The Arabian Horse Manifesto – A Draft for Discussion
Several productive discussions have recently taken place in public and in private about the proposed draft of the Arabian Horse Manifesto. Earlier this year, I started a series of posts on this blog under the title “Toward a New Manifesto of the Arabian Breed“. After receiving plenty of feedback, and discussions with Arab and non-Arab figures active in the Arabian horse sphere, I am happy to share a more solid draft, with values, principles, and definitions, for more discussions and comments:
The Introduction
Vision
Our vision is a new era of the Arabian Horse that is based on the acknowledgment of its original qualities, more understanding and learning of its historical background, higher respect of its cultural values and context, better cooperation between the East and West, and the adoption of modern science in drawing the future of the breed.
Mission
The Arabian Horse Manifesto aims at setting a common direction for the community of the Arabian Horse at large, including breeders, researchers, registration bodies, and academia, to unite and align our endeavors for sustaining and prospering the Asil Arabian Horse, and maintaining its authenticity and quality.
Introducing the Manifesto
The highly famed and distinguished Arabian breed is at a critical transitional state of its millennia old history. It witnesses fundamental transformation in the environmental and social contexts that always cherished and sustained its very existence and unique qualities. The Bedouin life and their social system no longer exist, and the Arabian Horse no longer lives around the tents of Nomadic Arab Bedouins over the steppe of greater Arabia. Rather, it lives in lavish farms and stables from Canada to Australia, including the modernized Arab countries, with very few exceptions. This poses a big question on whether the transformational process also touches the breed identity and intrinsic qualities.
The Arabian Horse was always subject to preservation efforts, and the difficult question was how to maintain its authenticity and distinguished identity, if we had any definition of its authenticity and identity at all. The numerous attempts over the 20th century to establish organizations, societies, affiliations, catalogs, and above all, studbooks and registries provided partial and often locally customized perceptions about the breed authenticity and identity. Few of them reverted back to the origins where the breed developed and prospered to provide deeply-rooted and globally oriented definitions of the breed.
Following this introduction, the Manifesto states a set of guiding VALUES and PRINCIPLES derived from the root values of the breed, that aim at enlightening, guiding and governing any endeavors for preserving and sustaining the Arabian Horse. A primary component of the Manifesto is a definition of the Asil/Atiq Arabian Horse in its most authentic and noble form, along with definition notes to turn the definition into a working and actionable definition for the consideration of any organizational work related to the Arabian Horse.
The Manifesto and its values, principles and definition acknowledges two pillars that connect the past with the future. The cultural values of the breed legitimate owners, i.e. the Arab Bedouins, and the modern scientific tools that form the essence of our modern human civilization.
The framework of thoughts behind this declaration is based on three tiers: [1] Values & Principles, [2] Definition, [3] Criteria & Processes. The Manifesto covers [1] and [2], and it lays the groundwork for future efforts on [3] by any organization or affiliation. It serves as the foundation for any practical approach that provides detailed criteria and processes for the inclusion/exclusion of any individual horse in any related database or registry of Asil Arabians.
At the end, we have to admit that definitions are always problematic. Social phenomena are not to be precisely defined like physical phenomena. Approximation has to be accepted with full understanding that social studies are subject to continuous research and provide no ultimate truth. Rather, social studies should move in a humble way while equipped with information, factual research and cultural respect.
The manifesto is a collective effort by its founders who humbly admit the limitations and constraints of this kind of work. They involve a set of devoted and experienced researchers and breeders from around the world, including some of Arabic and Bedouin descent who deeply understand the cultural aspects. They sincerely built their effort on top of previous work by the existing Asil organizations and other independent researchers around the world so the manifesto shall reflect the collective wisdom and knowledge of the community.
A. Values
- The Arabian Horse represents a valuable cultural heritage for humanity.
- The Arabian Horse is one of the oldest horse breeds in history.
- The Arabian Horse possesses some unique qualities and traits.
