Daughters of the Desert

BY PATTI SCHOFLER

eauty, brains and talent sum up the Arabian mare. Volumes of tributes, poetry and praise have been showered on this unique horse for centuries. Legend and lore depict the enormous value placed on these mares in Biblical times and ancient Arabian nomadic society, and life in those times shaped the character, spirit and appearance of todays Arabian mare. To Ishmael, the son of Abraham, God gave the gift of a wild Arabian mare. The angel Gabriel said to Ishmael: This noble creature of the dark skin and painted eyes is the gift of the Living God to serve you as a companion in the wilderness and reward you. This wild mare produced a son from which celebrated Arabian horses are said to descend. The 7th century poet Yazid sang her praises: And in truth she has ever been to me a precious possession, born and brought up in our tents: of all possessions that which has been born and bred with ones people is the most precious. And I will keep her as my own so long as there is a presser for the olive, and so long as a man, barefoot or shod, wanders on the face of the earth. She is said to have been given by Allah the gift of an intelligent spirit, of psychic powers. Prophet Mohammed received the Arabian horse with the words, Blessed be ye, O Daughter of the Wind. He said never to utter curse remarks on the subject of the camel or the wind: the former is a boon to man, the latter an emanation from the soul of Allah.

The Five
The breed is said to descend from five taproot foundation mares called AlKhamsa or The Five. Some wrote that all were owned by King Solomon around 1600 B.C. Many other versions read that the mares belonged to the Prophet Mohammed. Early Western travelers to the extended Arabian Peninsula (today much of the Middle East) frequently reported that the term Al Khamsa was used to designate the best or favorite breeds (strains or families) of the unique and ancient breed of horses of the native Bedouin. In one variation of the story of Al Khamsa, it is said that a tribe of Bedouin, after a long journey in the desert, released their mares to run to a watering hole to quench their thirst. As a test of their loyalty, their masters called back the mares before they reached the water. Five returned faithfully without drinking. These became the five original favorite mares of the Bedouin, and each was given a strain name which would carry on with its descendants. The five basic Arabian horse families, known as Al Khamsa, include Kehilan, Seglawi, Abeyan, Hamdani and Hadban. In other lists, Muniqi and Dahman replace Abeyan and Hamdani. Lady Wentworth of the Crabbet Stud pointed out in her book the Authentic Arabian Horse that the so-called five tap-roots are never the same five. All strain names are taken through the tail female line. Spelling may vary. For example, Kehilan may appear as Kuhaylan or Koheilan. Seglawi may appear as Sak-

60

NOVEMBER 2004

EQUESTRIAN

Suzanne/www.suzannesphoto.com

EQUESTRIAN

NOVEMBER 2004

61

lawi. Muniqi may be Maneghi. In addition, there are masculine and feminine versions of the strain names. The importance of these strains and how they are used has been argued over the years. Lady Wentworth disagreed with writer and chronicler of the Egyptian Arabian, Carl Raswan, who, after living many years in the desert, attributed certain physical characteristics to each strain. He believed that Kehilans were characteristically heavily muscled, wide chested with a masculine appearance, bold and powerful. Their heads were short with broad foreheads and great width in the jowls. The most common colors were gray and chestnut. Seglawi were known for refinement, grace and feminine elegance. This strain was more likely fast as opposed to enduring. Seglawi horses are fine boned with longer faces and necks than the Kehilan. The most common color is bay. The Muniqi strain is described as having a racier build, with a more developed forehand and lighter hindquarter. They were taller, coarser and faster with a look similar to the Thoroughbred. The Abeyan strain is very similar to the Seglawi, refined, often with a longer back than a typical Arabian. They were small horses, commonly gray with more white markings than other strains. Hamdani horses were often considered plain, with an athletic, if somewhat masculine, large boned build. Their

heads were more often straight in profile, lacking an extreme forehead. Common colors were gray and bay. The Hadban strain was a smaller version of the Hamdani, and said to have an extremely gentle disposition.

