Arabian Stud!

22 March 2014

The weather has been weird here lately. By all accounts from people who were here last year and people who have been here for several years, it is weird: a very unusual amount of rain. Yesterday was rainy in the morning and then warm and overcast most of the day. Last weekend, however, was beautiful. On Saturday, 15 March, Gabe and I went with the AWARE Center on a trip to the Wafra area of Kuwait to the Ajmal Arabian Stud farm.  I learned a lot.

Beautiful mare

The Arabian developed in a desert climate and was prized by the nomadic Bedouin people, often being brought inside the family tent for shelter and protection from theft. Selective breeding created a horse that has endurance is strong, good-natured, quick to learn, and willing to please. The Arabian also developed the high spirit and alertness needed in a horse used for raiding and war. (Thank you Wikipedia.) These traits were observable at the farm.

mare flaring her nostrils as she shows off

I loved this color!

Stallion arching his neck at a mare.

A colt had been born about an hour before our arrival and was just trying to stand. He was wearing himself out with the effort, so the trainer milked the mare into a bottle and had a couple of boys feed the colt to give him the energy to continue trying. I would post a picture, but the poor thing looks dead in the photo I have and I am not yet willing to upgrade in order to be able to post video.

young colt

The owner opened up his “villa” for us to walk through as well, then had a catered lunch that was absolutely sumptuously phenomenal for 100 people! Though windy it was a gorgeous day!

green grass, not astroturf!!!

the villa from the courtyard

pool and fountain behind villa