hadban (reported as current in Danah, died out in 1980s) Hadhfan, which is Ubayyan Umm Al-Ardaf (last stallion featured in 1998 catalogue, strain died out in early 2000s) Wadnan (last stallion featured in 1998 catalogue, strain died out in 2000s) Suwaiti (last stallion featured in 1998 catalogue, strain died out of 2000s, replaced with a branch from Saudi Arabia) Krushan (strain died in 1990s or 2000s, replaced with non-asil branch from UK) Dahman Umm…
Rabdaan Sary Al Leil 1090, dark bay stallion, born 1998, by Ma´anaghy 148 out of Rabda Al Wannaan 815
Dhahmaan Hoobeishi 1085, dark bay stallion, born 1998, by Kuheilaan Umm Zorayr al Dheleem 407 out of Dhahma Umm Wajnah 821
From Kina Murray: I always find it interesting how much the Bahraini horses, especially the stallions, somehow change when in motion. This is Jellaby Kher, from 1998 WAHO conference visit to Umm Jidr stud.
One of the main reasons why some strains do not appear in the Abbas Pasha Manuscript is that they had not been formed or named yet. One example is Kuhaylan Hayfi in Northern Arabia, and another is Kuhaylan Al-Aadiyat in Bahrain. The latter strain is peculiar to Bahrain, stemming from a Kuhaylah Ajuz of the Bedouin Shaykhs of the ‘Ajman tribe, gifted to Bahrain at the turn of the XXth century. The story of how it was named is told here. Note that both Kuhaylat al-Aadiyat and Kuhaylat Umm Surayyir/Zurayr both came to Bahrain from the ‘Ajman tribe of Eastern Arabia. Lady Anne Blunt already noted the ‘Ajman original provenance of many of the Bahrain strains.
Again, elevating this other quote Laszlo relayed from Valerie Noli-Marais’ 1972 article in Arabian Horse News, because it’s very relevant to the discussion about the pronounced male-female difference in Arabian horses, but also to other earlier discussions on dished profiles: ”The stallions are between 14.3 and 16 h.h., very masculine, short-backed and compact, with long powerful necks, with prominent crests, good withers, broad and deep chests, and tremendously powerful quarters. Top-lines are good and tail carriage is truly magnificent. the legs apart from disfigurement by the shackling,are excellent and dry with large flat knees,short pasterns and large strong hooves… The mares are smaller, 14.2 to 15 hands high, feminine, with finer heads,more to our western taste. Some had quite good dished profiles, although this factor is not mentioned in the traditional standards. When questioned about the “dish”, it was apparent that this was not sought after or bred for, but happened to be present in some horses. It is tolerated in mares but not in stallions.”.. She certainly knew how to identify and describe the good points in an Arabian horse. Her last sentence, about the dish being tolerated in mares but not in stallions, certainly rings a bell, in…
Kuheilaan Aladiyat Dami 1587, grey stallion, born 2009, by Hamdaany Wadhah 901 out of Kuheila´t Aladiyat Afeefa 1212
Saqlaawy Al Faisal 1275, grey stallion, born 2002, by Kuheilaan Aafas Falaah 916 out of Saqlawieh Schmooc 1033
Hamdaany Senafee 1381, bay stallion, born 2005, by Jellaby Nejib 404 out of Hamdanieh Alyatima Roudhah 761
In a comment on an earlier post, Laszlo reminded us of this quote from Valerie Noli-Marais in an article from a 1972 Arabian Horse News issue about the horses of Bahrain: “When a Bahrain Arabian horse is taken off its hobbles and proudly bursts into motion, with mane flying, dark kohl ringed eyes flashing, tail straight up like a banner and arching his long neck, it is a sight to bring tears to the eyes of any horse lover – for truly it is he – the real Drinker of the Wind… The wonderful photos Matthias Oster has been featuring here over the past two days are an illustration of this. So is this photo of Saidan Gharib at the 1998 WAHO conference in Bahrain. One of the things I loved the most about these Bahraini horses is how different stallions are from closely related mares, often their sisters and their mothers. Just as in wildlife, there is a differentiation between the male and the female, which has almost been erased in the show horse. Bahraini stallions exhibit strong primary masculine features like thicker necks, while mares’ neck are much thinner.
