where have all the arabians gone? your turn, part ii

40 ▪ ARABIAN HORSE WORLD ▪ OCTOBER 2012

Arabian Horse World has published numerous

features addressing the status of the Arabian breed

globally over the past year. In the September issue,

we heard from you in “Where Have All the Arabians

Gone — Your Turn” (page 130), readers’ responses to

Bruce Johnson’s article “Where Have All the Arabians

Gone?” published in the August issue (page 8). The

letters kept coming, so this month we’ve published

more of your responses.

We at Arabian Horse World recognize the passion,

focus, and urgency required by this moment in time,

and we’d like to do our part to facilitate real action

and solutions. To help move from discussion to action,

Arabian Horse World will sponsor “A Call to Action

— A Forum to Discuss Real Solutions” on Wednesday,

October 24, in Tulsa. It’s one step toward a better

future. If you’ll be in Tulsa, join us.

Links to Bruce Johnson’s original article, and

Part One of “Your Turn” can be found at www.

arabianhorseworld.com.

WHERE HAVE ALL THE ARABIANS GONE? YOUR TURN Part II

ARABIAN HORSE WORLD PRESENTS:

If we want to attract new people we need to

breed horses with good minds that can work

and be safe. If everyone who owns a breeding

horse would ride that horse in a tense

situation they would soon make a decision to

breed safer horses. — John Jacobs

John Jacobs, St. George, Utah: Thank you for inviting replies to the query about the

decline in numbers of Arabian horse registrations (August 2012 issue, page 9). Jeff Spivey and I are getting old now. Even my own sons ride Quarter Horses. What a slam. It’s going to take some dedicated people to turn the situation around. There’s always going to be people with the wherewithal to sustain a big herd. But new people being attracted to the breed for a personal riding horse are not being born anymore. If we want to attract new people we need to breed horses with good minds that can work and be safe. If everyone who owns a breeding horse would ride that horse in a tense situation they would soon make a decision to breed safer horses. Of course, if those large breeders are only interested in walking on the ground alongside the horse they will never know what they have. In the few years I have left I am trying to improve my herd by testing each horse myself. I’m not going to look for new blood so don’t anybody write and tell me where to get better horses. I am satisfi ed with my old blood. I want to invite all the breeders worldwide to join me behind the cows to see what kind of mind your horses have.

Well, Denise Hearst, you asked for it. Are you brave enough to put my challenge to the studs of Poland, the studs of the peninsula, the studs of the Nile, and yes, even Texas? While I’ve got you on the line I want to thank you for traveling all over the world and keeping us up to date on all the good people worldwide who are dedicated to the Arabian horse. It brings tears to my eyes every month, learning of all the good horses and

dedicated people.

41 b ARABIAN HORSE WORLD b OctOBER 2012


Dick Adams, Cave Creek, Arizona:

Bruce Johnson’s article was very

nicely written, yet the answer to the title

is: They have gone nowhere! They are

conveniently in the care of a disinterested

society. As it is now, the concept of

Arabians in a “zoo-animal status” just

might prove to be more exposure (to

outside interest) than we currently have.

Just how many zoos are there?

Roxann Hart, Orange Lake, Florida:

I was impressed with Arabian Horse World’s August issue

article by Bruce Johnson, “Where Have All the Arabians Gone?”

It was a comprehensive overview, incredibly well done and well

researched. The follow-up comments in the September issue

were wonderful as well.

There is an angle I would like to discuss concerning the

horse industry as a whole. We live in Marion County, Florida,

the horse capital of the world. We have more horses here than in

Louisville, Kentucky. We have a lot of breeds of horses here and

every one has declined. In talking with feed companies, I learned

that in the last two years we’ve lost 50 percent of our horse

population. It’s just becoming too costly to own horses.

This year we are losing so many of our tax incentives that

were beneficial to the farming industry. Up

until this year, if you bought a new horse,

you could write off that purchase price.

Every year, I always bought a new piece of

equipment. We got a tax incentive for that,

but we also had to pay the sales tax. Well,

those incentives may be gone this year.

