The Horse of Pure Descent

Upton, P. 1998
The Arabian Horse; History, Mystery and Magic, Thames & Hudson, UK

It is accepted that all strains originated in the kehilet ajuz, the ancient pure-bred Arab horse.  All pure-bred Arab mares therefore are kehilet (stallions kehilan).  However, variation in certain characteristics was inevitable, given breeders' different ideals, and this led to mares, particularly celebrated ones, being named according to some special characteristic, or being givcen the name of their owner.  This name, or strain, was thereafter given also to their offspring.  Kehileh was used as a prefix to confirm or support the family name, at least until the strain name became sufficiently established for it to stand alone; it is still used in this manner in many strain names, such as kehileh nowagieh, kehileh rodanieh and kehilet el-krush.  The fact that the strain name was continued through the tail-female lines was a reasonable and pratical way of recording a brood mare's family, particularly for the Bedouin, who kept no stud books and depended on oral tradition.

It is interesting to examine some examples of how sub-strains evolved.  All dahmeh horses ('the dark ones') which came from the mare of abu-Shahwan of Ubayda were known as dahmeh shahwanieh.  Later, this strain passed to Kunayhir of the Ajman tribe, where it became known as dahmeh kunayhir.  Eventually, Abdullah al-Khalifa of Bahrain obtained some kunayhir mares.  One old dahmeh bought by al-Nejib of the Banu Hussein had a filly whose offspring were known by the name dameh nejiba.  As described later, Abbas Pasha, ruler of Egypt, kept detailed records of the pedigrees and strains of his horses, the research being carried out by a slave know as al-Lallah.  The Abbas Pasha manuscripts include a list of 34 dahmehs (21 kunayhirs, 7 nejibas and 6 shahwaniehs) known to al-Sharif Sa'ad.

The development of new sub-strains came to an abrupt halt with the arrival of desert horses in Europe.  Today, many generations late, the influence of a tail-female line can have little genetic relevance.  Most Arab horses outside Arabia are ten generations removed from the original imported stock, and over ten generations an origianl mare would account for only a minute percentage of a horse's blood.  That being so, it is not really possible to say, as it once may have been, that type can now be associated with a particular strain.  However, we can still see family characteristics following through certain female lines, but not all hamdaniehs in the world, for example, look alike.  If we had continued to evolve new sub-strains, then the matter would be more relevant today.  The value of strains, however, is that breeders can identify to which family the horses belong and from which origianl mare they descend.

Arabs and Horses' Pedigrees

From very early times the Arabs have been reputed for the preservation of the pedigrees of horses as a precaution against any possible intermingling of their strains.  The pedigrees were conveyed by word of mouth from old to young; aid the horses were, even immortalized, together with their qualities, in poems and  verses until the advent of era of recording and writing.

A number of learned men like "AL ASMAI" (1) and "ABOU OBEIDA" (2) made it their business to describe horses in a systematic manner, and for this purpose compiled extensive reference books, which, with a very few exceptions, have unfortunately not come down us.  Even these few exceptions, however, abundantly show that the writers, in addition to recording horse pedigrees and qualities, have provided us with gems of Arabic literature and vocabulary. But what concerns us here is to satisfy the reader's desire by explaining the expressions which the Arabis used for the various strains of horses as we have noted them in the above-mentioned reference books, avoiding, however, any attempt at giving any reference to any of the explanations, though they are not wanting in interest, notwithstanding that this procedure, in our view, does not dispense with the amateur's special experience.

(1) Al Asmai Abdel Malet Ibn Koreib born 122, died 214 AH
(2) Abu Obeida Moammar Ibn El Mothny born Ragab 110 died 209 AH

The Arabs attribute the various strains of horse to five main ones; in support of this they relate the following tale.  It is alleged that when the Yemen (ie the native land of the original horse) was swept by the Seil El Arem Flood (3), they fled the country to join the herds of wild beasts.  Later a few of the offspring appeared in Nejd, whereupon they were sought by five men, who kept a strict watch until they traced them to a local spring.

(3) It is alleged in the Arabian annals that the inhabitants of yemen had built dykes across the "Masrab" Valley which served to withstand the torrent gathering like a sea in its rear.  Whenever they desired to irrigate their lands they opened their dam judiciously by means of safe gates.  At the beginning of the Christian era the dykes broke and the onrusing water known as the "Seil Al Arem Flood" inundated the land, rendering it useless for agriculture.  This flood is mentioned in the "Koran".

