What's your personal opinion on an Arabian horse?

Question

Just wondering. I would like a total reason for your explanation. The best answer will be on how I like the way you supported your answer or not. So, do you like the Arab horse and if yes why? and if no, why?

Thnx

Answer 1

I like Arabians, but I might be a little biased (I've only ridden Arabians, and I also own one).  I like them for several reasons.  They are lively and are quick learners.  I also love their physical appearance...it's very unique and the Arab look is unmistakable.  Delicate muzzle, dished forehead, arched neck, high-carried tail...all of it put together is gorgeous.  Another thing to note from the physical aspect is their endurance abilities and how strong they are.  They are one vertebra shorter than most horses, allowing them to carry a little more weight on a smaller frame.  They are also designed to go long distances, making them great endurance horses.  

Answer 2

I think Arabian horses are ok. they have some of the most beautiful movements i have ever seen, esp. when they are doing western or english pleasure classes

my mom works for Barry Hankerson who owns Arkaine el Jamaal and lots of other arabs

and seeing that horse move is just amazing

the only down side to Arabians is that many of them are goofy and stupid, even some of the most well trained ones

i have ridden a beautiful arab mare who was professionally trained in western pleasure and has won lots of prizes at major shows but when you ride her out of the ring, she is headstrong and acts up a lot

idk if i had to chose the Arabian breed to go or stay then i would chose then to stay cause they are soo beautiful and elegant

Answer 3

Yes because of there incredible beauty, high spirit, doing all diciplines, and can build with human bond so close!

Answer 4

I think that they can be pretty but i dont like how they act they can be very stubborn

Answer 5

Well, I don't normally do this, but since you ask my personal opinion and I can't see any problem with sharing it...

Can't stand them. Flighty, boogery things that don't have much sense. Good for one thing. Running.

I thought I was just biased, but when I met my wife and we talked about horses, she told me about when she managed an Arabian show ranch. She confirmed everything I thought about them and then some. Her opinion (as a person who made their living with them) they are crazy flighty, easily colic since they are bad about eating bad things, they hold grudges, and are high maintenance.

If you bought me one, I wouldn't let you unload it from the trailer.

Your mileage may vary, and as in all things it's personal opinion, but there's mine. Give me a good solid even QH or paint that I can depend on to not try to put me in the next county every time a bird flies by or a leaf flutters.

Edit:

Heh. Funny how saying you don't like Arabians gets you a thumbs down. Personal opinions differ. Thank goodness. At least most of us who say we don't like them do so from personal and varied experience. No worries, I'll just wave a plastic bag and you'll go away... ;-)

Answer 6

It all depends on the type of arab you are looking at.

I think that arabs are GORGEOUS animals. they are SO good looking!!

Although their attitude sometimes isn't so pretty. a lot of friends that ride arabs have nothing but problems when it comes to their horse. they constantly are acting CRAZY!

However, i have a quarab that is the calmest, smartest, and most willing animal i have seen in a long time.

The only fault she has, is that she is still a little bit spooky.. but being a 3 year old, thats okay.

So overal. I like arabs, because they are beautiful creatures, and SOME of them have well established minds. =]

Answer 7

I like Arabians.  I know people say they can be too hot and crazy, and they can be, but with proper training an Arab can be just as calm as any other breed.  I own one and he can be spooky at times, but he is only five and with less than a year undersaddle.  For what little training he does have I would have to say he is a lot more level headed than the quarter horses and paints that I have seen with the same amount of experience.  So yes, he spooks (but not nearly so much as when I first bought him a year ago), but they are one small sidestep or a sudden halt where he will stare at the scary thing for a minute and then, with encouragement, move on and be fine.  He has never done the "Arab freak and bolt" that they are supposed to be notorious for.       he is smart, willing, and affectionate.

Other than the spooky-ness, I don't think there are any other reasons not to like the breed. They are versatile, smart, and trusting. With a bit more training, I think I would trust my horse more than any other veteran trail horse simply because he is so level headed.  I have only been on a few trail rides and he was very good. He was more hesitant than bolt-y and seemed like he was waiting for his horse friend to tell him was ok to walk on.

I jump my horse (not high yet..He isn't finished developing) and he is actually very good.  Arabs are not famous for their jumping ability, and with good reason, but occasionally you can find one that is built right for it, like mine. He is also taking well to dressage, which is new for both of us and I am thinking about eventing next year.