According to the American Horse

Council the horse industry has a $102

billion impact on the U.S. economy, and

the horse industry pays $1.9 billion in

taxes. Is the American Horse Council

lobbying the federal government to provide

for our industry? I think it’s something

our breed association, joining with other breed groups, could

lobby for. If we look at all the things farmers receive from the

government … if we became a unified group, who knows what

we could accomplish.

I’d be interested to hear from anyone who would like to

explore this idea with me.

Karen Page, Lawton, Oklahoma: We need to take the Arabian horse back to the backyards

and 4-H kids. I specialize in family horses because that’s the only

way the Arabian is going to survive long term. I grew up riding

Arabians and Half-Arabians. They are family horses, not the

ding-a-lings that some have branded them. We can’t prove this

The concept of

Arabians in a “zoo-

animal status” just

might prove to be

more exposure (to

outside interest) than

we currently have.

— Dick Adams

Roxann Hart


Arabian Horse World has published numerous

features addressing the status of the Arabian breed

globally over the past year. In the September issue,

we heard from you in “Where Have All the Arabians

Gone — Your Turn” (page 130), readers’ responses to

Bruce Johnson’s article “Where Have All the Arabians

Gone?” published in the August issue (page 8). The

letters kept coming, so this month we’ve published

more of your responses.

We at Arabian Horse World recognize the passion,

focus, and urgency required by this moment in time,

and we’d like to do our part to facilitate real action

and solutions. To help move from discussion to action,

Arabian Horse World will sponsor “A Call to Action

— A Forum to Discuss Real Solutions” on Wednesday,

October 24, in Tulsa. It’s one step toward a better

future. If you’ll be in Tulsa, join us.

Links to Bruce Johnson’s original article, and

Part One of “Your Turn” can be found at www.

arabianhorseworld.com.


ARABIAN HORSE WORLD PRESENTS:

If we want to attract new people we need to

breed horses with good minds that can work

and be safe. If everyone who owns a breeding

horse would ride that horse in a tense

situation they would soon make a decision to

breed safer horses. — John Jacobs

John Jacobs, St. George, Utah: Thank you for inviting replies to the query about the

decline in numbers of Arabian horse registrations (August 2012 issue, page 9). Jeff Spivey and I are getting old now. Even my own sons ride Quarter Horses. What a slam. It’s going to take some dedicated people to turn the situation around. There’s always going to be people with the wherewithal to sustain a big herd. But new people being attracted to the breed for a personal riding horse are not being born anymore. If we want to attract new people we need to breed horses with good minds that can work and be safe. If everyone who owns a breeding horse would ride that horse in a tense situation they would soon make a decision to breed safer horses. Of course, if those large breeders are only interested in walking on the ground alongside the horse they will never know what they have. In the few years I have left I am trying to improve my herd by testing each horse myself. I’m not going to look for new blood so don’t anybody write and tell me where to get better horses. I am satisfi ed with my old blood. I want to invite all the breeders worldwide to join me behind the cows to see what kind of mind your horses have.

Well, Denise Hearst, you asked for it. Are you brave enough to put my challenge to the studs of Poland, the studs of the peninsula, the studs of the Nile, and yes, even Texas? While I’ve got you on the line I want to thank you for traveling all over the world and keeping us up to date on all the good people worldwide who are dedicated to the Arabian horse. It brings tears to my eyes every month, learning of all the good horses and dedicated people.



Dick Adams, Cave Creek, Arizona:

Bruce Johnson’s article was very nicely written, yet the answer to the title is: They have gone nowhere! They are conveniently in the care of a disinterested society. As it is now, the concept of Arabians in a “zoo-animal status” just might prove to be more exposure (to outside interest) than we currently have. Just how many zoos are there?

Roxann Hart, Orange Lake, Florida:

I was impressed with Arabian Horse World’s August issue article by Bruce Johnson, “Where Have All the Arabians Gone?” It was a comprehensive overview, incredibly well done and well researched. The follow-up comments in the September issue were wonderful as well.

There is an angle I would like to discuss concerning the horse industry as a whole. We live in Marion County, Florida, the horse capital of the world. We have more horses here than in Louisville, Kentucky. We have a lot of breeds of horses here and every one has declined. In talking with feed companies, I learned that in the last two years we’ve lost 50 percent of our horse population. It’s just becoming too costly to own horses.

