# Best Arab Crosses



## BlueSpark (Feb 22, 2012)

1) just like any other trait, some horses get it, some dont. my arab mare has no dish at all, and she's purebred. I've seen thoroughbreds and aqha horses with dished faces that had no pure arabs for generations. depends on the individual.

2)pretty much any. arabs cross well(of course factoring in good quality parents on both sides) on many breeds. my favorite is an anglo arab(thoroughbred cross). I've ridden arabs crossed with thoroughbreds, welsh, percheron, qh, paint, appaloosa, saddle bred and a few others, and the majority were nice. a poorly thought out breeding with less than great quality horses will result in mediocre to poor quality foals most of the time, and i have certainly seen some that fit that category.

3)depends on the area and discipline. anglo arabs are popular as jumpers and eventers and I've heard they are gaining popularity as endurance horses. many like arab x stock breeds around here also.

4)yes and no. a green horse of any breed is not suitable to any rider. a stallion of any breed is unlikely to be suitable to any rider. even a nice tempered, well trained horse is not suitable to just any rider. each horse needs to be evaluated for temperament, training level and rider compatibility before deciding whether it is well suited or not, and arab crosses are no exception. they can be beginner friendly, suitable to only the most confident, experienced rider or anything in between, depending on the individual.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

I like arabs just the way they are and they excel in a variety of disciplines. They also cross well with many other breeds providing that the parents are of good quality. I guess it all depends on what you would have planned for this horse. I think that if I owned an Arab cross, I would like it to be crossed with a Lusitano or an Andalusian.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

I trained an Arab stallion / Welsh mare cross. He was exquisite, brilliant but sadly barely made 14 hands. Quarter horse arab crosses were very popular at one time. Sometimes it was a good cross. It can depend on which is the sire.


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## DanteDressageNerd (Mar 12, 2015)

I'll just share the part arabians I work with. I own Dante, he is half quarter horse and half arabian. And Ariat is my friends horse I am riding he is a national showhorse, so 3/4s arabian and 1/4 saddlebred.

1. It varies from horse to horse. Ariat is still very dished, Dante is mildly dished.

2. It depends on the horse and what he is suitable for. I wouldn't say any particular one is the "best" all-around cross or horse. 

3. I have no idea I am not an arabian person, I just happen to own a part arab. I'm more familiar with warmbloods and thoroughbreds.

4. It depends on the horse. I can't say yes and I can't say no. It just depends.

For example you might think because my horse is part quarter horse he would be good for everyone but he actually has a difficult temperament for most riders. He's opinionated, very smart, has his own mind and is VERY sensitive. And he can be hot and explosive but it's very manageable for me but I'm also used to riding hotter more reactive horses. He's a good boy, I wouldn't change anything about his temperament. He's just not for everyone.

Where as Ariat is very good, he's not an easy ride but he's not dangerous and he's very perceptive of a rider's experience level. If a beginner is on him, he'll take care of them and if he knows they are not he is Ariat lol. He's very aware. He has his silly moments but I don't think he'd ever be dangerous or hurt someone. He's not as sensitive as Dante and is pretty chill. He doesn't get mad when you make a mistake. He just tries to work it out. 

Ariat is bay, Dante is buckskin.


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## kapbob8 (Mar 18, 2015)

My personal favorites are the Arabian x Saddlebred (National Show Horse), Arabian x Dutch Harness Horse, Arabian x Friesian, and Arabian x Morgan.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

Saddlebag said:


> I trained an Arab stallion / Welsh mare cross. He was exquisite, brilliant but sadly barely made 14 hands. Quarter horse arab crosses were very popular at one time. Sometimes it was a good cross. It can depend on which is the sire.


I forgot all about the Welsh. That cross would make a beautiful pony


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## Saskia (Aug 26, 2009)

Horse breeds are the way they are because of years of deliberate breeding to type. They choose two horses with similar desireable characteristics and breed them, and over years breeds are formed. Buying a horse with specific breeding means its likely to predict appearance and characteristics. This is the benefit of horse breeds, a predictable outcome.

However once you start crossing two established breeds together all of this goes out of the water. Any number of characteristics could be displayed in the horse and they aren't predictable. The crosses are more likely to turn out well between more similar breeds, because of less variation of type.

Saying all that, Arab is a foundation breed. This means that it has had an influenence in many breeds and its usually a pretty decent breed to cross.

I have owned an QHxArab and an Anglo Arab, as well as known purebreds well and an ArabianxWarmblood.

Many crosses turn out lovely, but its a gamble as to what characteristics they show. My Quarab looked like the shape of a QH but was much more slight. However she had a wicked temperament and could be exceedingly difficult.

The Anglo resembled a slight TB but was beautiful. She was reactive but not poorly natured.

However each horse should be judged on their merits. Some Arab crosses with the right training and experience will be great for beginners, others never will be. I've met plenty of beginner friendly Arabs however they don't have the reputation for a solid quiet temperament like maybe standardbreds do.

Personally I like Anglo Arabs as well as Arabian warmbloods and I'd own a good horse of either type, and I'm not apposed to quarabs although I'd be wary when picking an individual. However I am a fan of purpose bred breeds and I don't think cross breeding is a good, sustainable idea.