- The Arabian Horse’s homeland is the steppes of Arabia.
- The Arabian Horse is the product of the culture of the Bedouin Arabs.
B. Principles
1. Identity: Any definition of the breed must comply with the definitions and cultural values ascribed to it by its original custodians, the Arab Bedouin Tribes.
2. Integrity: The integrity of the Arabian Horse as the product of the Bedouin Arabs is accepted within their cultural framework. We accept the integrity and purity of the breed as it has reached us from its trusted original Bedouin sources. Any later developments or changes to the breed outside this cultural framework are against the integrity of the breed.
3. Authenticity: The term Atiq carries multiple overlapping meanings. It is Ancient, Precious, and Free [of flaws] all at the same time. It encompasses both authenticity and purity. Purity is a cultural rather than a genetic notion. It represents an ideal which the Arab Bedouins always strived to maintain. Authenticity, in this context, is the quality of going back to ancient, preserved, protected Bedouin sources that are assumed to be pure. The Atiq concept as the primary determinant of breed integrity is taken as valid throughout history, and it is our duty to maintain it.
4. Information: Information is essential for determining the Asil Status. No Asil status can be assumed for any Arabian horse without information about its origin.
5. Certainty: Achieving 100% certainty of social phenomena is impractical. Certainty is different from Purity. Purity can be assumed in individual horses with a certain level of certainty based on the extent of the information available. Research effort needs to take place to optimize the level of certainty.
6. Qualities: The identifying qualities and characteristics of the breed are diverse and mutually reinforcing; they include morphological, functional, mental and genetic aspects. Any breeding or other practices that fail to strive for these qualities, or cause the degradation of these qualities are not to be adopted or encouraged.
7. Form & Function: “Form-follows-Function” is a key principle in understanding and assessing the characteristics of the Arabian horse. Function comprises a set of mental (intangible) such as courage, intelligence and alertness, as well as athletic (tangible) qualities such as endurance, frugality and the ability of withstand hardships. The nobility and elegance of the Arabian horse are a reflection of its functional qualities.
8. Variation in Morphology: Variations in the breed’s morphological form (“type”) are to be accepted within the normal boundaries originally observed in its natural habitat. Morphological variation is a positive sign of genetic diversity. No single selective type or “look” is to be imposed on the breed.
9. Ecological Environment: The qualities of the Arabian Horse are largely shaped by the ecological environment and conditions of its original natural habitat. A marked variation in these ecological conditions over several generations causes a degradation in the identifying qualities of the breed.
10. Preservation: the most that can be done with the Arabian breed is to preserve its integrity and original qualities. Introducing new features or qualities from outside the breed is not to be accepted nor encouraged. No “improvement” of the breed is needed, only maintaining its original appearance, characteristics and quality.
11. Selection: selection of qualified stallions for breeding (Shubuw) was always part of the Bedouin philosophy about maintaining the Asil/Atiq status of their horses. While a bigger circle of strains existed in the possession of the Bedouins, a smaller circle of the most authentic strains were accepted for Shubuw, from which stallions with the best qualities were selected . Selection of horses that reflect the Atiq ideals is an important constituent of breed preservation.
12. Context: Bedouin norms and breeding traditions provide the contextual parameters for making reasonable assumptions about the authenticity of an Arabian horse. The higher the degree a Bedouin breeder embraces Bedouin values, the stronger the credibility of his breeding. Context is to be considered in accepting testimonies of Bedouin breeders as one parameter among others.
13. Reasonable Assumptions: When black-and-white evidence is not available, reasonable assumptions are the practical means for reaching any conclusion on the Asil status of modern Arabian horses. Reasonable assumptions are not guesswork, they are based on solid research and an informed analysis of facts put in their context.
14. Scientific Approach: Science is a key pillar in identifying and maintaining the Asil status of an Arabian horse, as well as setting clear classification and genetic characteristics of the breed. Modern science does not contradict the integrity principle. Science has to reflect the breed genetic identity as is, and lay it for future use.
