The best horse I ever owned was an Anglo Arab field hunter who kept me safe on many a hunt and probably enjoyed the sublime sport even more than I did.
Posted on 01/20/2020 7:37:48 PM PST by rktman
For 100 miles, 18-year-old Sanoma Blakeley and her horse, Goober, battled some of the toughest terrain in California’s Gold Rush country. They crossed rivers, traversed canyons, and pushed through elevation changes. It was 16 hours of heart-pumping adrenaline and incredible athleticism as this unstoppable team refused to slow down or give up. After riding all day and with the sky pitch black above them, they sprinted across the finish line to claim their first ever win at the Tevis Cup.
Eight years ago, Blakely’s father found Goober listed for free on Craigslist. The purebred Arabian horse was two years old at the time, and the family decided he was worth the chance. He was sound, spirited, and obviously strong, but there was still no way of knowing he would turn into one of the best endurance horses in the country.
(Excerpt) Read more at ihearthorses.com ...
The movie was great, wasn't it? A VERY young Omar Sharif. Odd that Sharif turned into a world class bridge player. He died only in 2015 in Egypt.
Classic! I think of that every time I hear of Lawrence of Arabia.
Great story. Thanks for posting it. I just sent to my equestrienne daughter.
Amazing story. Thanks.
Quite an accomplishment.
With a free horse!!!!
The best horse I ever owned was an Anglo Arab field hunter who kept me safe on many a hunt and probably enjoyed the sublime sport even more than I did.
Two retired, local gentlemen decided to take up hunting from horseback. I understand with the first shot fired, both their hats (while still on their heads) touched their horses’ rumps.
The Polish Arabians are such great athletes. They weren’t popular with some because they viewed them as not as classically beautiful as some of the hot-house halter horses. But give me a Polish or Crabbet horse to ride any day.
I’ve been owned by my purebreds and Half-Arabians for forty years now. Thankfully I still have one.
Horsey Ping!
Thought it would be a nice break from the BS.
Very much so! I really appreciate the breaks, especially with heart-warming stories like this one. It hits close to home for me as our daughter was a great equestrian competitor growing up and through college.
Are you sure you didn’t type ‘filly?’
that’s redefining horsepower...
That would be 3, although even they were questionable as to being Barbs.
And the foundations sires are a bit overstated. After all, it takes more than males to make a horse and there were as a result, many sires as well as dams involved, including many more Arabs than those 3, and lots of unknown scrub horses. The 3 are just tail-male strictly.
Congratulations. A little girl and a horse, both with heart.
That is a tremendous feat for both.
Here is one source of such a saying:
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.
Arabian Horses - Arabian Horse Association
( https://www.arabianhorses.org/discover/arabian-horses/)
Here is an expanded quote from that source (by the way I have been visited Arabian studs in Poland and I can testify as to the quality I observed):
"After the Crusades, people of the Western world began looking to the people of the East for Arabian bloodstock. Between 1683 and 1730 a revolution in horse breeding occurred when three Arabian stallions were imported to England. 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. By direct infusion, and through the blood of the Thoroughbred, the Arabian has contributed, to some degree, to all our light breeds of horses."
"In the 1800's travelers in the Victorian era became enamored with the horse of the desert as significant Arabian stud farms were founded throughout Europe. The royal families of Poland established notable studs, as did the kings of Germany and other European nations. As a result of Lady Anne Blunt and Wilfred Blunt's historical sojourns into the desert to obtain Egyptian and desert stock, the world-famous Crabbet Arabian Stud was founded in England. This stud eventually provided foundation horses for many countries, including Russia, Poland, Australia, North and South America and Egypt."
Not denying, NBF, just clarifying.
I’m very into TB pedigrees and history, albeit casually, and anyone who is, is aware of those 3 and their direct descendants who are actually the linchpins, Eclipse, King Herod and Matchem. All TBs since about the mid /late 1800s descend TAIL-MALE from these 3. And they get all this credit because of that simplistic organization method. But there were many more sires, often of Arab and Barb blood, who contributed to the breed, not to mention the local mares of uncertain ancestry. The mares have a tail-female categorization going back at least a century and a half based on them (Female Family 21, Female Family A4, etc), however there are many more than 3 on that end.
The point is many many horses contributed even in the early days, and we did not end up with just 3 *tail-male* “foundation” sires until about 1860 because there was much more mixing than that.
In fact, we are in danger of losing the Matchem/Goldphin Arab line, but for the few remaining tail-male Man o’War lines. Soon we may be saying there are only 2 foundation sires. See what I mean?
Sorry to spout off, but don’t get me going on TB history!
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