Oman

Photo from the Chilean Patagonia (Chile) ride.

Located in southwest Asia, Oman is bordered by Saudi Arabia and Yemen. A vast gravel desert covers the majority of central Oman, with mountain ranges along the north and southeast coast. The varied terrain makes for fantastic horse riding, from the mysterious mountains of the Hajar in the east, the dunes stretching as far as the eye can see, and to the forests and Indian ocean. The climate is generally hot and dry in the interior with temperatures sometimes reaching a staggering 54℃ (in the hot season)! However along the coast the air is often cooler and more humid. The desert horse is the perfect companion for exploring the diverse landscape and rich culture of this country.

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Historically, Oman has been famous for its purebred Arab horses. Some historians date the origin of Arab horses in Oman to the time of Prophet Suleiman who presented an Azd delegation with the famous stallion Zad-Arr-akib, from whom all the Arab horses in Oman have descended. Oman has been renowned for possessing the best pedigree of Arab horse with the reputation of being very reliable and healthy. Horse breeders knew how to preserve and maintain bloodlines by specifically breeding only top class animals, believing that the horse is the image of his master and a reflection of his courage, stamina and ability.

The Omani studied the pedigrees of their horses as closely as they studied the ancestry of their tribes. Horse breeding was a main source of income for centuries and large numbers were exported to India and Mauritius, particularly during the reign of Said bin Sultan in the 19th century who presented a grey mare to William IV and a black stallion to Queen Victoria of Great Britain.

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