15. Breed Ecosystem: the ecosystem of the Arabian horse breed, mainly consisting of breeding, competitions, registration, trade, and research, is important for maintaining the breed’s integrity and prosperity. All components of this ecosystem need to adhere to and perpetuate the above principles.
C. Definition
C.1 Definition Statement
“The Asil (Atiq) Arabian is:
A pureblood horse tracing through all its ancestors to the original horses of the Bedouin Arab people.
For a horse to be assumed Asil/Atiq: its pedigree must be exclusively based on the breeding of the Bedouin Tribes in its original homeland of Arabia; it must be free of any evidence of impurity (Hujna) resulting from cross-breeding to non-Arabian horses; it shall carry a recognized strain name (Rasan) and sub-strain (Marbat) as per the Bedouin norms that can be reasonably assumed correct.
An Asil horse is both free of Hujna, and of known acceptable origin.”
C.2 Definition Notes:
1. The Homeland
2. Hujna
A. Existence of positive evidence: It must have some direct and/or indirect (contextual) evidence about the Bedouin origin of all its ancestors that can be reasonably assumed to be valid
AND
B. Absence of negative evidence: It must be free of Hujna. Free of Hujna means the absence of any definite (unspeculative) proof of cross-breeding.
4. Rasan and Marbat
5. Objective Evaluation
6. Objective Evidence
There are two categories of objective evidence to be used to determine Asil/Atiq Status:
A. EVIDENCE OF HUJNA
Evidence of Hujna must be decisive and unspeculative. Evidence of Hujna can be any or all of the following:
1. Genealogy
Represented in the existence of proven non-Asil blood at any level in the horse’s available extended pedigree.
2. Morphology
Morphology has always been used by the Arabs to exclude individual horses with clear signs of Hujna such as certain coat colors or skeletal structures. Efforts are to be spent to build guidelines for definite morphological signs of Hujna.
3. Genetic Markers
Modern studies on the Arabian horse genome might help indicate definite signs of cross breeding and impurity. This is an area subject to continuous research and scientific advances.
B. EVIDENCE OF ORIGIN
Evidence of origin are heuristic and provisional. They build credibility rather than provide ultimate proof, and work alongside other kinds of evidence. Evidence of origin remains valid as long as no counter evidence is provided. Evidence of origin is based on three fields of research:
1. Historical Research, which establishes the genealogical connection of all ancestors of a certain horse to the breeding of the Bedouin Tribes as per the definition. Studbooks are a type of historical evidence among many other means, including pre-studbook records or documents, and contextual research.
2. Social/Cultural Research, which establishes the credibility of a breeder/source of a horse and its eligibility as a Bedouin Breeder or a trusted broker or agent of an credible Bedouin breeder.
3. Genetic/DNA Research, which either establishes linages through maternal or paternal lines, or confirms the pre-existing knowledge about origin. Again, this field is subject to continuous research and scientific advances.
7. Certainty Risks
Any shortage of information poses a certainty risk that does not necessarily lead to revoking the Asil status. A horse that is known for sure to be non-Asil is to be distinguished from a horse with incomplete or partial information that can still be reasonably assumed to be Asil. Research can lead to levels of certainty, which are up to the community to decide how to deal with. On the other hand, complete lack of information about a horse’s origin does NOT allow the granting the Asil status.
8. Maintaining the Asil Status
The Asil status of a horse is to be maintained and can be lost based on the availability of new information, or on scientific advances that can reveal previously hidden Hujna. The Asil status is not to be taken for granted and is a continuous quest of purifying the breed.
9. Revoking the Asil Status
10. Jurisdiction
D. Terminology
D.1 Bedouin Terms:
Asil: Intensive form. The term in its general Arabic use means of known and esteemed origins.