This year we are losing so many of our tax incentives that

were beneficial to the farming industry. Up until this year, if you bought a new horse, you could write off that purchase price. Every year, I always bought a new piece of equipment. We got a tax incentive for that, but we also had to pay the sales tax. Well, those incentives may be gone this year.

According to the American Horse Council the horse industry has a $102 billion impact on the U.S. economy, and the horse industry pays $1.9 billion in taxes. Is the American Horse Council lobbying the federal government to provide for our industry? I think it’s something

our breed association, joining with other breed groups, could lobby for. If we look at all the things farmers receive from the government … if we became a unified group, who knows what we could accomplish.

I’d be interested to hear from anyone who would like to explore this idea with me.

Karen Page, Lawton, Oklahoma: We need to take the Arabian horse back to the backyards

and 4-H kids. I specialize in family horses because that’s the only way the Arabian is going to survive long term. I grew up riding Arabians and Half-Arabians. They are family horses, not the ding-a-lings that some have branded them. We can’t prove this

The concept of

Arabians in a “zoo-

animal status” just

might prove to be

more exposure (to

outside interest) than

we currently have.

— Dick Adams

Roxann Hart


by the showring, all snort and blow, but we can prove it on the trail, over fences, and in 4-H and similar events. Find ways to reward breeders for breeding amateur and child-friendly horses. Rewarding the high-strung and sometimes unridable show horses is killing the breed. Lets do a 180° on the haunches and head in a new direction. Head back to horses the entire family could ride. Horses that could go to a fun show and participate in every class — halter, English pleasure, western, trail, hunter under saddle, equitation classes, etc. Versatility used to be found in one horse. I know this because I rode those horses! Put the big bucks where the breed needs them — bringing in backyard owners, who have always been the backbone of the breed.

And trainers need to be willing to take on the backyard horses and give them a good start. We are suffering from a lack of trained horses. Every gelding I have that is green broke sells within 30 days because “nice, quiet riding horses” sell.

Finally, instead of having fewer, very high-prestige, high-dollar shows, why not model after the AQHA shows? Have more, smaller shows. Two-day shows on the weekend that can be a great family outing. Smaller rewards at the grassroots level to encourage people to show more, not less. And make showing affordable to the middle class. Whether they are for retirees, or families with small kids, make Arabian activities fun and relaxed. Life is stressful enough, riding horses shouldn’t be part of that stress!

In the last two years we’ve lost

50 percent of our [local] horse

population. It’s just becoming too

costly to own horses. — Roxann Hart

Linne Mackenzie

Ron Barnett, New Port Richey, Florida:There are some grassroots efforts the AHA can work on. I

started out going to the shows (Tampa, Thanksgiving Show) for years until I experienced a transformation. I participated in my fi rst combined driving event. I am the proud owner of Khatar Alee, a Khemosabi son out of a Bask* daughter. Pull up his Facebook page; he is awesome. The three elements of the sport, from dressage to the marathon, say so much for the total athlete and the partnership the horse and driver create. The Arabian Horse Association should be partnering with the American Driving Society. Don’t waste any more time.

Linne Mackenzie, Felton, California:I’ve been involved with the Arabian horse breed since I

was just 17 years old. I’m 53 now and still own six Arabians and Half-Arabians. In the past, I was always in the show world. One of my Half-Arabian mares, Good As Golde, boasts fi ve National championships and too many Regional titles to count. However, as I am now older and just want a nice horse to ride down the trail, I am having GDA Ribbon And Roses, her four-year-old daughter by Magnum Psyche, trained as a trail horse by a local horseman who specializes in nice ranch and riding horses. I adored the trainer who rode Goldie to her many wins and love his training style and the horses it produces, but I am less enamored of the show world than I used to be. I want a horse I can take to local competition and events that is not only beautiful but displays good manners and is the type of horse I will be proud to say is an Arabian when I am asked. I am currently entering both Good As Golde as well as my other National Champion Half-Arabian Palomino Gelding Shine Time in our local fourth of July and Memorial Day parades all decked out in my vintage silver parade tack and getting a great response from both horse people and non horse people


Every gelding I have

that is green broke

sells within 30 days

because “nice, quiet,

riding horses” sell.

