Please enjoy the editorial from the latest edition of The Arabian Breeders’ Magazine.
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The Arabian horse, in all its glory, has captivated us for generations. I, myself, am the daughter of an Arabian horse breeder, and I grew up surrounded by this most special of breeds. I remember getting up early to go to shows, sometimes riding in the back of the traditional British trailer with a friend, enjoying the excitement of being ‘on the way’, the smell of hay rich in the air as I travelled with my equine friend.
My word, how the world has changed. Looking back, it seems a much simpler time. I remember my mum’s friends all helping each other, sharing tack and support, taking each other’s horses into the ring or getting them ready if they were in another class. And the mints – one for the horse, one for me! Along with those little packets of sugar lumps that my mum would slip into her pocket for our Silver Blue daughter, Blue Vanity.
In contrast, I have spent much of the summer sat at home, watching the super slick showing world on the internet. People going ‘live’ for classes or watching the event on Arabian Essence means that we don’t need to be at the shows anymore to feel a part of it.
Or do we?
That great camaraderie of yesteryear has long gone, but there are still pockets of it to be found, a wistful reminder that life hasn’t irrevocably changed after all. Being back for the Polish Arabian Horse Days this year was a true highlight. My heart and soul were full and happy, and I left filled with the pleasure of a shared experience that we all enjoyed. Showing or watching, we were all there for the love of the breed, and that truly made for a memorable weekend. We need more events such as this in the world, where the horse is front and centre, and the ego is, perhaps, left aside.
With my heart full again from writing about Janów Podlaski and Michałow State Studs for this edition, my mind turns to the All Nations’ Cup in Aachen. Celebrating forty years this year, the All Nations’ Cup remains my favourite horse show in the world. Like Poland, people flock to the Albert Valle Hall to watch timeless Arabian horses strut their stuff before an appreciative crowd. By Sunday afternoon’s championships, the arena is inevitably hot and humid, and the atmosphere electric. Quite honestly, there is no place I’d rather be than sitting there, spellbound by the show-ring beauties of today as they earn their elite crowns. For Aachen is a place where magic happens.
Maybe that is what we are all missing in our lives – that magic. When I look back to my childhood days, dandy brush in hand as I attempted to brush an already gleaming chestnut coat, it was all about the magic. The scents, the sounds, and the sight of a show-ring filled with Arabian horses all made for a spellbinding environment for me to grow up in. While we can never turn the clock back to simpler times – and nor may we want to – we can certainly try to find the magic in the everyday. It is just a case of knowing where to look first…
Samantha