The Bedouin Days

This unique relationship between the mare and her people is most fittingly expressed in the painting The Arab Tent by Sir Edwin Landseer (18021873), which depicts a stunning gray Arabian mare and her bay foal laying at peace in a desert tent. In the picture, the animals lay in among the family trappings and pose as if a member of that family was painting their portrait. Much is legend, much is lore and much is practicality. The mares of the desert were the horses taken into battle. Breeding stock could be bought and sold, but for the most part, the war mares were priceless. They changed hands only as the most privileged gift. Daughters of the war mares were usually acquired only by theft or in trade for colossal riches. Was it because, unlike stallions, they did not trumpet their arrival at a camp or battle and thus the riders could arrive unnoticed? Certainly, by todays view, it was a cruel life: the ill mare, after giving birth, might be left to die in the
Mary Haggard

Above: This painting depicts the five foundation mares of the Arabian breed known as Al Khamsa. Below: Only mares were used by the Bedouins for raids or in war, and colts were often sold before they could cause problem in the camp. Very few stallions were kept.

desert. There was no veterinary hospital, and the tribe survival was based on travel. Those who could not move were left behind. Their life was about lack of food and pitiful weather. Certainly this life meant survival of the fittest. The Bedouin could shackle their horses, but they could not stable them. A fierce sand storm might mean a mare would wander off, losing her way. So, often the mare was brought into the tent. Shelter in the family tent is said to be the reason for the Arabian mares character: gentle and affectionate, allowing children to sleep by her feet. It was the mares who were trustworthy. This is perhaps why their closeness to humans is legendary. When a mare changed hands, whether by theft or gift, the Bedouin code of honor meant the new owner received strain, pedigree and breeding information, and the new owner was committed to honor her and breed only to asil (pure) stallions. Only in this way could the Bedouins be assured that succeeding generations of mares and their offspring would be the real thing. Because of the high value placed on female horses, the early Arabs traced the ancestry of their horses through the dams line, and a horses ancestry was
EQUESTRIAN

62

NOVEMBER 2004

Karen Kasper

given the greatest esteem based on the accomplishments of female ancestors. Stories of courage and glory could be found in the female line of nearly every Arabian horse.

The Influential Mare

In Arabian horse breeding today, you will hear the argument that the most significant part of the pedigree is the tail female line (also called the dam or family line), reflective of the Bedouin reverence for the mare. The tail female line descends through the dam, her dam (the granddam), etc., to the taproot mare, which is always a desertbred mare. The sire of the horses dam is called his or her broodmare sire or maternal grandsire. So in the eyes of many, the female tail line must be strong because it is the anchor of the pedigree. I think when you have breeder folklore you should

horses are in the pedigree? Is she a pure pay attention to it, says Carole Steppe, strain? For instance, I consider if I have breeder and owner of Daydream Arabia Kehilan-bred mare, do I need to pretans in Santa Ynez, CA. The more you ty her up. The Kehilan strain is very can build any horses pedigree with great correct and athletic, but not always real mares, the more consistently she will pretty. I might breed to a produce and the better her Seglawi type for more produce. Every time you It was part of the pretty. Its important to have a proven producer in Bedouin code of focus on strong genetic the pedigree, the more you honor to provide the pools in which the mare tighten up on great mares, new owner with strain and breeding can draw from to produce and the fewer random mares, information, even for a foal you can count on. you are hedging your bet. mares taken in raids Physical characterisPaula Hitzler has manor wars. tics that distinguish the aged the horse teaching and Arabian mare in the world research center at Michigan of horses often derive from her ancient State University for 15 years. The origins. Today, the mare is judged in schools herd has around 100 purebred halter/breeding classes on type. Arabians and the breeding program proOne element of type is a broad, duces 15 to 25 foals each year. bulging forehead, believed to store the Hitzler too places intense emphasis blessings from Allah. Therefore, the on genetics. When making breeding greater the jibbah, the greater the decisions, she asks, Does this mare look blessings carried by the horse. An archlike her pedigree? How many lines of ing neck with a high crest and refined throatlatch, the mitbah, was a sign of courage, while an arched tail showed pride and presence. These traits, as well as big, expressive eyes, were highly regarded and have been selectively bred for centuries. There is nothing prettier than a mare with Arab characteristics, says Brian Murch, an R Arabian judge and trainer at Strawberry Banks Farm in East Aurora, NY. I want femininity, breed type, depth and substance of the body. I want her to be correct structurally. I look for a long, arched neck and a short topline. When she moves, she is athletic. Even if she is for breeding, she must be a good mover. And I want her to look like a mare and like an Arabian. Prettiness, refinement and presencethats what I want to see in a mare. Elegance and presence, says Kay Patterson Sharpnack of Sisters, OR, who began breeding Arabian horses in 1956. These qualities are bred into them. If mares have it, they stand that way in the pasture. She also looks for good conformation and beauty. We want a mare to consistently produce the quality that she has or more more beauty, elegance, style, better motion. As a breeder, the mares will make or break you. Be known for your mares, she emphasizes. We might like a daughter better than her mom and sell mom, says Hitzler. If she is not moving us along, we sell her. Sharpnack, Steppe and Hitzler are not hesitant to buy older mares for breeding, and, in fact, treasure these
NOVEMBER 2004 63

