Arabians
Our breeding emphasis is directed towards Crabbet lines. We have not deliberately set out to position ourselves in a Crabbet corner but it eventuated that the horses which appealed to us and suited our direction as breeders were high percentage or pure Crabbet horses, and almost all trace to horses I admired as a youth pouring over early Arabian horse magazines. I do however, refer to them simply as pure Arabians, as all pure Arabians trace back to a common heritage no matter their strain or lineage, and sometimes there appears inference that others of “not straight something” are less than pure or desirable and I am not sure I am comfortable with that. I certainly find interest in the study of the heritage and history and am a serious student of pedigrees, but am not yet sure if it is just human nature for the need to pigeonhole, after all, many pure Polish, Egyptian, or Russian horses are high percentage Crabbet. There is no doubt that Crabbet is probably the most historically influential of breeding programs – outside the desert itself, and its importance is further enhanced by the fact it is the only pure strain attributed to an individual stud.
Unlike some I have witnessed in print, I have no interest or intent to try to improve the breed. How self-indulgent are we as humans to think that we could? I believe many who claim to be trying to improve breeds are often in fact changing them from what they are meant to be, to the breeds detriment.
I certainly aim to consistently produce outstanding examples of the breed. The traits I feel are important within the Arabian are directly linked to our breeding philosophy and are summed up by ‘balance’ – wine and food, horse and rider - there has to be harmony or balance for it to have that “Ah Yes” factor!
I remain open minded, and will unashamedly admire any outstanding example of this magnificent breed. I will explore the Arabian through any medium that concentrates on the horse. I have admired and coveted Arabians since childhood for their beauty, intelligence, charisma, endurance, versatility, and yes temperament. I believe the impression of them as flighty and hard to handle is perpetuated by many of the techniques applied in presenting them to people, not in the horses themselves.
Our breeding philosophy with our Holstein Dairy Stud was always been type, temperament and milking speed followed, if they meet the previous criteria, by solids percentages, milk volume etc. Our belief is if the first three are right the rest falls into place. If the cow does not have the right type - she will not last. If she doesn't have the right temperament, she is difficult to work with and this affects the rest of the herd and she will not last. If she does not have milking speed, it does not matter how much milk she holds you cannot extract it; if the cow as a result develops temperament and health problems, she will not last.
Why the dairy cow story? Simple, the same philosophy will apply to breeding our Arabians. Breeding based on consistent type, temperament and performance, or endurance if you will, maximises the percentage chances of breeding true to type. We are not influenced by the latest fashions, very few of them have longevity and that is the nature of fashion. Many noble breeds of dogs, horses and cattle have lost functionality in pursuit of show ring glory, appearance or aesthetics over common sense and workability. Arabians are famous for their aristocratic presence, beauty, temperament, intelligence and endurance qualities. As our logo “Custodians of the Breed” suggests, we will aim to preserve and reproduce those qualities consistently in our breeding program, and as with our Holstein stud, establish a band of loyal followers and repeat customers for the progeny of our stallions and mares.