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From Equus to Arab While Equus PT1 and PT2 spread across Russia and Europe, Equus PT3 and PT4 spread to the Middle East. It is Pony Type 4 that interests me most as it is now believed they were the ancestors of the Arabian horse. Archaeological evidence is more scarce in this part of the world, partly due to political restraints, but the Bedouin has a rich oral history and the importance of their animals in their lives resulted in strict and accurate histories of the origins of their horses. Modern breeders pretty much agree that "..if it was bred in the desert, it must be Arabian" if you can verify the desert part, that is.1 The migration into Arabia would have been through Kurdistan and Iran where Equus PT3 was in most likelihood the progenitor of the Turcoman horses and maybe the Arabians. Maybe Equus PT4 kept going to become the horses we know as Arabians today or maybe they became Africa's Zebras; it would fit the story suggested by recently discovered fossil remains, but whatever made it to Arabia and Egypt, little Equus evolved on the open grasslands and they have proven their speed, stamina, and adaptability ever since. About eight thousand years ago, before there were pyramids, North Africa was a lush and green place. There were vast grasslands and green forests stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea. Small groups of nomadic people began to plant and cultivate their food. This change, which happened so slowly that it probably took a millennium to take place, was the single most important event in human history. For it turned humans into agriculturalists. As farmers, these wandering human groups settled down in one place, and human culture, confined now to villages, radically changed shape. About the time humans slowly transformed into farmers, North Africa started to die. Humans and animals were pushed relentlessly by the encroaching dryness and sand. Some were pushed south (they are still being pushed south as the Sahara continues to grow), and some were pushed north into the Middle East.2 The Tribes of Arabia Once again, a nomadic hunting/raiding people found great value in the horse. Although there were many tribal societies in the Middle East, they can be roughly divided into four major groups and/or areas as follows:
Each horse breeding tribe had its own needs and preferences. There are many stories of the desirability of certain bloodlines and the protocol for obtaining horses from other tribes. Whether the blandishments of great story tellers or documented fact, there is no doubt the Bedouin cherished their horses. It is said that, even though embroiled in heated battle, warring parties would cease all hostilities so that a mare who had come into season could be bred to the enemy's stallion. Another practice was to provide safe passage and sanctuary to the emissary of a conquering enemy so that the complete history and pedigree of captured horses could be transferred to the new owner. Bloodlines were jealously protected, yet often exchanged. Some bloodlines developed identifiable characteristics, however, that are referred to as "types" or "strains," and attempts have been made to define them in spite of a great mixing of blood and variation within bloodlines. Few people agree on which term is preferable, but most people have some idea of what they consider "a typical look of a strain." Following is a list of those I have found most commonly used. Of course there are many many more and many substrains of each major classification. I have only listed the more well known substrains.
Carl Raswan is most often quoted when it comes to ascribing characteristics to strain types, and I have used his definitions here. Keep in mind when he was in Arabia and the differences between the oldest lines and today's representatives that have changed over time. I listed Kuhaylan first because that is the strain of the horses in my breeding program. As far as I can determine, the mare Nafa'a is the only horse listed as Kuhaylan with no substrain. Part of the attraction of beautiful things is their rarity; the more rare, the more precious. Refer to one of the many wonderful publications on the Library page to find the background and history of how the Arabian horse was gathered and put under the care of the Egyptians as the economy, technology, and war threatened their existence. Today, different organizations dedicated to the preservation of Egyptian and Arabian horses accept horses according to specific criteria. Click the name of the organizations listed below to see their own definitions.
1 Refer to Index of Partbred Arabians, by Hansi Heck Melnyk. 2 Washington State University Museum of Anthropology
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