Today, breeders still seek out preserving this historical type of Arabian. The Egyptian Arabian is cherished for its smaller, refined builds with very dished faces and high tail carriage. They are typically smaller in build than other Arabians and range in height from 14.2 to 15.2, coming in a wide variety of colors, including rabicano roan. As the Arabian breed was introduced to Eastern Europe, many Russians quickly became infatuated with them. In the 17th century, Czars and nobility started a breeding program of these magnificent horses, which led to the Russian Arabian development.
To achieve their desired horse, they bred from many different bloodlines, including Polish and Crabbet. Count Orlov, Count Stroganov, and Prince Sherbatov were notable breeders that traveled to the Middle East and brought back nearly 30 horses for breeding. Sadly, the Russian Revolution led to the death of many Arabian horses along with their records. Fortunately, those passionate about the breed purchased six mares and one stallion from France to reestablish the breeding stock at a state-controlled breeding program called Tersk.
