Cross Breeds - What's your opinion of Arabian horses?

What's your opinion of Arabian horses?

I hear a lot of people say Arabians are crazy, flighty, hyper, mean, and/or tempermental, but I've recently visited an Arabian horse breeding farm, and, except that some of the horses tried to nibble on me, none of the horses seemed to have any behavioral problems and all of the horses were very friendly and even affectionate. So, how accurate is the Arabian horse stereotype?

Public Comments

Arabs can be hot and "uppity" but I've seen the "quiet" breeds like QHs be difficult to manage too. All depends on the horse. I like Arabs alright, but they're a little on the small side.
it really depends on the horse, ive known the sweet lovable type, to the EVIL type. :o) I've dealt with arabians for over 10 yrs, and thats the case that i found with them. everyone has their own bias about what they think because of past experiences. hope this helped!
Arabians can be stubborn and headstrong, but not all. Most of the arabians i have seen are kind and gentle. it depends on how they're raised i suppose
Arabs are quite beautiful and have gotten a bad rap. So have Thoroughbreds. They are spirity and can be hyper but so can any other breed. It all depends on the horse. Had you seen them being worked rather than in their stalls you might have gotten a little taste of how proud they are and they show it!! Many times, an inexperienced person can bring out the worst in a horse and then everyone thinks they are all like that. I've always liked Arabs but have found them to be a little small. When I started riding many many years ago, I started at an Arabian farm before the introduction of the larger Egyptian and Polish Arabs into the U.S.. By that time, I just felt that I had outgrown them and didn't look right astride one. But I still find them beautiful.
I've really only ever dealt with a few Arab horses. My old one was the sweetest thing, great with children, etc. Although she was pretty old. She died around 30 a few years back. I do believe that some Arabs can be flighty, but any horse of any breed can greatly differ from their breed's stereotypical temperament. It mostly depends on how they were raised and what training methods were used. The breeding farm you went to probably has a really consistent training program, and knows how to handle their horses. Hope I helped!
Not at all. It is down to handling. They are very showy in their action, but they can be as lazy as anything too! It is like saying that all men are rapists! Simply not true.
I have always found Arabs to be among the most intelligent and people oriented horses. Any behavior problems can always be traced right back to HUMAN mishandling. I love Arabians. I wish they were a larger breed, because as a plus-sized horse lover, my Arabian days are behind me. :-(
If you aren't skilled enough to deal with a highly sensitive , intelligent animal like an Arabian horse, then you will probably do nothing but ruin the horse if you attempt to train him. Arabians and their nature are not a problem. Humans and their impatience and harshness is. They possess certain breed characteristics that require more evolved humans to work with them. If you want a physically numb horse to work with, then some other breeds might suit you better. If you are up to dealing with a highly responsive animal, then an Arab might be right for you. I've worked with many breeds, and the intelligence and human bonding abilities of Arabs is unique and makes working with them very rewarding. But I know many humans who are virtual dinosaurs when it comes to handling horses, and Arabians would not be for them.
I will tell you why people think they're crazy. http://www.fuglyblog.com/?p=1627 It's because of those arabians. I used to live in Arizona, and I used to go to that show and watch them. They're completely nuts, you should see these things. They're to blame for the bad reputation arabians get. I think that particular case may be a bit unique...but not surprising. I wasn't shocked at all when I saw that story on Fugly. Yes, it is beautiful when they run around that arena like nutsos...but it makes for a dangerous horse. Besides their back, an arabian is exactly like any other horse. You train them right, they'll be good. You let them be nutso...well, they'll be crazy maniacs.