Rather look towards the type you want and seek horses that resemble that.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## budley95 (Aug 15, 2014)

My friend has a lovely Anglo Arab x New Forest. Very pretty to look at, and extremely brave. Only problem is he was hand reared by novices and he's the most bolshy git going. So he isn't suitable for any rider as he's way too much of a chancer. But he has a lovely jump, can school nicely and is great to xc and hunt. He's worse on the ground than he is under saddle though.


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## kewpalace (Jul 17, 2013)

BlueJune said:


> 1. Are there any Arabian crosses that preserve the dished head?


As others indicate, just depends on the genetics of a particular horse. Some Xs w/the same parents could look totally different.



BlueJune said:


> 2. What is an Arabian cross that is a good all-around horse (in general)?!


Same as above - depends on the individual horse. My 1/2 Arab is a fantastic all rounder - we've only dabbled in western but would LOVE to try some dressage with her.



BlueJune said:


> 3. What is the most popular Arabian cross?!


Depnds on the circles you ask ... I like the Arab w/stock horses.



BlueJune said:


> 4. Are Arabian crosses good horses for any kind of rider?!


Depends on the horse and how they were trained. Some are fantastic. Some not so good. Just have to check out the particular horse and see if it fits your needs all the way around.



BlueJune said:


> Please share your Arabian cross!


OK! 

I used by Arab/Paint X mare for EVERYTHING I could (or had time for) , LOL ... She is semi retired now as I'm putting more time in my my AQHA mare. But we still trail ride and I'd like to do some cowboy races/trail trials with her. She is a fantastic horse!!

We did reined cowhorse:



































We did Cowboy Races:

























We did trail Riding: 


























We showed a few arena shows:


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## PonyHunter (Apr 6, 2015)

There was a lady up here in the Northeast that bred Arabians to Frisians...The coupling seemed to produce solid, yet fine featured sport horses with good minds, beautiful movement and great athleticism.


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## BlueJune (Feb 1, 2015)

Thank you so much for answering my questions in depth. This helped a lot.

Though, I would love to see more Arab-crosses, so feel more than free to continue posting your Arab-cross!


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## Remali (Jul 22, 2008)

My favorite Arabian crosses are Arab/Welsh and Arab/Morgan... they're so pretty and also so versatile.


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## Eole (Apr 19, 2013)

#1 As it was said, conformation (dished nose) is unpredictable in any cross. If you decide to breed, it's a gamble everytime.

Same thing with #4: depends on the horse, his training, abilities and on the rider as well. It's not about the breed at all.

My favorite cross would be Hispano-arab (cross with andalusian or lusitano) because they are gorgeous and excel in dressage. I've seen very nice WB-arab cross that are look lovely and are good in H/J and dressage.

I love Morabs: cross with morgan. Beautiful and good all-around horse.
I think welsh-arab ponies are adorable.

Anglo-arabs are often seen in eventing.

In endurance, so see ALL the arab-cross you can imagine. TB, STB, saddlebred, appaloosa, paint, even donkeys!


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## BreezylBeezyl (Mar 25, 2014)

I own a National Show Horse (Arabian x Saddlebred). Like many Arabian crosses, she is a hot blood and has lots of get up and go. A very athletic mare, she takes new challenges in stride - in her 12 years of life she has done Western Pleasure, Hunter under Saddle, Barrel Racing, and Jumping. She is an incredibly versatile animal.

But as much as I love her to death like I've loved no other horse, she can also be a total cow. She is very sensitive and has a lot of attitude. Luckily she has an excellent training foundation that makes her safe for any rider that might get on her. That being said she will never, ever ever, be a packer unless on the trail. In a lesson program she requires an intermediate rider at least, otherwise she will take advantage of your lack of know-how and quickly become testy and stubborn.

I love her though and have a ton of respect for her. She works hard for me as long as I am honest, consistent, and clear with her.

OP I will try to get some videos up for you to see her versatility in different disciplines.  You'll just have to excuse my poor riding abilities and just focus on her!

In the mean time here are some pretty pictures.

EDIT: She does have a smaller head than your average 'full' sized horse and her nose is slightly dished.


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## PDIKen (Feb 13, 2014)

We own and show Arabians and love them. We have both 1/2 and pure. Our 2 show horses are crossed with Saddlebreds. This is a great cross for English Saddleseat showing. By crossing with Saddlebreds we look to increase motion, a bit more size and a beautiful neck line. We also have a couple of Arabs crossed with Dutch Harness. That is a beautiful mix too. Definitely get some size and power with that cross. Generally though nearly all of the Half Arabians are Saddlebred mixed


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## kenda (Oct 10, 2008)

With no personal bias whatsoever, I would have to say Arab Dutch Warmblood is the best cross:


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

i dont have one but i am a huge fan of morabs (morgan X arab).
https://youtu.be/_0BH6VDWcPI


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

One of the most stunning horses I've ever known was a Connemara x arabian


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## ecasey (Oct 18, 2013)

My girl is a half arabian/half draft (Breton - a French breed). She's the perfect mix of hot and cold. Cold when I'm on the ground and relaxed, hot when it's time to work. I love, love, love my demi-sang arabe!


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