Arabians have very smooth gaits.  His fast trot is great for posting and his slow trot for sitting, but his canter and his gallop are so smooth that you feel kind of guilty when people tell you that you have a great seat because you don't need to do anything to maintain it.  

Arabians are also a very sensitive breed.  I have heard that they can form grudges against people who hit them (even in a non-abusive way) and I know mine needs to have you ride a certain way to perform well.  He likes to feel your legs and hates any bouncing, especially of the bit.

They are smart.  You tell them something once, they learn it, and they don't forget it.  This can be both good and bad.  Good because you can ask for a flying lead change and get it the first time ever, but bad because they have a mind of their own and know how to use it to get into trouble

I really like the way they feel undersaddle with all that energy and lean muscle, and I like the way they look with their high heads set and hock action.

Arabians would have to be one of my favorite breeds because of everything I have said here and more that I am probably forgetting

Answer 8

yes and no. It all depends on who owns them and if they know how to handle an arab. ex. We I have an arab at my stable that is great because of the way the owner trained him. on the otherhand there is another person with an arab and its crazyy! I believe its all on the way you care for them and your knowlage on horses and the breed!!

Answer 9

i love arabs.

to me they are the most beautiful horses out there, i used to own one and i wish i still did. I also plan on getting another one as a companion for my current horse.

Arabs have the most gorgeous movement i have seen, and their heads are just classically gorgeous, i also believe they have the best temperments out there. of course some are going to be flighty but that is all horses. i also know many flighty quarter horses and other "bombproof" breeds. i have nothing against any of these breeds, as my horse is half QH but i believe that without the proper training any horse is flighty.  

Answer 10

Our stables are divided into 3 parts. One part has stalls for rent to anyone. The other 2 parts are rented solely to 2 men who each buy and train horses for sale. One has strickly TWs and the other has QH. In my section, we have my Arabians, 3 TW, 6 QH and my cousin has 1 QH, 1 Arabian and a paint.

I spent almost every evening at the stables and much of the weekend. I work my own horses and watch/help the others with theirs just to handle them and learn the difference in personalities.

The TWs are affectionate and love attention and are steady as a rock. BUT like a rock, it takes a huge amount of repetition to get them to learn something. Also there are no suprises with their personalities, one is very much like another.

The QHs may or may not be as affectionate. They learn a little quicker and while that is great, it is also harder to find what makes them pay attention in a lesson. They often like everyone or no one.

The Arabians (both mine and my cousin's one) have so much more personality. Mine like several people but you have to work at it. My cousin's likes everyone but my male cousin and he hates him (shame he is the one who actually owns him). Mine also dislikes him (smart of them, I cant stand him either).

After more than a year of neglect, mine are coming along very nicely in training, about 3 times the speed that their trainer expected. I watch their cues when she is training them and can see what they are thinking. Boredom, excitement, confusion. You can see when it hits and they understand what you are asking of them.  Both pay very close attention when in the ring. Both are very willing to do what you ask. I do have to admit that one is more skittish than the other.

My cousin's Arabian is rotting in a stall after being extensively trained before his purchase. This horse has his owner's number and lets him know it. He bites him, threw him on the first ride and kicks up his heels at him in the ring. I walk up to him, take him out to the ring and lunge him with no problems. The first time I saw him an 11 year old girl was riding him and when she said whoa, he came to a sliding stop. This is a horse that refuses to be mistreated and is demanding respect. I expect that in the next 2-3 months he will sell him. The horse is smarter than the owner but that would not take much. lol.

Answer 11

okay, i learned to ride on a polish arab, she was the sweetest lesson horse, and my dad ended up buying her for me ect.

so for 6 years of my riding i was around arabs.  for the rest i was around quater horses. and i know everyone will say the same basic things:

1. they're hot tempered/hot hot hot

2. great endurance horses

i love arabs because to me, they're hands down the most elegant and graceful horse. the head set and tail carage are perfect and they're super smooth to ride.  they're bigger lung comp. makes them great for endurance.

MY only fault with arabs is because i'm taller and not a size 0, i dont feel comfty on them any more. . . would i buy an arab? no, would i stop everything and go to an arab show to watch? yeah. i like the arab crosses cause they have more hight, but i'll always personally love the pure breed arab just cause that's what breed taught me about horses first and they can do so much more.  you can race an arab, you can do endurance riding. i will say this tho, most arabs CANNOT jump to save their lives, thumbs me down for saying this. . . but the major rated show in our area did not have a jumping part until about 3-4 years ago, that does tell you that the arab owners know that in general they jump like a deer. i have seen one GREAT . ..  i mean this arab could out jump any other horse like it was nothing( i took riding lessons with my appendix quater horse and couldnt do half as much as that arab and it's owner). so yes a few arabs can jump, just not that many.

anyway, i'm not sure if i answered all the reason i love arabs, but those are the high points.