It's out of ignorance that people say that crap about Arabs. Arabian horse shows are also to blame. They want the horse to look freaked out (they call it "spirited") so they scare the horse before the horse goes into the ring (they'll startle the horse with fire extinguishers, etc to get that wild-eyed, high headed and high tailed look).....and the horse is freaked out....so people watching who don't know better, think that's how the horse is normally. Also, trainers don't help the horses when they don't add lots of desensitizing to teach the horse how to deal with scary things....for the same reason as the fools at the horse shows....make the horse look "arabian!" yeah, whatever. the horse is scared!!! Train the poor thing!!! Arabians have a lot of stamina. They have large nostrils and big lungs and a strong heart. They can go for hours and miles and miles....they are great for endurance. Some endurance riders are also to blame for the bad wrap that arabians get, because they don't train their horses very well (some of them!) Yes, arabians have stamina and so they can get scared and stay scared for long periods of time.....which might make them seem like freaks, but really, they just lack good training. Arabians are actually very intelligent and willing and once they learn something quickly....they have it learned. They also like people and want to please. Sounds like you got to see this first hand at that farm. Go by what you saw there, not by what you hear.
Well, if you can forgive my sense of cynicism on an afternoon as today - I'd say, and I am not being insulting, but by culture being acquainted with "what I've only heard about THEM???)" these proud powerful horses are as their human owners and trainers : d@mned well gifted with virile prowess which no filly or woman can fail to appreciate under or atop the covers in open stables, or closed tents. Yes, both; human and horses, are or can be flighty, hyper, mean, and/of temperamental "ooh la la" (if you know what I mean? And if some may have nibbled on you, be beast (animal, or beast, man) you have already have been courted by the Best, honey! There is nothing about toward which complain, Miss, were I you, which I am not, in my HUMBLE OPINION ONLY, I'd consider myself a chosen woman, among women.
i have a 35 yr old arab alot of what people say about them is taken out of context the only accurate statement is they do have a mind of their own all horses can be flighty bitey or tempremental not just arabs i personally know alot of people with arabs and they are all well balanced normal horses who are all very friendly the only problem i have with mine he will threaten to bite you [never does] if you brush near his belly but he was an ex riding pony with ill fitting tack hes still got the scars to prove it but that was thro human error rather then breeding that made him that way i also a t/b but hes a totally differant story dont get me started lol
Arabians should be extinct. I'm just saying. That's my opinion and it will be heard.
i dont know that much about horses, but i know those arab crosses , run real fast
the breed is known for "hyper, crazy, hot" horses and some times "temperments" I use to ride 3 arabians after I came up of lessons when I was about 10. one was 3, one was 10, and one was 15. (the 3 yr old was a gelding, and the other two were mares) They were very sweet, they had a lot of energy and loved to canter, and they were very smart. They never had any behavioral problems that I noticed, the only thing was that the 3 year old got out under a fence and he cantered around and seemed as if it were a game that we were trying to catch him, lol. Than about 3 years after that, me and my friend rescued two arabians, about 16 and 20 years old. (both mares) Mine was the 20 year old and boy was she full of energy.. She got a new home within a month but my friend kept her arabian. That horse was a moody mare. She tries to kick me one time when I was trying to catch her in the pasture when my friend was out of state a few weeks after we got her, than about a year later she kicked me while I was trying to catch her and I flew into the fence. She also took off a lot and was very hyper undersaddle, though she never bucked me off. I dont work with arabians and am not around them any more. I do see a few arabians everynow and than that are bombproof kid horses, but that can be just like any horse breed out there (even TBs can be like that) I personally wouldn't probably buy an arabian, but they are pretty and some of them can be sweethearts.
I hate to stereotype. I would never want one. I boarded my thoroughbreds at an arabian barn for 11 years. There were stallions, breeding horses, youngsters and show horses as well as trail and pleasure horses there. Most of them were a pain to deal with. If anyone spooked, everyone spooked. There were some talented horses there, but they were sensitive and flighty and I was trampled enough over those 11 years to say no thanks.
Until a week ago, I owned 2 Arabian mares and they were like night and day. Marli is gentle, loves kids and steady as a rock. You can see the gears going round and she learns quickly. Lyla (we believe she was abused) was very spooky, danced everywhere and did not trust anyone. My riding instructor was going to do a 30 tune up on her and gave me my money back after 4 days. I gave Lyla to the breeding program she originated from and she has settled down and they are going to ride her this week. We will see how that goes. I believe it also comes down to training. They were trained by different people and it shows.