Hamdany Ra´an 1294, bay stallion, born 2002, by Jellaby Hataan 945 out of Hamdanieh Khaznah 914, one of my favourite stallions in Bahrain
Jellabi Balsam 1169, grey stallion, born 2000, by Kuheilan Aafas Ttaawoos 416 out of Jellabieh Awaali 778
Jellabie Soroog 1169, bay mare, born 2000, by Mlolshaan Areen 827 out of Jellabieh Al Anoud 889 and her colt Jellaby 1783, bay, born 2016 by Rabdaan Sary Al Leil 1090 Jellabieh Malaha 1548, grey mare, born 2008, by Shawaf al Betaar 953 out of Jellabieh Soroog 1169 Jallabieh Ghabra 1622, grey mare, born 2010, by Shawaf Al Betaar 953 out of Jellabieh Soroog 1169 Jellaby 1704, bay stallion, born 2014, by Shuwaimaan Sadeq 1117 out of Jellabieh Soroog 1169
Mlolesh Samra 1020, bay mare, born 1996, by Kuheilaan Umm Zorayr al Dheelem 407 out of Mlolesh Alyatima Radhwah 412 with her filly Mlolesh 1780, black by Jellaby Balsam Mlolshaan Wesam 1371, bay stallion, born 2004, by Kuheilaan aafas Rakaan 886 out of Mlolesh Samra 1020 Mlolshaan Al Ward 1471, bay stallion, born 2012, by Obeyaan Barakat 1093 out of Mlolesh Samra 1020
Tuwaisah Zeinat Al Bahrain 1094, bay mare, born 1998, by Kuheilaan Umm Zorayr Al Dheleem 407 out of Tuwaisah Newaadir 859 Tuwaisah Ishtahar 1411, bay mare, born 2005, by Obeyaan al Muheeb 957 out of Tuwaisah Zeinat Al Bahrain 1094 Tuwaisah Yasmin 1522, bay mare, born 2008, by Dahmaan Hoobeishi 1085 out of Tuwaisah Newaadir 859
Tuwaisaan al Jamur 1613, bay stallion, born 2010, by Obeyaan Barakat 1093 out of Tuwaisah Newaadir 859 And his dam: Tuwaisah Newaadir 859, bay mare, born 1991, by Hamdaany Shaamikh 81 out of Tuwaisah Ttaraayif 758
Obeyaan Shamet 1335, grey stallion by Kuheilan Aafas Falaah 916 out of Obeyah Karaeb, born 2006 His dam Obeyah Karaeb 1042, bay mare, born 1997 by Jellaby Nejib 404 out of Obeyah Danaanir 808
Musannah Bint Al Bahrain 1192, grey mare born 2003, by Obeyaan al Muheeb 957 out of Musannah Galaayid 855
Kuheilah Umm Zorayr Mafkhara 1387, grey mare born 2005 by Hamdany Wadhah 901 out of Kuheilah Umm Zorayr Corrat Al-Ein 798, at the Royal Stables , 12. February 2017
I came back from Bahrain with my head swirling with images of desert-bred Arabians, which still look like the way Arabians ought to look like (read: not like China dolls or sea horses or “living art”). One of the strains that survive over there — and nowhere else — is that of Kuhaylah Umm Zorayr, with a precious few mares left at the Royal Stud (below, a yearling from that strain in 1998, second photo credit Kina Murray). In her “pearls of great price” article series, Judi Forbis mentions the strain in passing among the many strains Bahrain had preserved by the early 1970s, but without elaborating further. There is a bit more information on the website of the Royal Stud, which relates the wonderful story of an old black mare of that strain that was first believed to be way past breeding age, but when put back in training in 1969, produced a daughter that carried the line forward. I thought this was all there was. Then, while flipping through the Abbas Pasha Manuscript — that bottomless treasure — I came across “the History of Kuhayla om Sareer”, and Her Name is Dahma”, on pages 580 and 581, and it occurred…
This camel statuette is in the British Museum, and came from the Hadramaut area around 1907. It has a short dedication in Sabean to the god Wadd-Ab, “Wadd is the father”. From the 2nd or 1st century BC.
I finally saw the Arabian horses of Bahrain, those “Pearls of Great Price”, after a 30 year wait. Thanks to Jenny Lees who arranged the private visit to the Stud of the late Sheikh Mohammad Bin Salman Aal Khalifah, we, my father and I, had the privilege of seeing these horses two days before their presentation. In an unforgivable episode of forgetfulness, I only brought my camera phone, the battery of which died after snapping photos of the third stallion. The others are in my head, just like hundred of other horses seen but not photographed. Most impressive among the horses of the late Sh. Mohammed was a grey Hamdani (no photos). An older Rabdan, a chestnut Sa’eedan, a grey Tuwaisan, a grey Shawafan, and a dark chestnut Radban, many of these sons of the older Radban. The three below were among my favorites: from top to bottom: a very showy ‘yellow Ubayyan; a very balanced and powerful Jellabi; and a more refined, drier speckled Mlolshaan.
