PORTRAIT OF A BREEDER
The saying that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it may well be applied to the understanding of pedigrees. Without knowledge of classic horses of the past, we cannot realize the creation of superior bloodstock for the present or the future, nor can we come close to achieving our dream of breeding the perfect horse! Study of the past is an important aspect of a breeder's work as he or she molds and chisels thought before making breeding decisions that result in present realities. What then, might we ask, defines a breeder?

The Arabian Horse Registry of America defines a breeder as the owner of a mare at time of service. However, breeding on or two or a few horses does not necessarily qualify one to be known as a true Breeder; i.e., one of the backbones of the breed. As an official breeder of record, that person should possess the necessary competence and knowledge vital to protecting the breed for the future. A true Breeder is someone who:

Has spent years studying pedigrees and breed types;
Never stops learning about breed history and purpose;
Knows and understands the breed standard;
Is constantly on the lookout for inherent breed problems;
Freely recognizes both the positive and negative points of his or her own animals;
Has an open and objective mind toward competitors' animals;
Has established a breed line (a distinctive type within the breed) much like a master painter has developed a distinctive style that sets his work apart from others;
Has endured years of heartbreak and sacrifice...
All of the above, and more, for the love of the Arabian horse and the preservation of the oldest breed known to man.

Ansata Ibn Halima (Nazeer x Halima)

In today's society where everything is desired instantaneously with an absolute minimum of blood, sweat, and tears, there is general lack of commitment to excellence in anything. Settling for second best without endeavoring to learn otherwise is commonplace.
The horses a true Breeder tends and molds are living beings, not paper certificates, and they are predisposed to a variety of stresses just as humans are. The superb show horse, the ideal foal, the magnificent sire, the outstanding broodmare - any or all of which dies prematurely (as in the case with the beautiful Hungarian mare, Ibn Galal I-7, "Gala" among others), has caused many a Breeder to wonder why they endure the pain and heartbreak. The ideal mating that did not take place has frustrated countless hopes and plans.

There is no short-cut to success or to becoming known as a Breeder in the Arabian horse world. Only knowledge and understanding combined with years of perseverance and constant study will guide breeders into becoming Breeders that have a lasting positive impact on upholding the traditional standard of the breed and the classic Arabian horse they have pledged to protect and maintain.

General von Szandtner's Herdbook

In speaking of a true Breeder, the late General Tibor von Pettkö-Szandtner, former Director of the Bábolna Stud, Hungary, is one who provides an inspirational example. Love for the horse was his guiding principle, made obvious by what he accomplished in his short time at the Egyptian Agricultural Organization's El Zahraa Stud as manager from 1948-1959. He belonged to "the old order of things". Meticulous in detail, the farm and buildings were transformed and scrupulously maintained. He continued to build positively on the foundation of superior bloodstock he inherited from his dedicated predecessors, particularly Dr. Branch, creating a uniform and high-quality herd. He maintained handwritten herdbooks wherein he placed a conformation photograph of the horse, wrote his pedigree, strain and measurements, and concisely evaluated each individual from head to toe, including its gaits. These critiques illustrate the meticulousness with which he went about his task. They also set an example for others to follow and provide a brief insight into ancestral horses which breeders build upon today. Regrettably the complete herdbooks were not copied, but many of the horses that are influential in modern breeding programs are noted in this section.

In 1955 the E.A.O. and the Secretary of Agriculture requested a full accounting of his six years of activities, and he commented: "The stallions which were present in 1949, when I took over the management of the El Zahraa stud farm, were mostly old, unfit for the standard which ought to be set for breeding stallions to raise the general level of horsebreeding in Egypt. During the past six years I was able to eliminate about fifty percent of this faulty material and to replace it by young, new, better stallions of known origin." Is it any wonder that he despaired when he heard Bint Mabrouka, Bint Zaafarana and Ibn Halima had left Egypt? Not to mention the horses that subsequently followed with the Gleannloch and other purchases.

