The Morab horse is produced by breeding a purebred Arabian
and a purebred Morgan. This cross proved itself to be significant
as far back as the late 1800’s and early 1900’s in the United
States. At this time William Randolph Hearst, the newspaper
magnate, of San Simeon Valley, California, used Morabs extensively
on his 80,000 acre ranch.
The Morab combines the best of both worlds – they are extremely
sensible horses with lots of style too. Lively, intelligent,
refined and beautiful they are happy to compete in just about
any discipline. They have been used as work horses on farms,
harness horses and show horses. Morabs have found themselves
competing in the toughest of endurance rides and are noted
for their staying power with many of them racking up very
large career mileages. Anything that an Arabian or a Morgan
can do – a Morab can do better!!
Many Morabs are registered in the USA as part Arabians and
as such are eligible for shows and the Achievement Awards
offered by the International Arabian Horse Association. In
Canada they can also be registered as part bred Arabians with
the Canadian Arabian Horse Registry and the Canadian Morgan
Horse Association accepts them as part bred Morgans. It is
not uncommon for a Morab to be registered with several registries.
In Canada, the Canadian Morab Association has made great progress
in promoting this beautiful breed. Agriculture Canada has
granted ‘Evolving Breed Status’ to our horses and has set
requirements for creating foundation stock needed to achieve
official Breed Status under the ‘Animal Pedigree Act’. Ultimately
200 3rd generation horses will need to be produced
to check that the characteristics of the Morab are passed
through the generations with a high degree of certainty. In
2002 the Morab horse was shown for the first time at the Royal
Winter Fair in Toronto. A Morab booth at the show attracted
a lot of interest. It looks like this breed has a very bright
future.
Fort William+/
Photo
R. Knoll
My own interest in the Morab horse came from ownership of
both an Arabian and a Morgan horse. I had purchased a very
pretty Morgan filly as a weanling with wonderful bloodlines
and while I was waiting for her to grow up I needed a horse
to ride. I bought a 6 year old Arabian gelding who over the
past 15 years has carried me thousands of miles on Competitive
Trail and Endurance rides. He has earned his Legion of Supreme
Honor with the Arabian Horse Association (formerly IAHA).
His name is Keylyn TH Censor+/. He is a tough and willing
horse with the most gentle disposition you could hope to find.
Fort William+/
Photo
R. Knoll
When my mare, JMF Carousel Showgal was three years old, she
was bred to the sire of my Arabian gelding. This cross produced
my Morab gelding Fort William+. Showgal was used for Competitive
Trail and Endurance for a number of years. In 1997 she was
the American Morgan Horse Open Competition Champion for Endurance
and the same year was the Canadian Morgan Horse Sweepstakes
National Champion for Endurance. She had achieved 2000 career
miles that same year and was at that time retired for breeding
duties.
Fort
William+/
Fort William+ started competing in Competitive Trail and
Endurance rides as a four year old participating in 20 and
25 mile rides. The following year he included some 50 mile
rides along with shorter distances. Since then he has completed
over 2000 miles. He has been shown In Hand and was Grand Champion
at the first ever Canadian Morab Show held in Alberta in 2000.
He combines the endurance and beauty of his Arabian ancestors
with the level headed intelligence and very comfortable gaits
of his Morgan dam. I hope to have many more years riding the
trails with this lovely horse.
"Wills"
Our New Colt Foal 'Nights On Broadway' his pet name
is Rufus!
JMF Carousel Showgal was bred to an Arabian stallion again
in 2002 – this time to a Spanish bred stallion named D-R Bravissimo,
a grandson of Barich De Washoe. She has just foaled a very
pretty, chestnut colt who looks very much like ‘Wills’ did
at the same age. He looks like he is going to be really showy.
She will be bred to my own stallion this year – an Arabian
who is Polish and Russian bred – Perdition VF by Probat out
of Peleryna by Algomej. I hope for great things from this
cross.
UPDATE:
We
are proud to announce that Wills... has achieved his Legion
of Supreme Honor
Prue Critchley
Bartongate Arabians, Morgans & Morabs
Home of: Perdition VF
Arabian stallion by Probat x Peleryna by Algomej
Box 487, Hamiota, Manitoba, R0M 0T0 Canada.
204 764 2650
www.geocities.com/bartongate
