Arabian horses can instruct as well as entertain

Muhammad Ayish

• Last Updated: May 11. 2009 1:33AM UAE / May 10. 2009 9:33PM GMT

With the recent proliferation of satellite channels in the region, concerns over television turning into a conduit for commercialised and westernised values have received necessary attention. The general impression I get from regional discussions about the issue is that among the 500 plus satellite-television channels accessible to Arab viewers, very few carry content with a genuinely redeeming social message. One of the few that I have recently come across is Al Khel, a Saudi Arabia-based channel totally dedicated to horses in general and to the Arabian breed in particular.

I see the potential value of this television genre as intrinsically cultural, deriving its value not from entertaining fans with sensational equestrian performances and beauty contests, but from promoting one of the most respectable and enduring symbols of our heritage: the Arabian horse. I see this television initiative, like that of Abu Dhabi’s The Million’s Poet and Prince of Poets programmes, as an innovative use of visual media in a region struggling to safeguard its unique cultural identity in an age of globalisation. I believe the great challenge facing television in this context is how to convey the chivalric values embodied by the Arabian equestrian tradition to a 21st century audience so that they may better understand their heritage.

The Arabian purebred horse, unlike the names of Arab poets, has been a household name in European and North American societies, and is known for its agility, stamina and beauty. I have come across names of Arabian horse associations, clubs and publications around the world, and all celebrate the Arabian horse as a shining star in racing and endurance competitions as well as in horse beauty pageants.

While this global attachment to the Arabian horse reflects the unique standing of this animal in the hearts and minds of millions around the world, I still feel alarmed by the fact that this infatuation with the Arabian horse seems to draw more from its physical prowess rather than its moral character. I do not mean to make sweeping generalisations, and I enjoyed reading A Priceless Beauty by a Western poet glorifying the Arabian horse, which reads: “He moves like a cloud, sweeping across the blue skies; your family depends on his heart and speed; He’ll run his heart to prove your honour!”

In Arab culture, the horse represents more than physical muscles; it epitomises a constellation of noble values shared by community members as well: grace, endurance, friendship and gallantry. In Arabic poetry, the horse was a frequent image and metaphor used to convey these values. The pre-Islamic poet Imru’a al Qais describes his horse as “swift to attack, to flee, to turn, and yet firm as a rock swept down by the torrent”. The horse is mentioned in the Holy Quran and in the Prophet Mo-hammed’s traditions in the most graceful of terms. The renowned Arabian poet Al Mutanabbi had the horse as a defining theme in his poems from the 10th century associating the animal with bravery and knowledge acquisition. He wrote: “The dearest place on earth is a horse’s saddle, and the best companion in all times is the book.” Even in contemporary Arabian poetry, horse imagery continues to inspire literary innovation. The late Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani marked his return to Damascus with a poem that reads: “I return to Damascus, riding on the backs of clouds, riding the two most beautiful horses in the world: the horse of passion and the horse of poetry.”

As the multibillion-dollar horse industry continues to grow around the world, here at home equestrian events and Arabian horse breeding and training activities are also expanding. The UAE is home to a national equestrian association in addition to several local clubs, international horse racing and endurance championships and beauty shows, and scores of horse breeding and training sites. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, is a major figure in the world of thoroughbred racing and horse-breeding, and has himself won high-profile international equestrian recognition around the world.

The launch of a horse-dedicated television channel in the Arab world should be surely met with profound enthusiasm. From a television perspective, an Arabian horse captivates with its breathtaking speed, eye-catching endurance, and mind-boggling beauty. But I believe television must go beyond those visual experiences to delve into the nobility behind its muscles and beauty.



Muhammad Ayish is a professor of communications at the University of Sharjah