Shagya Arabian Horse

Intro

The Shagya Arabian comes from Hungary and was established during the Turkish occupation of Hungary that lasted until the end of the 17th century.

Origins

During this time many animals of Arabian & Asian descent made their way to Hungary and the local people adopted the breeding of them. In 1789 the Babolna Stud Far was founded to breed the Arabian specifically and began to import animals for their selective breeding practices. The goal was to increase size without sacrificing the unique characteristics of the Arabian animal.

The foundation of the breed was a stud named Shagya imported from Syria in 1836 who also gave the breed it’s name (officially in 1982). Almost every Hungarian breed carries the bloodlines of the Shagya to some degree.

Features

Average height 15 – 16 hands

Physique

Head is characteristically Arabian with dished profile
Ears are small & set high
Eyes are large & expressive
Neck is long, slender & arched
Back is slightly sunken
Legs are strong with dry joints