OH more reasons:

they're one of the oldest if not oldest breed and every other breed has some bit of arab in them.

they're owners/papers go back so far into history and i just think that's really cool to trace your horse back thousands of years.

dressage and arab costume classes are one thing in life if you dont try at least go see it. arab costume classes take the tradition arab dress for horse and rider and show them off at dangerous speeds, hand galloping around an arena with thin rope reins isnt exactly safe but if you do it, it is a rush like no other.  (they really do go top speed of all the horses during our costume class, and all the fabric and tails go flowing in the wind. . . all i can say is it's some thing you have to see at least once even if you hate the breed)

hmmm i know there are more reasons . . .but i just cant think of any more atm.

Answer 12

I don't like arabians. Their scoped faces some people find attractive look more to me like some sort of alien, not a horse.

They are also more flightier than other horses. We have some arabians at our boarding barn, and even though my horse is younger, he doesn't as spook as much as them.

Answer 13

Arabs are fine, they are just not my cup of coffee. I like QH,Paint and Appy's. I personally don't care for their head carriage and the ''dish'' head. They are beautiful horses, but honestly they can't work a cow. Oh they have cow events for Arabs. But the QH is the best at working cattle. There is nothing better than sitting on a good cutting horse. But thats me, I'm just an ol' cowpoke.

Answer 14

They are smart.  

Answer 15

I have only met a few arabs in my time, and all of them seemed out of control and flighty, or extremely aggressive.  The only two I really have any personal one on one experience with was the mare that was in the paddock next to my gelding before I bought him (she and the mare that was across from him, both arabs, tried to kill him at every chance, literally) and my Anglo-Arab.  Now, I'm not a thoroughbred fan either, I have nothing against them, it's just not my kind of horse.  Beau is pretty quick to learn something, but overall has never been all that intelligent.  He takes a cue, then keeps going with it until I tell him otherwise, or the second I stop the cue he stops the motion.

There is a different kind of horse for every different person.  Obviously, somewhere there are people out there that are perfectly suited for this breed, I'm just not one of them.  I love my gelding to death, but I will never, ever buy a horse again with any of either bloodline in their papers.  I'll stick to my Tennessee Walkers and Walker crosses.

Answer 16

I think that some arabs are pretty, but most in my opinion are very airy and sometimes spooky, I have seen some very nicely trained arabs, and I have seen some arabs that got into the wrong hands at a crucial trianing age, and it hads ruined them. I personally wouldnt have one. but growing up on a quarter horse ranch, I prefer qh. I trained a arab colt for a woman once, and yes he learned quickly and was very intelligent, but...he was only like that when i could get through his thick head and spookyness....it most of the time wasnt even sppooky it was just curiosity, and things would startle him and get him worked up and then he would stay worked up and be curious, and you couldnt bring him down...so i personally wouldnt buy one, but I have trained them, so are nice, some are not

Answer 17

A short answer: They just aren't "my thing."

I don't mind them, but I've always had QHs and I am biased toward them.  I have only been around a few, but ALL of them were a little hot and spooky compared to the other breeds I worked with (they were at a training barn).  I did work with one not too long ago who was a sweetheart though (he was like 22 though, so that might have had something to do with his "mellowness").

So not to offend any Arab lovers out there, they seem like smart horses.  Sometimes people (myself included) get irritated because they are sometimes a handful, but once you "figure out their buttons" they are reliable and smart horses to work with.  It just seems like it takes a different kind of mindset/thinking to work with an Arabian.

Answer 18

I own an arab gelding and a paint mare...I've owned other breeds, especially quarter horses over the years.

Arabs are very intelligent, so they always test you.  They are more deeply bonded with humans than other breeds...the difference is night and day....my arab is more like a dog than a horse at times.

Arabs are high strung, but when you can harness that and develop an arab into a calm, rock solid and trustworthy partner, it is exhilarating.  My guy does a western jog that is a dream to ride, or can extend a trot and float across the ground.  He goes on a simple snaffle or bitless, and is safe to ride anywhere.  He is barefoot, and his hooves are hard and sturdy.  Arabs have very dense bone and are very sturdy despite their refinement.  He is 21 and looks 10, and has no arthritis or old age disease other than metabolic syndrome, which is managed with diet and a supplement.  I also love my paint mare, but there is something special about arabians and the way they bond with you.  