Mary Haggard

EQUESTRIAN

Courtesy Arabian Horse World/Johnny Johnston

Left: Frank McCoy with Bint Sahara and five of her nine daughters: Sahara Rose, Sahara Dawn, Sahara Queen, Sahara Star and Sahara Lady. Below: TW Forteyna was the foundation mare for Black Hawk Arabians in California, and when she was alive, she was the leading living producer of champions.

64

NOVEMBER 2004

EQUESTRIAN

Coutesy Arabian Horse World/Jeff Little

horses who have proven themselves and who can bring valued bloodlines closer to their stock. Dont get the wrong idea, though. Arabian mares are not to stay home barefoot and pregnant. In some breeds you hear a strong preference for riding geldings, then stallions and lastly mares. A breeder might bemoan the birth of a filly believing that she would be harder to sell or train as a riding horse. Not so this breed. There is no gender prejudice when it comes to riding, driving and competing Arabian mares. Murch, who specializes in training English and driving horses, contends that training mares is no different than training geldings or stallions. In our breed, some of the greatest performance horses with huge hearts are mares, he says. And nothing is prettier than an Arabian mare. Couple presence, refinement and beauty with talent and athleticism, they are truly extraordinary. My entire show string is threeand four-year-old mares, Hitzler says. They are all champion or reserve champion junior Western horses that kids show. Occasionally we have a mare problem, but that horse is more the exception than the rule. Think about the old, great mares bred by the LaCroix family [well-respected Arabian breeders]. They were great halter horses and great performance horses. The element that probably has most distinguished the Arabian mare in the world of horses is her character. The reason Arabians have such loving dispositions is because [of] countless generations of living with nomadic people and traveling, and depending on people and having people love them and be dependent on them, says Steppe. Sharpnack agrees. I think good disposition is bred into the Arabian. Bad disposition is acquired by handling. Arabs have lovely temperaments, she continues.

The Greats
Who are some of the great mares of all time? Here is a small sampling. *Wadduda 30 (1899-1939): Is there a mare that more fits legend than this war horse whose name means love/affection? In 1906, *Wadduda was seven years-old and the favorite war

mare of the Bedouin Supreme Ruler, Sheik Hasem Bey. Political cartoonist Homer Davenport, who worked for the Hearst newspapers, sailed to the Arabian Penninsula. He had received through President Theodore Roosevelt a special permit from the Ottoman Empires sultan to import horses from the desert. Davenport described meeting *Wadduda in Aleppo: She was galloped down a stony street, she came tearing down toward us all afire, and the bound-