Atiq: Intensive form. The term Atiq carries multiple overlapping meanings. It is Ancient, Precious, and Free [of flaws] all at the same time. In the horse context, It encompasses both authenticity and purity.
Eraab: Intensive form. The term is derived from the root Arab, and is specifically used for Horses and also for Camels. The direct meaning is of Arab origin. The Arabic lexicons explain the meaning as precious and free of Hujna.
Hujna: The term in its general Arabic use means admixture with lower quality ingredients. It indicates degradation and flaws. For horses it means crossbreeding to non-Arabian blood.
Marbat: Often translated as sub-strain. In Arabic the word is derived from the verb Rabat (to tie), it means a stud (where mares are tied) that can be accepted as a trusted source of a certain strain. A widely celebrated Marbat then becomes a branch of the original strain (sub-strain)
Rasan: translated as strain. The original meaning in Arabic is robe, which is used to tie an individual mare. It refers to a certain original mare (or group of mares) that founded a certain family of Asil horses several centuries ago within some foundational Marbat’s. Rasan and Marbat is a notion that is believed to have been established circa the 12th century AD as a preservation attempt, and is not as old as the breed itself.
Shubuw: Breeding using a stallion selected under strict criteria of quality and authenticity. A qualified stallion for Shubuw must descend from the most authentic of Rasan’s and Marbat’s.
D.2 General Terms:
Purity: Purity is a cultural rather than a genetic notion. It represents an ideal which the Arab Bedouins always strived to maintain. Purity means free of Hujna.
Authenticity: The quality of going back to ancient, preserved, protected Bedouin sources that are assumed to be pure. The term is the nearest English equivalent to the Arabic term Atiq.
Certainty: The degree of conviction about the Asil status of an individual horse, based on the extent of information available.
Foundation Horse: The horse that marks the transition from the Bedouin breeding within the original homeland and cultural context to modern breeding. Foundation horses form the basis for establishing modern pedigrees within a studbook or a horse database.
Pureblood: See Purity.
Breed Ecosystem: the global system of the Arabian horse breed, mainly consisting of breeding, competitions, registration, trade, and research.
Are the horses of Bahrain included in the definition.
I see no reason why the definition does not apply to them.
Awesome task, well done everyone involved.
“The Asil status is not to be taken for granted and is a continuous quest of purifying the breed.”
This sentence niggles me, I don’t think ‘purifying’ is the right word in this instance. It’s more about maintaining its cultural heritage.
That being said should a horse loose its status of asil, has any thought been given to what happens next?
Agree with Diane. “maintaining the cultural integrity of the breed” is better than “purifying”.
Yes, I think this is a good way to put it.
Regarding losing the Asil status, this mainly refers to modern horses that were assumed Asil based on wrong (or fraudulent) information. Now what if DNA discovers a thoroughbred Y-Chromosome for example in a certain line. Will we continue to consider it Asil?
It depends on the quality and methodology of the study. If it’s peer-reviewed, etc. But my answer is yes.
Could the concept used by Jane L Ott be useful? eg list/register with sublists/registers. The Blue Catalogue has sublists for ancestors of Basilisk, Skowronek to name two lists. Her lists are not detrimental (in the main), more educational.
That’s a good point. I thought about the concept of sub-listing too, earlier on, along the lines of concentric circles of certainty. It becomes a bit complicated, but still manageable.
Yes, we can build on this manifesto once it is established. The certainty principle opens the door for creating a certainty index and thus concentric circles of certainty as Edouard said. Foundation horses can get ranked on a simple scale based on research results. Some simple mathematics can then calculate the certainty level for any horse down the pedigree.
Sorry the sentence is from C.2 Definition Notes #8.
I wanted to have a discussion on point 8, about variety of morphology, and specifically suggest a reference towards the undesirability of “extreme type”.
If all a modern horse’s antecedents satisfy the criteria of Asil/Atiq, but its morphology has “mutated” so far away from what makes an Arabian horse an Arabian horse (i.e., the horse is a “freak”), is it still falling within this criterion? or is there indeed a point at which certain extreme morphological characteristics become the disqualifying equivalent of a pinto or buckskin color in an Arabian?