They tried to block the horses' path to the spring with a piece of wood, and when the horses came to water and saw the wood they were alarmed and beat a hasty retreat.   But being constrained by thirst they returned to the spring, rushed the barrier, and watered to their satisfaction.  Securing another piece of wood, the men on the watch laid it alongside the former.  The process was repeated, the men taking care to keep a hollow big enough for the horses to advance and retire until finally they became reconciled to the wood.  When at last they approached the spring the rear was cut off and they were left imprisoned for a few days until they were exhausted and became tame.   The men thereupon mounted them and set off homewards.  But their slender food supplies soon came to an end, and when hunger began to tell on them they discussed killing one of the horses and giving its owner a share in the remaining four.  It then occurred to them to run a race and kill the losing mare.  The race took place and the loser was selected for the ordeal; but the owner resisted, suggesting that the execution should be deferred until the final race.  Meanwhile there were other, loser; they repeated the race in hope of restoring the status quo.  Just at this juncture a herd of gazelles made its appearance, and the men gave immediate chase, each securing one.  The mare that won throughout was called "SAKLAWIA" because of its glossy hair swift running and blig flanks; the second "OM ARKOUB" because of its twisted hamstiring; the third "EL-SHOEMA" because of the distinguishing marks on the body; the fourth "EL KOHEILA" because of its black eyes; and the "OBEYA" because its owner's mantle fell on its tail during the race and it carried it to the finish.

This is the tail as related by Amir Abdel Kader El Gazairi (1), though according to others the five strains are confined to "KOHEILAN" (2), "SAKLAWI", "OBEYAN", "HAMDANI", and "HADBAN" (because of its shaggy hair and long eyelashes.)

(1) In his book Al Safinat El Guiad,  publiched at Beirut, AH   1326
(2) The Arabs call a pure horse "Koheil" or Asseel".  The word "Koheil" is derived from "Koheilan".  It is alleged to one of the mares bred by Shaikh Suliman Al Fares (horseman), who lived about 2635BC (four generations removed from Iamall Ibn Ibrahim whos it is said, was the first to procure and tame the Arab horse).  Out of those mares which his father had authorised him to breed, Suliman chose five which, on hearing the war trumpet, reponded to the call while drinking at the river after long hardships in war; it was those five that founded the five great families.  Thus "Koheilan" is a generic name applied to any old thoroughbred, it is not a family name.  When a mare is old it is pure; it is so called because it is free from any defects and immune to criticism.  "Old" means "valuable" too; when a mare is old it is admirable.  El Nasiri, who is considered the greatest Oriental authority on horses and who aobtained his inforamation direct from the tribes that had-bred horses, says that the Arab horse was formerly a wild beast; he explains the word "Koheilan Ajouz" as meaning "aged" or "ancient".

The Bedouin horse breeders selected their foundation horses, and based their breeding decisions upon the individual preferences and needs of their tribes. As in any culture, different groups placed higher regard on certain traits over others, and therefore their focus reflected that emphasis.  As a result, individual tribes developed their own 'identifying look' within their group of horses, which mirrored their respective regard and priority for traits.  Some tribes stressed the importance of speed, others strength, courage, endurance or tractability of temperament.  Still others focused on utter and absolute beauty.  While all of these elements were of dire importance to each individual tribe, their particular concentration on any combination of these elements created what is known as strains.  The particular characteristics of each strain are what defines them, and are authentic traits of the true desert bred Arabian horse.

The Sheykh Obeyd Foundation's Catalogue of Bloodlines 1996. p10 - The Eye of the Beholder

