Cross Breeds

What are the differences between Arabian Horse types?

There are different types of Arabian Horses when I search on the internet. Polish, Egyptian, Russian, Spanish etc... My question is, what are the main differences between each of them (anatomy, temper, origins, what they are used for)?

Public Comments

1. Here is a link to the registry, they cover all the lines and where they came form etc. Look around it is very informative. There is alot but it is the best way to learn about them. Basically, all of the lines you stated just originated in those countries and were bred for certain activities, they are little different in anatomy and temperament. There is just so much information it would take to long to write it down. So take a look at this I am sure it will help. Enjoy http://www.arabianhorses.org/education/education_bloodlines_overview.asp Jenny
2. Can't help you with all those but I know that Russian tend to be slightly 'heavier', Crabbet tend to also be slightly heavier and quite often chestnut with high white. Egyptian are very fine and dry, Uses? pretty much the same everywhere I would say, general riding, desert riding (egyptian) racing, and all your average horsy sports. I believe that pretty much the different strains become important in the showing side of things rather than performance. Hope helps a little and you get more answers
3. Not too much difference in any of them. Obviously they all follow basic breed type. They all have there preferences saying which one has the best temperment, intelligence etc. And they can all be used for pretty much anything. Although you may see some lines more dominant in some disciplines than others. And lines like Polish, Russian, Spanish, French, Crabbet started in the country in which they were named after. Most different arabian lines started at some point in time as a result of royalty and government importing arabian horses for war/ military including domestic lines commonly referred to as CMK. I dont have a personal preference for any bloodline. My younger gelding is Russian bred (he is not straight Russian) and my older gelding is 100% CMK. I will say this though, the Spanish bloodlines are amazing. Beautiful horses, and truely athletic but lost a lot of their main breeding stock many years ago making it hard to reform and less than 10 percent of the world arabian population straight Spanish today.
4. not too much, the way they are built contributes a little. the biggest factor is the way they move, and the kind of showing you can do.
5. The biggest differences come from what the different studs used as criteria. The Spanish stud wouldn't breed a mean or stupid horse no matter how beautiful or correct it was - as a result, the spanish arabs are extremely tractable and teachable. The spanish arab was also bred and kept by the military - and used as the basis for the Andalusian, Luscitano, Lippizzer breeds]. They are generally very balanced and make excellent dressage horses. The Russian and Polish studs must be proven on the race track - this gives greater atheleticism to the horses. The Polish is also known for greater height and finer bone than the Russian - but the russian often have very typey heads and the polish are often plainer. imo - most of the best horses were sold out of the middle east during the 1800's to russia, poland, england, etc. The remaining 'egyptian' bred are those imported directly from the middle east in the last 50-100 years. They are not as athletic as the Polish, Russian or American bred and are rarely able to compete in shows in the US on a national level [to the extent that the politically motivated 'egyptian society' created their own shows for egyptian horses]. Egyptian outcrosses can assist in bringing back smaller heads and increasing type and the fine bones.