Are Arabian Horses Good For Beginners?

If you are new to horses, or you want to learn to ride, you most probably would be wondering which horse breed makes the best beginner horse.

Can beginners ride an Arabian Horse? Yes, Arabian horses are one of the good beginner horse breeds. Years of selective breeding has made Arabian horses an all-rounder. Although Arabians aren’t the most gentle horse breed, they are highly intelligent. This makes them great for training someone for horseriding. Arabian horses can also be easier to control due to their smaller size.

In the following article, we’ll discuss the traits of Arabian horses that make them great beginner horses.

What makes the Arabian horse an excellent beginner horse?

Arabian horses are the purest breed of horses. Most of the lines present today are from 5 famous Arabian mares, namely Kuhaylan, El Adjus, Siglavy, Habdan, Hamdani, and Obajan. These five famous lines have distinct characters and traits.

Unlike most riders, the Bedouin Arabs used their male horses only for mating, and the mares were used for riding, hunting, and war.

These horses were loved like family and were kept with the family, too. Hence, the Arabian horses make a great family pet and are super calm around people.

However:

Stallions (uncastrated adult males) should never be trusted around beginning riders; they are almost unsafe.
Mares (adult females) are moodier, but some could be gentle and sweet as a beginner horse.
Generally, geldings (castrated adult male) are the calmest and make the best beginner horse.

A bombproof horse

Horse dealers use the term “bombproof” for horses quite often.

What does that mean?

It means a bomb could go off near the horse and it won’t flinch. That can’t be true for many horse breeds. But Arabians are just that, literally nothing can spook them.

Personality and traits of Arabian horses

The Arabian breed has some distinct personality traits that make them well suited for a beginner horse.

These include:

1. The Arabian Horse temperament

Arabian horses can be hot-headed or high strung, but most of them make a great ride.

As the Arabian horses were a prized possession, often the Bedouins would keep them in their tents during nights.

This means that these horses are genetically gentle enough to be near children. And even now, Arabian horses are one of the few breeds that can be safely let near smaller children.

2. Ground-covering gait

The Arabian horse has a ground-covering gait, which makes them exceptionally smooth to ride.

Despite their small size, they carry the rider well and make a great mount.

3. Calmness

Years of selective breeding have brought forward the best characteristics in Arabian horse strains..

The Bedouins mainly raised their horses for war, so they were trained accordingly.

Arabian horses are deadly quiet when they move and are hard to startle.

4. Endurance

The harsh desert environment has optimized the resilience of the Arabian horses.

No matter how steep the terrain is, this horse won’t get tired.

5. Loyalty

Arabian horses are loyal and friendly with humans; therefore, they make dependable mounts for new riders and even children.

6. Intelligence

Arabian horses are one of the more intelligent horse breeds in the world and tend to understand the rider.

7. Obedience

The Arabian horses are quite obedient too. They listen to the commands which makes them one of the best riding horse breeds.

What to look for in a beginner horse?

The things that you should look for in a great beginner horse are the following:

A younger or inexperienced horse is never an appropriate choice for beginner riders.
Mature horses aged 13 or above make good beginner horses, as they are calmer and more patient. It’s good to use horses as old as 20 or more for children and nervous riders. These horses are experienced and don’t react harshly.
The horse should be easy to tack up; they should comfortably stand to get saddled and to get their hooves done.
Another characteristic of a beginner horse is the smooth gait to make the ride less bumpy for the new riders. The less you bounce on horseback, the more confident you will feel.
Size of the horse is another factor; the Arabian horses are rather small, fit for a growing kid and a first-time rider as they are manageable.
The horse should be trained. If you have some training goals set, make sure the horse has already accomplished those.

Tips for a beginner horse riders

Quite literally, no horse breed can be deemed completely safe for beginner riders.

Horses are animals and not a machine, so they are not always predictable.

First time riding can be a nerve-racking experience for both the horse and the beginner rider.

Here’s the deal:

Approach your horse making an arc, avoid eye contact and try to build rapport. Offer your hand for the horse to smell and pat it gently to establish a connection.
Always mount from the left. And try to balance yourself by distributing your weight evenly on the opposite shoulder instead of hanging from one side.
Do not hold the reins in a death grip; this will make the animal panic and nervous. This can quickly become a bad habit.
Master grounding skills. To become a great rider, you first need to learn how to handle a horse on the ground.
Do not try to learn just one riding style; instead, take lessons from a few instructors and find the most comfortable riding style for you.

Final word

A first-time rider is usually full of excitement and a bundle of nerves at the same time.

To make this experience worthwhile, one should carefully pick a beginner horse.

An old Arabian gelding or a mare with a calm temperament can be a great beginner’s mount.