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Karen, it sounds like what you're looking for is the Arabian breed standard.  Here it is:

 

Comparatively small head, profile of head straight or preferably slightly concave below the eyes; small muzzle, large nostrils, extended when in action; large, round, expressive, dark eyes set well apart (glass eyes shall be penalized in Breeding classes); comparatively short distance between eye and muzzle; deep jowls, wide between the branches; small ears (smaller in stallions than mares), thin and well shaped, tips curved slightly inward; long arched neck, set on high and running well back into moderately high witheres; long sloping shoulder well laid over with muscle; ribs well sprung; long, broad forearm; short cannon bone with large sinew; short back; loins broad and strong; croup comparatively horizontal; natural high tail carriage.  Viewed from rear, tail should be carried straight; hips strong and round; well muscled thigh and gaskin; straight, sound, flat bone; large joints, strong and well defined; sloping pasterns of good length; round feet of proportionate size.  Height from 14.1 to 15.1 hands, with an occasional individual over or under.  Fine coat in varying colors of bay, chestnut, grey and black.  Dark skin, except under white markings.  Stallions especially should have an abundance of natural vitality, animation, spirit, suppleness and balance.

 

I agree--the show ring has deviated from this standard A WHOLE BUNCH--but you can easily envision horses fitting the standard going down the trail just fine.  In fact, you see some that fit the standard purtnear every Saturday at endurance rides...

 

Heidi

I’m wondering if someone can help me.  What is the definition of the Arabian Breed?  I’m a little troubled by what I’ve seen recently.  I bought an Arabian Horse World magazine over the weekend and looked through it, mainly for curiosity’s sake.  I know the magazine is geared more toward the show world rather than endurance, but what I saw in the magazine rather disgusted me.  The conformation of these horses was so extreme that I wonder that they could even be classified as Arabians.  Extremely dished heads (reminded me of pugs and Persian cats), looooong necks, toothpick legs, seemingly little muscle tone.  How does this help the breed?  How does this demonstrate the original usefulness of the breed?  If you compare the racing Arabians (opposite end of the spectrum it seems) to these Arabians, the difference is clear.  The conformation of Arabians used in endurance looks very close to that of the racing bred Arabians, and they are often descended from them, if not off the track even.  Are we getting to a point where most breeds are going to go at least two different ways – show and usefulness?  When I say show, I’m talking mainly about halter classes, not hunter, dressage, eventing, jumping, etc.  The same thing seems to have happened to the Morgans – you have your show Morgans and you have your sport Morgans.  At least with cats and dogs that have extreme facial conformation, they are usually indoor pets, and we can help them overcome the breathing problems we caused by our own selfishness.  With horses it’s a different matter.  Horses are pets, and they’re also expected to be athletes in many situations.  Even miniature horses can pull carts (they’re also being used as guide animals, believe it or not).  However, a full size horse with a breathing problem that is the direct result of selfish and unthinking breeding is a big problem, especially when you use that same horse as a breeder.  What happens then?

 

This may all be rhetorical questioning.  There may be no answer.  I like the way endurance is influencing the sport breeds – people are looking for horses with the kind of conformation that can withstand the rigors of this sport, and some of you are even breeding for it.  I commend you on that.

 

 

Karen E. Franklin

Tulsa, OK

 

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