The Egyptian Legend
About Legend
- The Straight Egyptian Arabian horse of today can trace 100% of its ancestry back to the horses bred by the Bedouin tribes of ancient Arabia. Described as a dream horse come to life, they are prized for their extreme rarity, elegance, and beauty which is unsurpassed in today’s equine world.
- Influential far beyond their scarce numbers, the history of the straight Egyptian is fascinating, tracing to turbulent times in the Arabian peninsula when many of the finest desert horses were taken to Egypt and bred by the Pashas, Princes, and Kings of that country.
- Straight Egyptian Arabians, reach back to the mares and stallions of Turkish Ruler Mohammed Ali the Great and his grandson Abbas Pasha I.
- After Abbas Pasha’s death in 1854, Ali Pasha Sherif, a relative with a passion for the finest of desert-bred horses, bought the cream of the herd, which remained with him in Cairo. Some were added to the European collection and these magnificent horses moved into many hands, among them are those of Lady Anne Blunt, the “Noble Lady of Horses.”
- In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, princes of the Egyptian royal family and other notables of the time collected and bred pure Arabian horses, some from the celebrated ranks of the Abbas Pasha tradition; others from sheikhs in Arabia.
- In 1908 the Royal Agricultural Society (RAS) was formed in Egypt to assure the preservation of these significant equine treasures
In 1952, a few notable horses of the former Inshass Stud, the Royal Stables of King Fuad and King Farouk, were brought into the RAS, newly named the Egyptian Agricultural Organization (EAO).- At the time, however, many felt that Arabian horses were the sign and symbol of excessive wealth and should be dispersed.
- The then-Minister of Agriculture Sayed Marei was of a different mind. “It would be as if we were erasing the Great Pyramids of Egypt,” he insisted. By intervening, he persuaded the government and the public to let EAO remain in place – and with it, the pure, authentic horse of the desert.
Characteristics
A Straight Egyptian’s most identifiable characteristics are its exquisitely chiseled head, dished face, long arched neck, and high tail carriage. Its entire appearance exudes beauty, intelligence, courage, and nobility. Its famous “floating trot” announces to the world his proud, graceful nature.
In general, they have a short, straight back, perfect balance and symmetry, a deep chest, well-sprung ribs, strong legs of thick density and a more horizontal pelvic bone position.
Their reliability, good character, courage, and high-intelligence are generally recognized and can be clearly illustrated world-wide.
