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Does a horse have to be selectively bred for thousands of years to have the 
characteristics you mention? And do they specifically have to have been bred 
for desert travel? No. It helps up the odds dramatically, but you can't say 
that an individual horse born of two non-Arab parents CAN'T have all those 
positive characteristics.

All of your post (Jim's) except the bone density and the breeding I can say 
also holds true for Thoroughbreds.

I used to compete heavily in volleyball. I might not be the tallest, the 
most agile or have the most efficient bio-mechanics (my ankles were 
particularly bum) but I loved playing my sport and I did it well. Better 
perhaps than some others who might have been 'better bred' for the sport 
than I (unintentionally I hope!). I got the coach's award. I played with 
heart. And no coach overlooked me for their team because I wasn't the 
tallest or the skinniest. I held my own.

And I can relate that to my horse. She might not be an Arabian. She might 
not have been selectively bred for generations for desert travel, but she 
has the important characteristics she needs to hold her own and travel the 
distance in good health. And for me, she IS the BEST CHOICE for an endurance 
horse. Because I love her and I love riding her and you couldn't trade me 
the NAERC champion for her. And she loves what she does.

I love Arabians. I grew up riding them. I have no breed predjudice and 
currently own a Saddlebred, a Percheron and a Mini in addition to my Paint 
mare.

Breeding does not guarentee suitability and suitability does not only come 
from great breeding. 


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