The Arabian horse breed has existed for so long that many different countries have developed strains which could be considered native. The Al-Arabi is an Arabian bred specifically in Iraq.
A Little Backstory
Arabian origins are shrouded in mystery and much of the breeding is practiced by tribes. Tribal nature can be suspicious and there is little inclination to provide data in any ‘official’ capacity. Breeding in this region is often a family affair and passionate endeaver. You can see by the quality of their animals that their horseflesh is taken very seriously.
What Makes Them Special
We don’t have a lot of information to go on for this Arabian strain. We can see from the images that they are fine animals. The image above from the Royal stables was taken during occupation, which is probably why they look so thin and shabby. Royal stables are generally a source of national pride and they are the only breed (aside from the Arabian) listed in the DAD-IS for Iraq. To learn a bit more about them, be sure to visit the Al-Arabi breed page.
Quick Facts
Native to Iraq.
There are likely official studbooks, however we haven’t been able to locate them.
Listed in the DAD-IS as at risk. Their most recent population data was in 2020 when there were between 180-300 registered animals.