A Kind of Magic
By Betty Finke
Christmas, heralding the end of the old and the beginning of the new year, is a time for pause and reflection. It is also a time for children to make wishes which, with any luck, may come true. I suspect, though, that if you asked certain children (as well as most adults) for their greatest wish, the answer would be "peace on earth." “But this does not look likely to happen any time soon. In the early 21st century, humanity appears to be more divided than ever.
Yet there are a few, precious things that are capable of uniting people across the boundaries of nation, religion, and status, and one of them is the Arabian horse. If any creature might be regarded as a symbol of peace, other than the traditional white dove, it is the Arabian. That may seem strange, given that the Arabian was originally the exact opposite: a war horse, a means of attack whose approach struck fear in the hearts of its master’s enemies. According to legend, God spoke to the Arabian horse: "You shall fly without wings, you shall conquer without a sword.” We all know this is true, in ways far removed from the original meaning. An Arabian horse moving freely barely touches the ground, all but flying. And where once he carried warriors to conquer an empire, the Arabian now unites people from across the world in peaceful pursuit of a shared passion. Nowhere can you see the truth of this more poignantly than during the annual parade of flags at the All Nations Cup. The fact that this former war horse is now the exact opposite, a shared passion that transcends all differences, also shows that yes, change is possible.
The Arabian horse is magic. Its beauty and romantic appeal reach out to touch something deep inside us, no matter where we come from or what we believe, ignoring the politics of our respective governments. The Arabian captures the hearts of kings and presidents and stars as well as of those who have only the smallest of budgets to make their dreams come true. From the sands of the Arabian Desert, these fabulous creatures have spread across the globe, as far as Canada, Brazil, Australia, and China, forging a connection between people everywhere. And being magical, they have adapted to be everything people ask of them: they win races, cover hundreds of miles across country, herd cattle, star in films, shine in the spotlight of the show ring, or just bring joy to their owners by being what they are: the best of equine companions, creatures that brighten your day simply by existing.
And what, for any breeder, is more magical than the birth of a new foal? It is not only a new life entering the world, but the culmination of a dream, the result of careful planning, a hope for the future, carrying a precious heritage. Nothing embodies this more than this photo, which I took on my first visit to Bait Al Arab, the state stud of Kuwait, in 2018. It is only a snapshot taken during a walk around the stables, but I love it, even though its story is one of sadness as well of as of joy. The mare is Sarah Elkuwait, who is herself an example of the connections the Arabian forges among nations: a straight Egyptian whose sire, Adnan, was bred in Germany and whose dam, Ansata Sherrara, in the United States. When I took the photo, her little daughter had been born just the day before. I didn’t know it then, but this was to be her last foal, and my photos the last ever taken of her. Only a few days later, the beautiful Sarah was dead, taken by colic despite the efforts of the stud’s state of the art equestrian clinic. A reminder that tragedies will happen, no matter how well prepared and how well equipped you may be. The life of a breeder is one of sorrow as well as of joy. But where there is life, there is hope: the filly was saved and grew up to take her dam’s place in the breeding program, carrying on her bloodline.
It is a cycle all life on earth is subject to, even the world itself. One life ends and another begins, just as one year draws to a close and makes way for the new. Every ending brings a new beginning, giving rise to new hope. Life goes on, and the magic continues.
Happy Holidays everyone, and may your 2024 foals be everything you are hoping for.