This was taken in 1980 or 1981, near the town of Rayak, in the Biqa’ valley of Lebanon. Rayak, more specifically the village of Hawsh Haala, outside Rayak, was where we put our horses. We had a partnership with the Hindi family over the horses, since the time of my grandfather, Edward Al-Dahdah, in the late 1920s. The young man holding me is Shafiq Hindi, a longtime family friend, who had taken over the partnership after the passing of his uncle Subhi Hindi. The mare, the mare, was my father’s all-time favorite, Zanoubia (III). A mare of great style, refinement and beauty in her heyday, gazelle-like, from an noble, prestigious and storied origin, and a notoriously difficult producer. She was born in 1976, by Ash-hal, a Kbayshan, out of Bint Wazzal, by Wazzal, a Ubayyan, out of Su’ad, by al-Jazzar, a Kuhaylan Nawwaq, out of Umm Mash’al, by Ghazwane, a Kuhaylan al-Kharas out of a ‘Ubayyah, by a Saqlawi al-Aama (the blind), out a ‘Ubayyah by a Kuhaylan Nawwaq out of a ‘Ubayyah Sharrakiyah of the Sarraf family of Ba’albek in the Biqa’ valley, who had obtained the strain from Ibn Thamdan of the Sba’ah ‘Anazah. Another photo of the same mare, ten year after the first…
This Syrian mare bred by Basil Jadaan in 1994 was exported to France at a young age. Photo from owner Chantal Chekroun. Hijab met an untimely death, but leaves behind a son, Manjad Maram Al Baida, by Mokhtar, and a daughter Quokriya Al Shatane, both by Mokhtar, another of Basil’s horses imported to France. Mokhtar if still alive would be 30 today. She was a Saqlawiyah Jadraniyah by strain, from the breeding of Ibn Amud of the Shammar. The pedigree of the maternal grand-dam, here, is incorrect. Marwa’s father was a Saqlawi Jadran and her sire’s dam a Ubayyan Suhayli (branch of Ubayyan Sharrak, originally from the horses of the Sharif of Mecca. Below, her daughter Quokriya Al Shatane, by Mokhtar. Photo courtesy of breeder Chantal Chekroun.
From the Abbas Pasha Manuscript — that bottomless treasure — page 546: “and we mated her a second time to the Hadban horse of Saffuq al Jarba, and he is of the horses of al Jaless of al Kawakibah” Elsewhere in the Manuscript it is recorded that the stud/marbat of Hadban Enzahi of the al-Kawakibah section of the Ruwalah belonged to Nahi al-Mushayteeb of al-Kawakibah, and that it was an old stud. Al-Mushayteeb obtained them from al-Nazahi of the ancient Bedouin tribe of al-Fudul. That Hadban stallion in the testimony was the great-grandfather of a horse that was three years old in the early 1850s. This means that in the 1830s or early 1840s at the very least, there was already a branch of the Hadban strain of the Kawakibah with the Jarba leaders of the Shammar, and that one of the horses of this Shammar branch of that Hadban strain was used as a stallion. Saffuq al-Jarba, nicknamed “al-muhazzam”, meaning “Saffuq of the belt” because he was so warlike that he reportedly never left his military gear, died in 1843. This is very consistent with the testimony of the Jarba leaders of the Shammar in the mid 1980s about their prized Hadban strain…
When I started this blog, more than eight years ago, it was out of a need to connect American breeders and lovers of desert Arabian horses with facts, stories, and like-minded people from the rest of the world. I believe this task has now largely been fulfilled, not necessarily by this blog, but mostly by the advent of social media tools that connect people across the globe. With the endless loss of life, heritage, culture and horses engulfing the Middle East — Syria, Iraq, Yemen, others maybe soon — I have been feeling the increasing need to switch gears and reach out to those who live in the cradle of the Arabian horses, especially the youth. Amidst these tragedies, those who are normally the reference and the source of the knowledge, expertise, tradition about desert horses, and the original source of the horses themselves, are at risk of losing faith in what they have and in who they are. So pervasive is the influence of Western lifestyles, media, ideas, so overwhelming is the destruction of ancient centers of knowledge, tradition and culture — including about Arabian horses like Aleppo, Homs, Mossul, Sanaa, so large is the flow of refugees who lost everything, that the time has come…
Coat colors in old Arabic treatises on horses pose a big challenge not just because of their sheer number — close to a hundred — but also because they do not follow quite the same pattern as color coat definitions of Arabians in the west: grey, chestnut, bay, and black. I having been trying to look for an internal logic to color classification by the ancient Arabs and Bedouins for some years now. I am now certain of a few color correspondences. One of them is ablaq (feminine balqaa), and its roan. It’s defined in the old Arabic dictionaries as the appearance of white hair in any other coat color which does not fade as the animal ages (ie, grays). It’s also further qualified by the base color: so you have “ashqar ablaq” which is the equivalent of a chestnut roan, or a “kumayt ablaq”, which is a bay roan. Then you have different types of “ablaq”, depending on which part of the body the roaning occurs.
I had never seen this photo of Beteyen Ibn Mirshid of the Sbaa Bedouins before. It is apparently featured in Von Oppenheim’s book. Can anyone confirm? He was the owner of Queen of Sheba, of the Blunts.
This is with respect to the discussion on the color “yellow” in Arabian horses in the preceding entry. This mare (Pirouette CF) would qualify as “yellow” in Bedouin parlance. This is confirmed in old Arabic dictionaries (“Lesan al-Arab” which dates back to the 14th century AD), and also by Tweedie and Raswan.