Yes, Atiq authenticity and Atiq qualities, we need both. But what I believe is that while the first can be tackled through registration measures, the latter can only be addressed through encouraging more educated breeding practices. So, principles 6, 7 and 8 are there to discourage extreme breeding, but we cannot exclude those extreme type horses from the Asil population.
Agree, Yasser. If the individual has a rasan and marbat, then it is qualified, sans disqualifying attributes.
One would hope that a broader education would be the key… more basic understanding of B #8, particularly required of show judges.
Great job. I am glad to see a more modern version rising up (one including all three historical facts, phenotype observation and genotype research).
I am curious about number 7 regarding frugality and hardships. I understand the idea behind it but i dont think it is a good idea to let people understand for their own. What i think here is that there is reasonnable assumptions that Asil horses share genetic markers enabling specific metabolism. But somebody less good minded shall think that the aim is to let starve horses as a natural selection. This is Imo extremly opposite to the bedouin breeding philosophy and consideration of its horse compagnion.
I also could have enjoyed a little more explainations for newcomers as to why first hand Bedouins informations regarding their horses shall be considered superior to second hand information reported by westerners. Likely i would have liked to read about the details of this cultural concept like the Asil horse being a member of the family, links between horse breeding families and their Marbat etc. I have always been an advocate for people making a breed through parental selection. I dont deny environment having an influence over the phenotype but not over genotype. I see too much of a open path here for geographical consideration being more important than breeding selection.
Hi, I am happy to have your feedback. Maybe you are right about frugality and enduring hardships. The point we were trying to make is that the tough conditions in its original homelands made this horse into what is it today, a naturally enduring horse.
I have been riding regularly these days at a facility nearby, all types of horses. Some of the riding involves galloping up the same steep hills. The Clydesdales and Shire mixes I have been riding were out of commission by the time they reach the top, while the Arabs and Anglo Arabs were asking for more. They are all at the same stables, eat the same food, are treated the same way, and are roughly the same age, the Arabs being a bit younger.
More on your other comments later.
Oh man, the Arabs just cannot be stopped and keep on going. After half an hour of galloping in the field, the other horses are done, but the Arabs have finished their light warm-up and are ready to really Go. There’s an expression used by endurance riders here, “sonder einde”, meaning “without end”, that refers to the bottomless stamina of the best Arabian endurance horses.
I like to call them go-go-gadget ponies. Always ready for more, and with their head on a swivel.
Amelie, have a look at the newly added principle #11 (Selection), and also at the new Terminology list at the end.
Adding some extra thinking. I mentionned specific metabolism and disposition is already included. But one shall also consider immune response and fertility as desirable features to be noticed regarding Asil horses ( as per the latest genetic studies).
The list of desirable features is long indeed, and it will be difficult to cover it here in full. I believe more detailed guidelines need to be developed and probably published on the Manifesto website as additional elaboration. The same thing is needed for Hujna signs from both the morphological and genetic perspectives.
Amelie, we are going to add a glossary of items for newcomers. On context, this is not meant as a piece of research, but more like guidelines and principles for rescuing the breed from some of the excesses it has fallen into.
Awesome
That is just a perfect sentence, Edouard.
No comment, just a lot of agreement. And I like the “purity” definition.
I basically agree with the guidelines, so I would rather ask constructive questions and suggestions.
The Manifesto considers the cultural values of the Arab Bedouins as the legal owners of the breed as a reference. As this way of life no longer exists, it would be useful to present in a concrete, tangible way what this was like (especially with regard to horse-related traditions).
Such could be, for example, the “Museum of the Bedouin way of life” on the website (objects, contemporary representations, written relics, the Bedouin tribes, especially those prominent in horse breeding, about archaeological finds in the area, etc.).
