Tuwaisaan 406 in South Africa
The other day Pienaar Du Plessis shared with me this photo of his asil Bahraini stallion Tuwaisaan 406, taken at 27 years of age. Tuwaisaan, now dead, was a gift from the King of Bahrain to his family. He is part of the proposal I made for the inclusion of exported Bahraini horses into the Al Khamsa Roster in North America.
Note the resemblance with Mauvy’s drawing on the front of his book, below.
The Bahraini horses are so beautiful and substantial, with lovely heads. Were it not for the little white on his face above the eye, I would hardly credit that Tuwaisaan 406 was in his late twenties here, he is in such fine form.
I have to agree with that. I had to do a triple take when I realize that the photo was of a 27 year old horse. That’s some good genetics, right there! I think my favorite things about this guy are his short back and broad shoulder – he looks like you could have chiseled him from marble!
so true on both comments.
Bahraini horses in particular age very well. Their second speckeled Jellabi lived to be 38 years old and keep producing until he was 34. Syrian horses from the desert also age very well. I recall seeing Syrian mares in their late 20s with foals by their side in the 1990s. I think it is both the nurture and the genetics and both are related.