Arabian Horse Breed
The Arabian is the oldest purebred horse breed — a refined, intelligent desert horse with legendary stamina, a dished face and high tail carriage, dominant in endurance riding and beloved as a show and family partner.
Bred for centuries by Bedouin horsemen, Arabians contributed foundation blood to most modern light breeds, including the Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse. The classic look — dished profile, large eye, arched neck, high-set tail — comes with dense bone and remarkable heart-and-lung efficiency, which is why Arabians and Arabian crosses win the vast majority of top-level endurance rides.
They are quick studies who bond hard to their people. That intelligence cuts both ways: an Arabian ridden with patience and consistency is a superb partner; one handled roughly learns the wrong lessons just as fast.
Buying notes: registration is through the Arabian Horse Association (AHA). Main bloodline groups — Egyptian, Polish, Crabbet, domestic — matter most for breeders and halter exhibitors; for riding homes, the individual horse's training and temperament matter far more than strain.
By Horse Trading Post Research · Updated Aug 29, 2026
Common questions
Are Arabians hard to handle?
They are sensitive and smart rather than difficult — they respond fast to both good and bad handling. Well-raised Arabians are affectionate, trainable partners, and many are excellent family horses.
Why do Arabians dominate endurance riding?
Centuries of desert breeding selected for heat tolerance, efficient metabolism and dense bone — the physiology of covering long distances and recovering quickly.
How big is an Arabian?
Most stand 14.1 to 15.2 hands and weigh 800 to 1,000 lbs — smaller than stock breeds, but carrying weight well for their size thanks to short, strong backs.