— Karen Page

alike. They are great ambassadors for our wonderful breed.

In my little area of California, Arabians are considered playthings for the rich and famous — show horses of rather limited use — too hot and spooky and not user-friendly for the average horse-loving family. I know what versatile and personable horses my Arabians are, much more so than other breeds I have owned and ridden in the past. And at our mostly hunter-jumper barn where my horses are boarded, there is an elderly purebred Arabian mare, Serenade, who has taught more young students to ride than can be counted. I wish horses like her could receive as much recognition as our National Champion show horses. Anyway, I’m pretty proud of my “herd” and try to help promote the Arabian breed in just small ways, such as the local shows, fairs and parades. I’ve even had my Half-Arabian gelding work buffalo and give demonstrations, proving the Arabian can also be a useful working horse as well as being nice to look at. Thanks again for considering my thoughts.

Suzanne (Zan) Economopoulos, Atlanta, Georgia:

Thank you for the editorial “Where Have All the Arabians Gone?” in the August issue. As one of the many who have owned, loved, and admired the Arabian horse for the better part of a lifetime, it didn’t come as a shock. In fact, I admit to being one of those who likes to look back at “the old days” and recount my experiences when prices were high and classes were full. Mr. Johnson makes a very compelling argument for the need to be pragmatic. We do need to move beyond the past and

look to the future. Where do we need to go from here?

I can tell you from the vantage point of someone who works with the Georgia Equine Rescue League that a lot of Arabians have gone to slaughter. In the mid-80s when classified ads were offering colts at one of the most famous Arabian farms in Scottsdale for $400 each with no mention of papers (to paraphrase), some colts were sold with papers to people who had a perceived value of the Arabian and felt they

could breed indiscriminately and still produce something to sell for ten times what they paid. The factors so clearly outlined by Mr. Johnson regarding the end of cheap feed and the decrease in rural lifestyles due to economic conditions sent scores of the descendants of these horses into an already flooded market and demoted them to the status of grade horses. This has been devastating for some of us who would like to market Arabians to a broader market. We have an image problem.

My idea is not new, as I have seen “Geldings Are Great,” promotional ideas and many others that try to find a market for the adorable foal that grew into a gelding that needed something to do. So here is my idea: sponsorship. A program could be developed that would give a worthy child a horse (better than raffling one off ), give a child lessons (give our trainers some work and boarding income), and give them the thrill of showing in a special class at the Youth Nationals or the Egyptian Event. At the end of this time, these horses could be auctioned off to put money back into the project. Promote a new generation of Arabian horse lovers. I don’t have to make a case here for the value the hard work and discipline of horse ownership gives to a person’s life.


Although it dates me terribly to say so — at the Egyptian

Event this year, completely by accident, three of us confessed

that we had grown up wanting to be Carol Chapman and

own a horse like Pulque. Google it. And let me tell you, that

was showmanship! In every sense of the word. There is a lot of

appeal in a sport that lets you wear sequins or a cowboy hat —

or both!

We need to return to the image of the Arabian horse as one

that can make a great mount for anyone, doing anything, and

put us back on a level playing fi eld for midlevel sales. And

I would like to see the starry eyes of a young trainer who

would join the next generation of Arabian horse lovers who

remembers when.

Pam Farly, Alamo, California: Reading the article “Where Have All the Arabians Gone?”

in the August 2012 issue, I now understand why the Arabian

horse industry is in decline. In order to solve a problem, you

must fi rst admit there is a problem, and until more people

begin to speak out about the immorality and corruption of the

Arabian horse industry it will never change.

Our family got our fi rst Arabian horse when I was eleven

years old. I have passed on my love of Arabian horses to my

children, and we have participated in all aspects of the Arabian

horse world. This year we are seriously contemplating dropping

out of the Arabian show circuit. The show circuit is corrupt, and

I think this is the main reason why the Arabian horse industry

is in decline. I have to say I was shocked that the author did not

touch on this aspect of the Arabian industry.

