Shagya Arabian

The Shagya Arabian is a breed of horse that was developed in Hungary in the nineteenth century. Horses of this breed were bred at the Bábolna, Mezőhegyes, Piber, Radautz, and Topolcianky stud farms, which produced many horses by crossbreeding Arabians with part-Arabian horses, as well as Lipizzan and Thoroughbred horses. These horses were once referred to as Arabian race horses, which meant that although they were not purebred Arabians, some might still confuse them with that breed, so the name was changed after World War II to Shagya, which was the name of the first stallion of this breed.

Although it is not a purebred Arabian horse, it has a closed studbook and standing with the World Arabian Horse Organization, under which it is known as a distinct and pure breed. This horse is especially known for its pedigrees, which breeders have taken great care in organizing and keeping since its development.

The Shagya Arabian reaches a height between fifteen hands, taller than the Arabian horse, and has a thicker conformation. However, it does slightly resemble the Arabian horse, with some refined features, a high set tail, and increased endurance. It is used in sporting events including dressage, driving, endurance riding, and eventing.

Image Caption: Shire horse. Credit: Just chaos/Wikipedia (CC BY 2.0)

Shagya Arabian

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