The material presented here could substantiate the idea that the Arabian horse is a product of Bedouin culture. This would be all the more important because most Europeans and Americans knows this world only from second-hand sources, I think.
László
I agree. You are proposing a very ambitious plan, with a variety of knowledge assets that can grow around this declaration. The Manifesto has a main body text, and can have a lot of essential readings, resources, and references. Original Arabic sources can be referenced or translated into English and other languages. This is a continuous quest that can build on this project and will require group work and collaborative efforts, if not a big well funded organization depending on the size of knowledge library you want to build.
Dear All,
A few years ago, I received a book with the following dedication:
“The best thing about the Arabian horses is that they create friendships across borders.
May both the Arabian horses and the friendship stay with us for a long time to come!”
I deeply agree with the idea, this Manifesto is an excellent example of the above quote.
I am honored to take part in redefining our beloved Arabian horse and in disseminating and promoting the results.
Despite the fact that I respect and appreciate all the horses of Arabic blood, I did not accidentally switch to the breeding of the Asil Arabians.
I agree with the goal of the Manifesto and almost all of the suggestions made in the Draft, but I share Jeanne’s views who reflected sooner on this Blog claiming that “the devil is in the details”.
In my letter today, I only intend to share my views with you on the basic definition.
I agree with Yasser’s definition as a basic truth. However, I suggest complementing it with Tibor Pettkó-Szandtner’s thoughts instead of my own ones.
In my opinion, a simple, clear, unambiguous definition of the original Arabian horse, still valid today, could provide a solid basis for redefining the breed. Of course, all the important additions that he most likely could only get to know later, during his work in Egypt, must be also included.
I kindly ask you to consider my suggestion, namely that Tibor Pettkó-Szandtner’s following definition of the breed of the original Arabian horse be the basic idea of our Manifesto, as quoted from him.
To illustrate my point, let me highlight once again his clear, refined and precise definition published in 1942:
“All Arabians that were purchased from one of the Bedouin tribes that breed very thoroughly and are from a well bred family are called Original Arabians. Pure-bred Arabians are Arab horses that are not born in Arabia but provably originate from Original Arabians imported from Arabia and their blood does not contain anything but Original Arabian blood.”
My main argument is that: He was one of the breeders of our beloved Arabian horse in the last century, who was recognized all over the world, East and West, for his activities in Bábolna and Egypt.
He was an authentic personality. Linking the definition (quote) to a historically authentic personality could be beneficial to the present case.
It is my firm belief that implementing his line of thought into the definition could be a valuable gesture and could underline the idea of the intention of East-West cooperation. To this fundamentally correct and patinated line of thought could be added the additional information which he could learn only later, during his work in Egypt, but which provided evidence for the Bedouins, such as rasan and marbat, etc.
His definition is neutral, above interests, and therefore credible and invulnerable. Furthermore, it is authentic because what it contains will be valid from the perspective of eight decades. In recent years, I have spent a vast amount of time learning about his life and work. I have collected a number of documents that support what I have described above.
Best wishes,
László
Bumping up for attention as, as this topic is on the program for the forthcoming AK convention
Thanks! PowerPoint presentation in preparation!
Eduoard if this is done can we see it via email maybe?
https://arabianhorsemanifesto.org/
Thank you Eduoard
I can honestly say….bravo and……FINALLY!
I would though like to see the devil in the details and know who would be making all these decisions. The first raised eyebrow were the parts about choosing suitable stallions and choosing morphology goals. The whole umbrella regarding the morphological, cultural, and genetic identity is important to me. The selective breeding that has occurred or been allowed over the past many decades has to be delineated as not authentic. The word Arabian has been hijacked and does not refer to the Bedouin bred pureblood but instead to something altogether different. It is well past time the authentic Arabian horse regained its name and its identity.
“The word Arabian has been hijacked and does not refer to the Bedouin bred pureblood but instead to something altogether different.” This is so true and so well put.