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Long ago, it was written, that in the deserts of Arabia
there is a strain praised by people more than any other. Originally from the
ancient tribe of the Beni Lam, descending from the Kuhaylat Al Ajuz of the Al
Khamsa. Beni Lam owned a mare that possessed a profusely long mane that
completely covered her forehead (hadba salifa) and for this reason she was
called Hadba. All the horses of this strain descend from the mare of Beni Lam.
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It was stated in Notes on the Bedouins and Wahabys
published after the death of John L. Burkhardt in 1817,"El Nazahhy, a breed of the Hadbaba.
Some tribes reckon the Nazakhy stallions among the number of blood
horses." "The Hadaba breeds are much esteemed in the
Nedjd."This is a very
interesting statement. In Mr. Burckhardts day a "blood horse" was
considered the purest and very worthy of breeding. He does not make this
statement of any other strain except the Ajuz. The word "Hadaba"
means rise of a mountain or bulging.
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The
strain of Hadba is also mentioned in the Abbas Pasha Manuscript
translated by Gulsun Sherif and Judith Forbis as being the fourth preference
among all the strains described by Abbas Pasha.
Lady Anne Blunt
, in her books and Journals describes the Hadban Enzahi as
"also uncommon among the Anazeh, the best having formerly been possessed
by the Roala. Hadban Enzakhi is the best sub-strain, and to it belonged a
remarkable mare owned by Mohammed Jirro at Deyr. She stood about fourteen hands
two inches, was bay with black points, carried her tail very high, and was full
of fire. She looked like a racehorse, though not an English one. The other two
sub-strains are Mshetib and El Furrd, are not so much esteemed."
Major R. D. Upton
in his book published in 1881 "Gleaning from the
Desert of Arabia,
Page 299,
"Hadban Family or strain, but certainly of "Al
Khamseh." - Hadban Euzehi - Hadban
al-Fert - Hadban Musaileh - Hadban Ghassi - Hadban al-Zaile
Page 328,
Hadban Family: Of the Hadban family we saw horses of
the Enzahi, Al Fert, and Ghafil; and of its fine varieties we heard that the
first two are most esteemed. Although we did not see many horses or mares of
this family, it seemed to be esteemed by the Anazeh generally, and all the
horse we saw of it were good and fine animals"
"We also saw a chestnut mare of the Hadban family and
of the strain called Enzehi, with a sweet hard level top and a swinging
walk."
Khedive Abbas Pasha Hilmi II
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In 1893 Hassan Abu Amin
brought out of the Arabian Desert and into Egypt a chestnut mare, bred by the
Yunus Clan of the Zauba-Shammar
Tribe. She was said to be around three years old and would to be
incorporated into the breeding program of Khedive Abbas Pasha Hilmi II.
Her name was Venus!
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This is her
story, her history and that of the dynasty she left behind. One little mare,
brought out of the deserts of Arabia to a new land where pyramids stand and the
ancient gods of Egypt keep watch over the beloved horse of the Bedouin.
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