Yasser’s piece: “The Arabian Horse Identity Throughout History and the Future of the Breed: Identity Determinants and Transformations Through the Historical Epochs”
I am sure many of you have alreay seen the piece Yasser Ghanim al-Tahawi recently wrote for the Kuwaiti Bait Al-Arab’s magazine. Yasser has emerged as one of most precise and boldest thought leaders on the subject of the identity of the Arabian horse. Scroll down to the end of the pdf for the piece.
Its very useful. Has Yasser been asked to expand it into a reference book?
best
Bruce Peek
I did my first read through over the holiday and am in the process of going back through to read again and make some notes for further discussion. As I told Yasser, I like the epoch framework. For me it’s especially useful, since a personal interest of mine is understanding more about when the population of horses that became the ‘Arabian horse’ transitioned from more of a landrace to the beginnings of a more structured ‘breed’, and how that structure came to be and what its parameters were. I’m especially interested in the 2nd epoch and since a weakness for me is not having a strong background in the human history of the region during that period, I have a lot of homework to do to assist me in this journey. 🙂
Once I have a chance to organize my thoughts, I’ll add them here since there are several topics I would like to have further discussion on. Thanks for posting this, Edouard! And of course, great appreciation to Yasser.
That is a fantastic article. I sure wish he had a strong influence over AHA and the disaster they call themselves. It is time for a new age for the Bedouin horse.
BTW – does anyone know anything about a soon to debut online publication “The Bedouin Horse Journal”?
The Southern African one? I know a little bit, but not a lot. What do you want to know about it?
Hi Kate – I don’t know where it is originating from. I saw an announcement on Facebook, but no further details or website – the email is tbhjonline@gmail.com.
So curious if anyone knows anything more, especially who is publishing it, who the writers are, etc.
It’s a Southern African initiative, which wants to focus on preservation efforts in the region, as well as bring in a more international perspective. Will ask if they want to respond here, with more details.
They certainly should be cognizant of this blog, if that is to be their focus.
Hi Yasser:
A quick email in recognition of your work to establish a historical record of the Bedouin Identity of the Arabian horse. I am too conflicted inside, to comment on what I have read and out of respect for you, I must really absorb and reflect on the words you have written without adding my Western or non-Arab opinion, despite the globalization of the breed to emerge as an all peoples horse. On page 63, the breeding farm of Dr. Hans Nagel is referred to as “NK”, which is the prefix used in the naming convention of the horses bred by Dr. Nagel and not the farm name, which is Katharinenhof. Out of respect to the many years of service that Dr. Nagel has made to the breed, that needs to changed. Surprised that a country like Kuwait, and specifically Bait Al Arab, which is home to many of the Arabians bred by Dr. Nagel would miss that error.
Very interesting article, a lot of food for thoughts, especially the last part.
Regarding the part of Europe on page 62, I just would like to mention that breeding Arabian horses resp. the German Arab horse registry didn’t start in 1917 with Bairactar. He was born 1813, 1817 imported to Weil Stud in Germany where he was the main sire from 1817 to 1838.
Probably just a spelling mistake.