have
posted this in the past, but the recent threads made me think it might be a
good time to post again. When someone asks why so many ride Arabians, and why
they seem to dominate the sport of distance riding, it is because the breed
in general, is bred for the sport:
The lighter muscling of an Arabian
horse dissipates heat and lactic acid more readily than other breeds. The
larger flaring nostrils provide the Arabian with maximum oxygen intake, and
its large trachea allows for larger lung capacity. Also, that
pretty arched neck has a function besides looks, in which it carries
plenty of air to the lungs and helps keep the windpipe clear. They
have bigger, stronger hearts for their size, which pumps a higher
volume of blood. That blood runs through the blood vessels which are
very close to the surface than other breeds, covered by thinner
skin, which also aids in cooling the animal when it works. Last, the
bone density is known to be greater in Arabians than other breeds,
with tougher tendons and ligaments. All of these traits were bred
for thousands of years, when the horses were used in their country
of origin, to travel great distances in the harsh conditions. Those
that did not hold up, did not survive.
And why do I ride Arabians? I
personally like their temperaments, disposition, intelligence and
personalities. Have owned them for over 20 years now, and don't think we will
ever be without them. I may have another breed in my pasture someday, but
there will always be an Arabian with it.
Oh, and I can name all of the
Arabians I have ridden over the years, both my own, and the ones owned by the
lady I worked for, and can even give you their endurance records.
<grin> We all must choose the breed that suits us best, for what
we want to do with our horses. There is NO one breed, that every individual
will like, nor be able to get along with. We have choices, and in our
sport of distance riding, it is shown that all breeds can participate to
different levels. It is funny that when the whole Arabians in endurance
thread comes up, I find it more often that non Arabian owners get more worked
up about it, than Arabian owners. I've heard more non Arab riders say they
wanted to "kick some Arabian butt", than Arabian owners say "your breed can't
come close to my Arab". Not sure why some carry this huge chip on their
shoulder. Just ride what ever horse you want, and enjoy
the trail!
