

10 Fun Facts
- An Arabian’s most identifiable characteristics are its finely chiseled head, dished face, long arching neck and high tail carriage.
- For thousands of years, Arabians lived among the desert tribes of the Arabian Peninsula, bred by the Bedouins as war mounts for long treks and quick forays into enemy camps.
- Genghis Khan, Napoleon, Alexander The Great and George Washington rode Arabians.
- The Darley Arabian, the Byerly Turk and the Godolphin Arabian founded the Thoroughbred breed. Today the majority of all modern Thoroughbreds can be trace to these three Arabian sires.
- The Chicago World’s Fair held in 1893 drew widespread public attention and had an important influence upon the Arabian horse in America. While every country in the world was invited to participate, Turkey chose to exhibit 45 Arabian horses in a “Wild Eastern” exhibition. Among the imported Arabians shown were the mare Nejdme and the stallion, Obeyran. Both subsequently became foundation animals No. 1 and No. 2 in the Arabian Stud Book of America (later changed to the Arabian Horse Registry of America and now, Arabian Horse In 1908, the Arabian Horse Club of America was formed (today known as the Arabian Horse Association) and the first studbook published.
- In 1919 W.R. Brown, then President of the Arabian Horse Registry, organized the first Cavalry Endurance Ride. Having won the race three times on his Arabians, Mr. Brown gained permanent possession of the U.S. Mounted Service Cup.
- As the oldest of all the light breeds and foundation stock of most, the Arabian is unique.
- Purebred Arabian horses imported to England by Lady Ann Blunt became known as “Crabbet Arabians” after her farm, Crabbet Park.
- Some consider the Arabian the most intelligent of all equines. Its shield-like bulge between the eyes, called the jibbah, was traditionally thought to demark greater intelligence.
- Centuries of close contact with humans have given Arabians a friendly, loyal disposition, above all marked by a genuine and consistent desire to please their owners
Learn more about the history and heritage of the Arabian Horse here.