KUWAIT: The Arabian horse is known for its local, regional, and international appeal, making it one of the most sought after breeds globally. The Arabian horse played an important role in the history of the Arab and Muslim civilizations with various documents, books, and pieces of poetry praising its elegance, beauty, and worthiness in the battlefield, sport arenas, and travel paths.

Speaking on the importance of the Arabian horse, head of records at the Kuwaiti Arabian horse center Bait Al-Arab (the house of Arabs) Abdullah Al-Barhi said that the Arabian horse still maintained its presence as one of the most important breeds of horse in the world. Arabs and orientalists in the past knew that this breed was of excellent quality and people nowadays are keen on devising ways to keep the progeny pure, said Barhi. In the 1970s, World Arabian Horse Organization (WAHO) was established to protect this breed and maintain its excellence, revealed Al- Barhi who added that in 2018, the organization’s member states numbered at 80 countries. In Kuwait, the number of pure Arabian horses was at 26 horses in 1996, he indicated, adding that after 20 years later, the number jumped to around 10,000 horses this year with over 1,700 owners.

Meanwhile, owner of Al-Kenouz (treasures) Arabian Horse Stable Saleh Al-Atwai and his colleague Abdulaziz Al-Attwai both said that the process of breeding Arabian horses was meticulous, with horse owners making sure that it was done between pure breeds. There are five main breeds of Arabian horses ‘Al-Kahailan’, ‘Al-Saqlawi’, ‘Al-Hadban’, ‘Al-Dahman’, and ‘Al-Aiban’, the stable owners said, revealing that the US was the biggest breeder of Arabian horses with 12,000 horses annually. — KUNA