Photo of the day: Shaddad
Since it’s easier to share photos than write long articles, I thought I’d post this picture of one of my favorite Asil stallions from Syria. Shaddad (Marzouq x Asila), a Ma’naghi Zudghum (a prestigious branch of Ma’naghi Sbayli), is here pictured as a colt, with a groom and myself standing nearbyThe photo was taken at Zafir Abdul Khaliq’s stables, outside Aleppo, some fiften years ago.. Time flies.
My grandfather who was a priest had an Iraqi father by the last name of Shaddad. My great grandafther lost all his money on horses. He sent his youngest son, my grandfather, into the desert to find a white stallion he had heard about. He sent him in 1880 with 1,000 pounds sterling to buy the horse. My grandfather travelled for many days asking about the horse from everyone he encountered. He finally found the Bedouin encampment that held the horse. My grandfather saw the horse and said it was worth the 1,000 pounds and offered to aount to the chief. The Bedouin chief would not take the money and gave him the horse because he said that any man that would send his youngest child into the unknown wilderness for a horse must love horses indeed and gave my grandfather the horse as a gift. This is a true story and I thought it might interest you.