Definition of Arabian Horse

The Arabian horse is one of the oldest and most recognizable horse breeds in the entire world. It's been mixed with nearly every other breed on the planet and has been used for everything from war to trade to racing. It is the latter of these that it is the primary use of these horses today.

These horses, unsurprisingly, originate from around the Arabian peninsula and Egypt areas. They were used quite extensively by the people who are known as Bedouins today. Because of the environment that they originated from and various breeding programs around the world, the Arabian is unmatched when it comes to endurance racing. In fact, purebred registered Arabians only run against themselves in distance races.

While the horses were often used for war before the 2 World Wars, they started being bred more and more for racing and equestrian purposes in the modern day. Now the endurance races are referred to as Arabian racing, with a specific Arabian Jockey Club existing for riders of these horses. These races typically measure between 4 1/2 furlongs to 1 3/4 miles, although the majority of them sit at 6 furlongs.

America fell in love with the Arabian particularly in the 1980s, seeing it as a status symbol. As of 2013, there are more than 660,000 registered Arabians in the United States, which is more than anywhere else in the world.

Those who wish to see Arabians race will be looking for endurance races rather than the quick sprints that many people think of. However, if you have a choice between betting on a Arabian and any other horse in the world, you'd better pick the Arabian.