The yearlings Ansata Ibn Halima, Ansata Bint Mabrouka
and Ansata Bint Zaafarana

EVALUATING ANCESTRAL HORSES
Authoritative evaluations of ancestral stock are of value if one bears in mind the age and condition of the horse at the time the evaluation is made, that certain eyes are more critical as well as educated than others, that some of the assessments represent absolute facts as well as subjective comments because beauty is in the eye of the beholder. One finds common threads among them, as well as diversity of opinion. The following is a random sampling of evaluations by various authorities; however, some photos of early foundation horses appear with little or no commentary and are included for reference purpose. It is impossible to list or critique all the foundation stock, but additional information and comments, particularly on the desert-bred stallions such as El Deree, Nabras, Mashaan, El Nasser, Besheir El Ashkar, etc., as well as desert-bred gift mares incorporated in the R.A.S./E.A.O./Inshass programs can be found in "Authentic Arabian Bloodstock" (pp. 133-137), and in other chapters. While more recent E.A.O. horses could have been critiqued, the breeding patterns differed under succeeding management as did the thinking behind the breeding program. Those presented here were the core foundation of modern Egyptians and are of specific value to study even though they are some generations removed.

The majority of the critiques in this section were made by General von Szandtner, having been hand copied during the 1960's at El Zahraa by the author from his personal herdbooks handwritten in German or Hungarian (there were no photocopy machines at that time!). Some of the handwriting was difficult to read, let alone to copy and decipher, and although these copied notes have been translated by breeding authorities familiar with theses languages, and every effort to be accurate has been made, there is some room for other interpretations.

Moniet El Nefous (Shahloul x Wanisa)

Von Szandtner had a consistent pattern to his evaluation of each horse. Some individuals, particularly foals, were appraised without measurements and recorded in the Hungarian language. Mature stock was measured and recorded in German. It is interesting to see his early critiques of young horses that eventually came to America or went to other countries and who made their mark as superior breeding and/or show stock (Ansata Ibn Halima, Morafic, Bint Moniet El Nefous, etc.). Many breeders are still alive who saw theses imports of the 50's through 80's and they may have differing opinions having seen the horses at maturity and under totally different environmental conditions (better feed, corrective farrier work, skilled grooming, etc.).

Dr. Mohammed Marsafi's comments were given by him to Bentwood Farms for use in one of their seminar workbooks. As the El Zahraa farm veterinarian under Dr. Ashoub and von Szandtner, before he was promoted to Director in 1959, he had personally witnessed many of the foundation horses in the 40's and 50's. His comments were made from memory and not from written notes. The remarks by Dr. Ameen Zaher, consultant to the E.A.O. and author of "Arabian Horse Breeding and the Arabians of America", were spoken to me, which I wrote down during visits to Egypt in the early 60's.

My personal observations were made after the horses von Szandtner had evaluated had matured or become aged. Those and comments by other authorities are noted where they add some worthwhile reference to the picture. Some pertinent comments have been quoted from Jack Humphrey's letter to W.R. Brown in 1932, when he selected Brown's stock to be imported to the United States. Especially noteworthy are his statements that ring true in relation to descendants of horses bred by H.H. Prince Mohamed Aly, H.H. Prince Kamel El Dine, and Dr. Branch at the Royal Agricultural Society (although Branch was also consultant to the other two). Humphrey said, "In speaking of the above three Studs of Arab horses, one might say that all three Studs represent true Arab type and purity of blood. Prince Mohamed Aly gives practically all thought to the head; Prince Kamel El Dine seems to have depth of body and heavy quarter muscling strongly in his eye; while Dr. Branch of the Agricultural Society comes near trying to get a horse of all-round balance and excellence." Humphrey's evaluations of horses at that time, and their breeding ability were "right on".

After reviewing all of these photographs and commentaries, one realizes that a breeder's task is formidable and far more difficult than painting a picture or molding viable clay into a substantial form. We can also observe from these assessments and photographs, and by studying their pedigrees, understand how far modern day Egyptian horses have, or have not, progressed in type, conformation and quality from the early stock and whether certain families have risen to a higher level, or, where and why they may have fallen.

For those who have not yet taken up the challenge of breeding, as well as for those who have already begun - fear not to seek advice, and do not despair at criticism. As Cardinal Newman once said: "Nothing would be done at all if a man waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault with it." Furthermore, the perfect horse has yet to be born, and who can proclaim a "perfect work of art". One can take inspiration from Carl Sandburg's wisdom: "A satisfied flower is one whose petals are about to fall. The most beautiful rose is one hardly more than a bud wherein the pangs and ecstacies of desire are working for larger and finer growth."

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