lf you could choose in which time would you like to live?
I am happy with this time. I really like the luxury of a hot shower, a warm bed and a switch to turn on the lights. This is an exciting prosperous time. Today we have technical and educational tools like no other time period before. Can you imagine if Raswan or Wentworth had a laptop or a video camera? The perfect scenario for this time period for me would be to have Ei Hilal, The Egyptian Prince and Ansata Ibn Halima available at stud today. At what other time in history could we do this interview that can be clicked on and shared world-wide via Internet and computers. It really is an exciting time.

What is your ideal fantasy mating?
Actually I have two. First of all I agree with Hansi Heck about Nazeer x Maaroufa. Why? This is the blending of what is called new Egyptian to old Egyptian lines. But wow, this is the direct source.

If you study Nazeer and his progeny  - finer, stretchier an incredible elegance - crossed with Maaroufa - substance, width in the legs, movement. Babson loved horses with good movement, as he wanted exceptional carriage horses. Maaroufa was a good mover.

 
"...exceptional carriage horses..."
The Babson stallions Fadl (Ibn Rabdan x Mahroussa) 
and Fay El Dine (Fadl x Bint Serra)

II also feel Abraxas Moonstruk is underestimated. Why? It is hard to find a stallion that can correct genetic and conformation faults and be consistent with his progeny. When a stallion can sire top quality fillies and colts that's an exception. We feel just breeding pretty can't be the only goal. One must strive for correctness and structural soundness. We insist that a stallion must consistently sire certain structural, genetic, movement and disposition factors. We feel fortunate Abraxas Moonstruk is breeding a lot of these traits.

Describe your "dream customer".
Our dream customer would be a breeder who would buy Abraxas Moonique for a lot of money (as that always helps), show her and win some large titles - like World Champion Mare! But most of all a breeder that would appreciate the planned program of what it took to create her. That she is bred to breed on, without a lot of hidden problems that will pop up in her offspring.

Successful breeding is a constant refining and clean up process. Abraxas Moonique is the culmination of a very planned program.

Photo: Little
"...the Arab horse should not trot like a sewing machine..."
Abraxas Amir 
(ET Crown Prince x AH Abraxas)

Which statement on Egyptian horses you want to hear never again?
Actually I have two. I do not like the comments about how the movement has been lost in straight Egyptian lines. There are certain breeding lines that have changed how the Egyptian horse moves. Breeders need to identify which ones have changed this and work on cleaning it up. The Arab horse should not trot like a sewing machine, the horse should cover ground at a trot, moving freely with the joints opened up and not restricted. Other countries of the world have done a much better job than the U.S. Correct movement is big with me and even though we breed small numbers our contribution is a concentrated effort to breed horses that trot brilliantly.