First of all, most horse trainers are judges; that would

be OK if we had a majority of trainer/judges who thought of

themselves as stewards of the industry. Unfortunately, most

trainer/judges trade ribbons for personal or fi nancial gain. This

large group of trainers, who are judges, think they have found a

way to stay on top of their game. But the gig may be just about

up — people are fed up with the games, and since the economy

is full of unknowns, families are choosing to hang up their show

clothes, and take off on the trails rather than spend thousands

of dollars, and a weekend of frustration watching trainer/judges

pick trainer/judges, and their clients.

That brings me to the second aspect of why the Arabian

horse industry is “going away,” and that is the way our horses are

expected to bridle and move — or not move. I have participated

in the Arabian Horse Association’s judging school. There you

are taught that picking an over-bridled western horse is not

appropriate, and a judge should penalize western horses that

are four-beating. I was also taught that hunter horses should be

set up so their frame is longer, like a rectangle, and too much

knee action should be penalized. A country English pleasure

horse should not look like an English pleasure horse, and is

not expected to have as much knee action ... you get the idea.

The Arabian Horse Association judging school says all the right

things, but that is not what is happening in the show arena.

How do we fi x this problem? Basically, trainers, judges,

breeders, and leaders in the industry need to admit this is one

of the reasons why the Arabian horse industry is in decline. This

issue cannot be fi xed by some bureaucrat demanding new rules

and regulations. This is a moral problem. Trainers need to do

less judging, and become mentors to the people and horses they

are training. Stop playing the games because someday soon horse

show secretaries will be planning shows where not one stall is

taken. The trainers will just show up, tell each other how great

they are, trot around the arena, collect their ribbons and

go home.


Shelly Carn, Valley View, Texas:

I’ve had a “letter to the editor” on tap for months … at least since the article you ran with comments about Ray LaCroix’s “Enough is Enough” letter. After last month’s article “Where Have ...?” I’ve tried to condense my thoughts and offer one solution that might help.

I hope that Arabian Horse World continues to address this topic and offer a place where people can swap ideas, and ultimately move to action. Much is being said about the state of the Arabian horse industry, and there is little evidence that the future of the breed is bright. Our industry has become so fragmented that it seems the overall health of our breed is being sacrificed as each segment tries to build its own base.

Looking at the registrations per owner statistics, it’s obvious that the heart of our industry is the small breeder. The one to two foals-per-year breeders are the largest growth segment of our industry in terms of producing horses to be made available to interested parties, and they have the most potential to bring others into our industry as their numbers provide the most contact with people outside the horse world.

Being a small breeder myself, I’d love to see our Regional shows turn into breeders’ celebrations or fairs. We don’t need regionals to qualify for nationals, and the infrastructure is already set up. Using the dates/facilities/resources already in place, bring Arabian horse breeders and owners together in an

event designed to provide camaraderie, education, and exposure to the general public on a local level. Team with a charity to help bring in non-horse owners, and provide everyone with an enjoyable, user-friendly experience. Competitions that show off the versatility and cooperative spirit of our horses — natural horsemanship classes, walk-through trail/obstacle courses to show that our yearlings and two-year-olds are easily handled, a ranch pleasure class where the only requirements beyond a saddle and bridle are boots, a hat, jeans, and a long-sleeved shirt, “fun” gymkhana-type classes, and maybe even some more “fancy” classes on Friday and Saturday nights. Elements such as these would go a long

way toward involving currently noncompeting horse owners as well as interested observers from the general public.

If we can offer Arabian horse breeders and owners the good times they remember — with the addition of education and marketing opportunities in order to expand our ownership base — they will come out to “play.” Horse ownership is an expensive proposition, but it offers a benefit not readily available in America’s typical recreational activities — that of a reciprocal relationship with a nonjudgmental living being — and no breed of horse is better suited in that capacity than the Arabian. People need to see that interaction with an Arabian horse can do much to enrich a life and teach one’s children responsibility and relationship skills they will never learn from a video game.

Interaction with an

Arabian horse can

do much to enrich a

life, and teach one’s

children responsibility

and relationship skills

they will never learn

from a video game.

— Shelly Carn

where have all the arabians gone? your turn, part ii

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