Answer 19

I think Arabian horses are a smart, defensive breed. They can be alot of hard work but the effort is well worth it, i have a stunning arab horse who i had to put alot of effort into and work with on a one to one basis. Personally i love them, It's all about gaining their trust and respect and being persistant. It really is the most amazing one on one bond to have. An arab is a true friend who will always try his best. They have natural beautifully flowing paces, and a fantastic natural outline. What a fantastic curious breed who will turn there hand (should i say hoof?) to anything.

Answer 20

Yes I like Arabians. They're a very pretty horse and it's awesome to watch them move.

Arabians are very calm and behave well. Arabians are the only breed that allow children to show stallions. Arabians are also used in therapeutic riding programs.

Arabians are often considered flighty and nervous. This is probably because they're so intelligent and sensitive. An Arabian simply won't handle rough treatment the way a breed like the Peruvian Paso will. (1) You'll want to have a trainer who really knows what they're doing work with the horse.

I've never ridden an Arabian, so I can't tell you anything about that. But I did have an encounter with one this summer. I was working as a volunteer at an large animal shelter for the evacuated animals (CA fires) and this woman had three horses. However, she took the wrong ones (she wasn't planning on leaving this mare behind) and the mare (chestnut, absolutely gorgeous horse) got really frantic when she realized that she'd been left. She spent a lot of time running and pacing. She'd look up and get real excited whenever she heard a car pull up. She eventually calmed now, but it was obvious that she knew what happened.

Some of the other horses weren't like that. They didn't seem to really care that they were going home or anything.

So, I'd definitely love to own an Arabian. They're definitely a horse you can really connect with.

That and they're very sound. They have very dense bones and are known for their endurance.  

As to what people are saying about Arabians being spooky: they're just extremely sensitive and intelligent. If you want a horse you can muscle around, you don't want an Arabian. It's the same with people too. If you have a real smart, sensitive kid and you're the coach. And let's say you're yelling at that kid and telling him/her to toughen up and take it and don't ask questions, chances are that kid isn't going to perform.

But that's an extreme example. I've learned that even when the horse I'm on seems to randomly veer away from the rail or turn, that he's normally right. Especially about the rail. That normally means that the horse wants to pass the next horse. Nothing makes you feel more stupid than jerking the horse back to the rail, only to realize that you do need to pass the horse in front and that your horse has managed to outsmart you. And that was an older lesson horse, I imagine that Arabians do that sort of thing a lot more often.

Answer 21

I'm not an Arab fan personally.  I find most of them to be bumpy and way too spooky.  And the head and tail that many people find attractive, I find to be quite unattractive.  I can't stand high tails on horses (Arabian, Saddlebreds, any of them).  I'm not sure why, I just don't like the way it looks.  And those dished heads and skinny necks just don't seem quite right.  I prefer something with a little more substance.  I think it's a look that you just either appreciate or you don't.  And it's not my cup of tea.

I do respect them though.  They do what they were bred to do amazingly.  I worked at an endurance race once and those horses were amazing.  They just kept going and going and going.  Their recovery time was amazing and the stamina was unbelievable.  However, when they had already gone 40+ miles and came back around to a water trough they had already seen twice and STILL were spooking at it, I decided that breed definitely wasn't for me.  That's the part I don't like about them.  Call it intelligent, call it sensitive, call it whatever you want, I still don't like a horse that reacts to EVERYTHING like that.

Answer 22

I am not personally biased to any breed when it comes to saying who is the best. Lots of breed obviously excel in some disiplines where others don't. And their behavior definetely depends on who works with them as well.

But just for me, I am absolutely crazy about arabs. I grew up around them and learned to ride with them, and they are all I have ever owned. Georgeous enough to make anyone's head turn, and they are a jack of all trades. Sure their are plenty of breeds out there who excel in one or two areas, but an arab can do OK in almost all. (Can make great crosses to almost any breed too)

I think what many people see as faults in them, I see as wonderful qualities. (crazy, hot, flighty, spooky, delicate, emotional, too small I have heard it all)

Believe me, I have been around many horse in my day, I have often thought about straying from the arabian horse when falling in love the the occasional thorougbred, quarter horse of whatever it was. But in the end I fall in love everday all over again with the breed when I walk out to the stables and see my arabians waiting for me. Once you fall in love with one, it's hard to turn back.