# Arabian temperament



## Chickenoverlord (Apr 30, 2013)

I know Arabians have a reputation for being flighty, but mine is possibly the hardest to spook horse on the planet. That being said, he is very very very very VERY spirited, just not spooky. My friend is terrified of him as a result of the bad rep the breed has. Anyone else experienced this?


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

Nope. Arabians are the Border Collies of the horse world. Warmbloods are the Rotteweilers of the horse world. The first are very reactive, the latter are slow to react.
Doesn't make either good or bad, just different. Miss my Arab, "Corporal", (1982-2009, RIP). He couldn't take a step wrong, IMO.


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## SEAmom (Jan 8, 2011)

I think almost anyone who has ever owned an Arabian has had a similar type of experience with people who stereotype the breed. 

I see it on a regular basis wherever I board because mine is goofy, intelligent, and will absolutely try to get away with murder. I see it time and time again. All because people have a stereotype that he's crazy, unpredictable, and not safe for just anyone to handle. Then, they get to know him and realize he's "all talk". It takes a while for some, though. 

He and I have had a few conversations about how he should behave when inexperienced people let him get away with bad manners. Typically, though, he knows better with me, so I tend to hear things like, "How do you get him to behave so well?" Or, "Is there a trick to getting him to behave?" Umm... make him behave?
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## Little Mare (Aug 21, 2013)

I've dealt with it. On the other hand, I've also had a very flighty, spooky Arab who at the time, I did NOT trust anyone to handle. (It got much better!) So, one must remember, there's always a stereotype for a reason. 
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## SEAmom (Jan 8, 2011)

I don't mind the stereotype most of the time. It's more entertaining than anything else for the most part. I really only care when I see a boarding facility that won't accept certain breeds, trainers who won't touch certain breeds, people who treat certain breeds differently, etc. all based on the stereotypes. In my mind, that's when it's unacceptable behavior.
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## As You Wish (May 22, 2013)

My two Arabian mares are very mild mannered. Great on the trail and hardly ever spook. They are very level-headed. I think Arabians are sometimes too smart for their own good and they need a job. Love to keep busy. My older mare had issues but not because she is Arabian but because of neglect from her previous owner. People at my old barn thought she was crazy and dangerous. After working through her emotional issues, she is a wonderful horse.(she was neglected and left in her small dark stall for months at at time, hardly ever getting out ) 

Stereotypes can be broken.


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## SketchyHorse (May 14, 2012)

Bah. I've been going through this stereotype like crazy while attempting to sell my mare these past few months. Put her ad online & no one will even _bother _to look because she's an Arabian. Tell someone she's an Arabian & they don't even want to see her. My BM had a woman out that didn't look at my mare because her friend told her they were "spirited," but let her hop right on all the TBs out there. Like wth? Lily is the calmest, sweetest mare around. Does she have a tendency to get a little wound up? Yes. The problem I've noticed is that most people who don't have them don't realize Arabs are _far _too smart for their own good. Does she spook? Yes. But it's never loud. Those darn big eyes just see more than the other horses... lol. But so does my 16yo WB mare that's been around to different places. Heck I can't even ride that mare _outside _because it's like ZOMGWHAT'SGONNAEATME. Lily is always the same horse inside & outside.

Welcome to owning an Arabian. You will hear stereotypes until the day you either sell them or they pass on LOL


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## Faustinblack (Aug 16, 2011)

I can only speak for my arabian Rikki, but he has been the best horse I've ever ridden or owned. Had to break him myself and it was easy as heck. Very smart, and very willing to please. I adore him 
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## Chickenoverlord (Apr 30, 2013)

Yeah, the stereotype is kinda ridiculous. I wanted to ride my boy bareback (I have never ridden bareback, neither has he) today, and my trends FREAKED out. They were convinced I was gonna die because he was Arab. It turns out he had no problem with it, I rode him bareback for an hour, comfortably.


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Great breed!
The problem is that there are a lot of people who are not as smart as the Arabians are...


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## Freemare (Jun 2, 2012)

My arab has never spooked at hardly anything. If he does he comes right back to me when I ask. We have this arab mare that will do every thing I ask when asked. No problems. When her mom comes over and rides her she cant get her to do much of anything. Then when I get back on, no problem. Her mom has ridden QH all of her life. So she thought, sure a arab. No problem. Well she learned, QH and Arabs are not the same thinkers.


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## Kavala (Aug 27, 2013)

I used to be one of those people who hated on Arabians because of their rep. Then I bought one, and all of that obviously changed. Shes the best horse anyone could ask for!


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## WSArabians (Apr 14, 2008)

I see it all the time, but to be honest, it depends on the horse and the training.
I have a 27 year old mare that's been showing in Arizona, Washignton, New York... Literally, this mare has been everywhere and seen everything. She is the spookiest horse I own. LOL

I have a five year old that's never been off my property (well, tell a lie, she just left to my sister's for a year, but that's it) and you couldn't spook that mare if you took a rifle and fired it over her head. But she's always been that way, and I imagine she probably always will be. 

You get some spooky, some flightly, some good, some bad in all breeds - Arabs just tend to have the worst rep for it.


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## Country Woman (Dec 14, 2011)

Some have more fire than others
Some are more head hotted than others


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## Remali (Jul 22, 2008)

Unfortunately Arabians are "made" spooky by the crazy Arabian horse trainers out here today, well, most of the trainers anyway. Arabians are the calmest and kindest horses you will ever meet.... if not, then the horse was most likely mishandled or not properly trained.


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