The Arabian Horse -

ARABIAN FAMILY NAMES
This is my idea of the value of the family names which are given to registered Arabian horses. As all those familiar with Arabian literature know, there are five leading families in the Arabian breed, these being the Kehilan, Seglawi, Abeyan, Hamdani and Hadban. Some authorities claim the Maneghi should be included with the leading families. Homer Davenport found that some Arabian tribes considered Maneghi a first class sub-strain of the Kehilan Ajuz family.
Possibly Arabian breeders at one time kept these families more or less distinct as some travelers to Arabia years ago gave characteristics for each family. Just how recently this has been done is a matter of question. W. R. Brown, former president of the Arabian Horse Club of America, made a trip to Arabia only a few years ago and found little evidence of any plan among desert breeders to keep the families distinct. Lady Wentworth, the foremost Arabian breeder in England, says that Arabian horses of different families often bear a very close resemblance to one another while it is not uncommon to find considerable variation in characteristics of horses in the same family. Many other breeders have noted the same thing.
The family name is taken from the mare's side of the pedigree and is just the reverse of the plan used in carrying on the family name with humans, where the name is always taken from the father. This being the case, an individual might carry the family name Kehilan, but actually have a very large percentage of Seglawi or other blood. Just as in people, there may be a large amount of Jones and Brown blood in persons that bear the name of Smith. With this in mind, it is hard to see how a family name could mean much in the way of being associated with special characteristics.
The family names however have had some value in arousing the interest of people gathering information about Arabian horses. This fact catches their fancy and holds their interest until they gain more practical knowledge of the breed, but this should not warrant consideration from a practical breeding standpoint.
Probably no other story has been used as successfully to exploit the Arabian horses as the legend pertaining to the founding of the families. This is one of the many versions:
"Mohammed, anxious to secure mounts that would stand up under the rigors of his campaigns, kept a hundred mares penned up without water in sight of a sparkling stream, for four days. Finally released, the frantic animals dashed for the stream. Just as they were within a few yards of it, Mohammed caused his bugler to sound the call to halt. Five obeyed but the others continued their mad dash for water. , These five, at the first notes of the bugle, aligned themselves in perfect battle formation - thus proving their blood. And they were known ever after as the 'Prophet's Mares' - and, bred to the best Arab stallions, are said to have been the progenitors of the five leading families of the breed."
Some people, that have handled horses a good deal, may question the probability of this tale, which makes me recall the Baron Munchausen stories on the radio some time ago when the Baron, after telling a "tall" one and being doubted would say to his assistant, "Vas you dere, Sharlie?"
Looking at the absurd side of this matter, breeders could, if pedigrees were all important, save a lot of time and expense by having shows where pedigrees were submitted to the judge. The Arabians could be left at home and owners could sit around and take it easy. But I am sure intelligent breeders know that pedigree alone does not make a good horse.
A while back, there was some talk about Arabians that trace in all lines to the Davenport importation. To my mind this has no more merit than the family idea. After all, the Arab is a saddle horse and that should always be kept in mind in any breeding program. Breed characteristics are also important, but when it comes to a ride or a sale, I have never seen a family name make any difference whatsoever, and I have probably sold more Arabian horses than anyone in America.
So a practical breeding program calls for the selection of Arabians that have good dispositions, proper conformation, that are hereditarily sound and have the right kind of action, and having as many of the ancestors as possible also possessing these good characteristics. Our breed will advance only by mating the best to the best.

A Word about Strains

Arab Horse Families
An Introduction and Guide to the Stud Book

PJ Gazder - 1964
pp6-7

Much has been written about this subject, and it has probably created more confusion for Arab breeders than any other. While it is not possible, because of limited space, to discuss these various views here, some general points may be made.
An Arab horse, male or female, always takes the strain of its dam, as lineage was easier and more accurate to trace in this fashion, in lands where written records were few and oral tradition almost the only way to perpetuate information. Development of strains was an almost inevitable consequence, as the stock of certain breeders became more desired, for strains and sub-strains were originally the families of superior mares, i.e. a "celebrated mare" and her descendants. This was noted by Al Lallah, Abbas Pasha's Mameluke emissary to the desert tribes, who wrote about a group of horses of the same strain that "variation in the shape and size of this strain is due to the different stallions with which the mares have been mated, all of which were from outside the family. It is well known that size and shape are due to the stallion. When horses of the same strain are mated together, they produce uniform size." In other words, during the early nineteenth century, horses were being bred within their strain for uniformity, and outside their strain to produce variations.
At the present day, strains do not carry the same significance as they did in the desert during the time of Abbas Pasha. Arab horses today have many more strain variations in their pedigrees and so, the family strain has less validity.
This is also true of sub-strains, for these usually described only ownership. Some of the Seglawis of Ibn Ed Derri became the Seglawis of Jedran, after they had changed ownership, to describe the superior
stock bred by Jedran and to distinguish them from the other Seglawieh. Still later, some of the Seglawi Jedrans became further subdivided into those of Ibn Sudan and those of Ibn Sbeyni; to this latter group belonged the celebrated stallion Zobeyni. Following this tradition, it would be quite correct to describe the mares of the Rodania family bred by the Crabbet Stud as the "Keheilan Rodan of Crabbet" or "Keheilan Crabbet". Besides ownership, the sub-strain sometimes described a special quality of the foundation mare; one may assume that the original Rodania was light-footed, the original Dajania particularly docile, the first Hamdaniyah of Simri a dark grey, and that the Jilfa Sitam al Bulad had sinews of steel. After many generations of breeding, it is doubtful if all the descendants of the original mare would still retain this special quality.

There is, however, an important use for strains, that is that they focus attention on female families, for there is no doubt that some mares can exert a much stronger influence on their descendants than others. This is sometimes overlooked in Western horse breeding, when only the stallion is considered.
Variations in the spelling of strain names may be noted; these are due to attempts to render them into English and other European languages, retaining the approximate pronunciation of the original Arab words.

These are the male endings, as commonly written in English literature on the Arab horse, and used in the AHSB. Female equivalents end in "a" (e.g. Hadba, Jilfa), or in "eh" or "et" (e.g. Keheilet Ajuz, Keheileh Dajanieh), but in some cases, the words "abu" and "umm" are used to distinguish male and female members of a particular sub-strain, as for instance, Dahman Abu Amir (male) and Dahma Umm Amir (female).

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