ing tassels around her knees looked like silk skirts. Such action over such rolling rocks? Her tail was high and her eyes fairly sparkled! *Wadduda bore on her neck lance scars and on her pastern the mark from a bullet she carried in her leg on an 80-mile run. She was said to have raced from Iskanderoon to Aleppo, 106 miles in 11 hours in pursuit of an enemy caravan. Because of a blunder in diplomacy, Davenport had the good fortune to, in fact, honor the Bedouin and was in turn given as a gift the famed war mare. *Wadduda sailed to the U.S. in 1906, destined to become a foundation mare in American breeding. Bint Sahara (1942-1972): Her name means Daughter of the Desert but this mare was clearly an all-American girl. In her 23 years of producing, she gave birth to 18 purebred Arabians, 11 of whom were champions, nine of themselves siring or producing champions. This gray beauty was born in 1942, and yet in 2003 she ranked fourth highest in the number of purebred champions produced. Well-conformed with a classic Arabian head, she became synonymous with the McCoy breeding program, and to look at her offspring who looked like stamped copies of Bint Sahara, it is clear how strong this female line truly was. Perhaps most famous was her son, Fadjur, twice U.S. Reserve National Champion Stallion and four-time Top
Above, right: The famed war mare Wadduda has been written about in books and depicted in artwork such as this illustration from artist Judy Frazier Derwin. Below: Breyer Horses created models of the famous Arabian mare Susecion and her 1975 foal Le Fire.

Ten National winner. He also sired 118 champions and 12 national winners. Her daughter Fersara also produced champions, including the stallions The Real McCoy and Ferzon. Mainly of Crabbet breeding with a smattering of Davenport, Bint Sahara was bought by pioneer breeders Frank and Helen McCoy in 1942 when Arabians in America where rather rare, and she lived in Southern California with the McCoys until her death at 30 years old. Susecion (19651993): Susie to her friends Susecion is the only Arabian Hall of Fame mare to produce two double national champion mares. One mare offspring was both Canadian and U.S. national halter and performance champion. A son, Le Fire, sired a national champion mare. Purchased as a yearling for a mere $2,500 by first-time Arabian owners and breeders Dr. Fred and Florence Ragland this gray mare went on to produce 13 offspring seven of whom were champions. Her most famous was the stallion Le Fire, who sired Canadian and U.S. national winners in halter, dressage, hunter pleasure and reining. *Sanacht (1960-1986): Should you see the name Amurath starting an Arabian horses name, likely that horse is related to *Sanacht, the gray mare imported from the Marbach Stud in Germany. She was emblematic of good breeding choices, with very correct conformation, and yet cost her American purchasers a mere $750. Quite a bargain even in 1962, the two-year-old filly went on to produce 12 champions out of 15 foals. Marian Carpenter describes her in the book Arabian Legends, *Sanacht was especially well-known for her exceptional body and straight legs. Her topline was smooth and strong, with excellent tail carriage and good withers and shoulders. When crossed with more exotically pretty stallions, she produced incredible, high-quality foals... Her owners, Sandi and Paul Loeber, described her as having a great mind with nearly human-like qualities: kind, sweet and intelligent. Her offspring would be described as thinking horses with wonderful temperaments. The

mare herself went on to win several halter championships. TW Fortenya (1974-2001): This mare was a great producer producing more great producers. Fourteen of her 16 sons and daughters are champions, six have national wins. She is one of only two Arabian mares to have produced two national champion full sisters. Over nine grandsons and granddaughters have national wins. Six daughters have champion offspring. Interestingly, her offspring have competed in endurance, hunter pleasure, Western, halter, racing, reining and working cow. What was she like, this mare that produced foals for 21 years? Besides the amazing fact that she wore her first pair of shoes at age 25, she was known for her balanced and correct structure; strong and correct legs; a long, fine neck; and a big, bold, correct trot. And on top of it, this bay mare was stunning, with large expressive eyes, a strong sense of self worth, intellect, curiosity and presence. The list would mean nothing without mention of Balalajka, Saki, Autumn Fire, *Rifala, Moska, Amber, Carinosa, Gayfaba, *Roda and many more great mares known either for their own or their offsprings beauty, brains and talent.

Patti Schofler is a freelance writer and graduate of the USDF L Program. Living in Petaluma, CA, she also serves as development coordinator for a nonprofit agency. She may be reached via e-mail at darkhorsezin@msn.com.

EQUESTRIAN

NOVEMBER 2004

Courtesy

in Der w Elan Pre ss/Judy Frazier

65