Appaloosa
A spotted American stock horse with mottled skin, striped hooves and a white eye sclera.…
Arabian
The oldest pure breed of riding horse and the ancestor of most others. Light, refined and extraordinarily tough, with unmatched endurance and three inherited conditions that all have a DNA test.
Lifespan25-35 years
Typical priceSee guide
Weight380-500 kg
Height142-155 cm
Breed groupLight horse
Kennel Club recognisedNo
Also calledArab, Arabian Horse, Purebred Arabian
We do not have enough Arabian adverts yet to publish a price range from our own data. The figures in the price section below are an editorial estimate.
Pros
- Unbeatable stamina - they dominate endurance riding worldwide
- Exceptionally long-lived and often sound into their late twenties
- Three serious genetic diseases are all DNA testable and avoidable
- Intelligent, people-oriented and strongly bonded to their handler
Cons
- Sharp and reactive - a sensitive ride, not a beginner’s horse
- Finer-boned than most and not built to carry heavy weight
- Some show lines are bred for extreme head shape at the cost of breathing
- Fine coat means they feel a British winter
Arabian characteristics
Scores are editorial, and describe the breed in general. Individual animals vary, and how a dog is bred and raised matters more than its breed.
Health tests to ask for
Ask to see the certificates, with the parents' registered names on them. "Parents health tested" in an advert means nothing on its own.
- DNA test - SCID (severe combined immunodeficiency)
- DNA test - cerebellar abiotrophy (CA)
- DNA test - lavender foal syndrome
- Five-stage pre-purchase vetting
- Equine passport and microchip check
What is an Arabian?
The oldest pure breed of riding horse: 142-155cm, refined, with a dished face, large eyes, wide nostrils, a high-set tail and - uniquely - often one fewer lumbar vertebra and pair of ribs than other horses, which is part of why the back is short and strong.
Nearly every modern riding breed carries Arabian blood, including the Thoroughbred.
History and origins
Bred by the Bedouin of the Arabian peninsula for at least two thousand years, selected for stamina, soundness and the ability to live on very little. Mares were kept close to the tent and pedigrees were held by memory through the female line.
They reached Europe through trade and war, and the breed has been a deliberate improver of other breeds ever since.
Appearance and size
142-155cm, 380-500kg. Short back, level croup, high tail carriage, and a fine dense coat. Grey, bay, chestnut, black and roan.
A word of caution about modern show breeding: some halter lines have been selected for an extremely dished profile, and horses with severely concave faces can have compromised airways. A moderate head is the healthier choice.
Temperament and personality
Intelligent, sensitive and strongly attached to people - the Bedouin kept them among the family and it shows. They are alert and reactive, which makes them responsive under saddle and unsuitable for a nervous rider.
They are not unkind; they are quick. A confident rider gets a willing, forward horse, and a tense one gets a tense horse back.
Intelligence and trainability
Very intelligent and quick to learn, with a long memory for both good and bad experiences. They do not respond to force and they hold a grudge about unfairness longer than most breeds.
Endurance is their discipline, but they do dressage, showing, western and general riding well.
Children and other pets
An experienced rider's horse. Confident older teenagers manage them, but the sharpness makes them a poor first pony.
Easy in a herd and sociable with people.
Health problems
Three inherited diseases matter, and all three are DNA testable, which means an untested litter is a choice rather than a misfortune.
SCID (severe combined immunodeficiency). Affected foals have no immune system and die of infection within a few months. Carriers are healthy. Two carriers must never be bred together.
Cerebellar abiotrophy. A degeneration of the cerebellum showing as head tremor, a wide stance and incoordination from a few weeks old. Not fatal in itself but the horse is unsafe to ride.
Lavender foal syndrome. Affected foals are born with a diluted coat and severe neurological signs and do not survive.
Beyond those: guttural pouch tympany, equine juvenile epilepsy (usually outgrown), and in extremely dished show lines, airway compromise.
Otherwise remarkably sound, and twenty-five to thirty-five years is normal.
Daily care routine
Daily checks, feet out daily, farrier every six to eight weeks, teeth annually, vaccinations annually, worm counts through the season.
They are good doers on poor grazing and can be surprisingly prone to weight gain on British pasture, so condition-score regularly.
Grooming and coat care
Fine, silky coat that is easy to keep. Manes and tails are traditionally left long and full.
They are thin-skinned and feel the cold: rugs and shelter through a British winter, and care with brush choice.
Exercise needs
High, and they have more stamina than almost any other horse. Five or six days a week of varied work, and they excel at long slow distance.
They are not built to carry heavy weight - the fine bone and light frame mean rider weight should be considered honestly.
Feeding and diet
Forage first, and less concentrate than you would expect for the work. They evolved on desert scrub and are efficient. Good doers on hay, with a balancer, unless in serious endurance training.
Price
£2,000-£8,000 for a riding horse, £10,000-£40,000+ for a proven endurance or show animal, or a well-bred mare.
Keeping one costs £3,500-£8,000 a year.
Buying advice
Ask for the SCID, CA and lavender foal DNA results on the horse or on both parents. They are inexpensive, they are definitive, and a breeder who has not done them in 2026 is not a breeder to buy from.
Ask for the passport and check the microchip. Ask about registration - the Arab Horse Society keeps the British stud book.
Look at the head. A moderate dish is correct and beautiful; a severely concave profile is a welfare problem sold as a fashion.
Get a five-stage vetting and ride the horse twice.
Arabians available now
No Arabians are advertised at the moment. Save this search and an email goes out when one is listed.
Breeds like the Arabian
All horse breedsA shortlist rarely has one name on it. These sit closest to the Arabian on size, coat and temperament, and each one has a full guide.
Worth reading before you buy
All adviceGoing to see a Arabian? Take the horse and pony checklist with you. It is the questions worth asking while you are stood in somebody's kitchen, rather than on the drive home.
