…and on the eighth day God created the horse in perfect image, to romp, graze, gallop, play, and make manure wherever it darn well pleases, in divine grace.
The Shagya Arabian originally came from the Austrian-Hungarian Empire in the 19th century, from the Piber, Radautz, Babolna, Mezohegyes, and Topolcianky Stud Farms. (1)
Nowadays it can be found in Hungary, Poland, Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Romania, and the former Yugoslav areas.
It has since been exported from these regions and can be found worldwide.
A modern day purebred Shagya Arabian has bloodlines that can trace back in every line to the Babolna, Topolcianky, and Radautz Stud Farms. (2)
Controversy can arise when the horse is discussed in that some people consider it an Arabian sub-type, thus a purebred, but there is also non-Arabian blood in the breeding, so some consider it a half-breed Arabian or an Anglo-Arab.
One of the major foundations stallions was “Shagya,” a gray Arabian stallion that some say was only part-Arabian. There are also traces of “Siglavy,” and “Kehilan” bloodlines. (3)
Shagya was born in Syria in 1810, and he was actually taller than an average Arabian horses of the day, coming in at 15.2 ½ HH.
He was used in cross breeding programs at the Babolna Stud, with little exposure to pure-bred Arabian mares, or “asil” Arabian mares, so therefore, he has no “asil” purebred Arabian descendants today. (4)
Due to Turkish occupation in Eastern Europe, many of the Arabian stallions standing at the Babolna Stud, and other stallions that stood there, also, mares in this region had already possessed a great deal of Arabian blood.
Lipizzaners and Thoroughbred horses were also used and in every instance, meticulous pedigree records were kept.
The term “asil” means “cultivated varieties.”
In this instance, asil means “purebred,” and these are cultivated varieties of an animal, or “cultivars” species, to purify bloodlines.
This is done through the process of selective breeding and culling.
Lineages are recorded and the term “Ababerasse” race or breed, a generic word for “predominantly Arabian,” but not entirely “asil Arabian,” was used to refer to these animals with Arab ancestry. (5)
After WWII, a Dr. Gramazky, an hippologist, changed this terminology because he didn’t want non-purebred descendants of the stallion “Shagya” to be mixed up with the purebreds, both of which were being produced in Hungary. (6)
Shagya Arabians have many of the same qualities as the purebreds, but due to the influx of non-purebred Arabian breeding, in addition to the goals of the Hungarian stud farms, Shagyas are bigger-boned, taller, and less-refined than purebred Arabians.
Modern Shagya Arabians are at least 15HH and usually come in at 16HH. (7)
Purebred Arabian standards range from 14.1 to 15.1HH, with some under and over.
Used as a riding horse, the Shagya Arabian can also be hitched to harness.
Shagyas were used in armies and cavalries, and they are now a popular sport horse in endurance riding, eventing, and dressage. (8)
The 2006 FEI World Champion Endurance horse was a Shagya Arabian Gelding, bred at the Babolna Stud in Hungary. (9)
The Shagya Arabian originated in Hungary, as stated, with “Shagya” the foundation stallion arriving there from Syria in 1836. (10)
These horses come in around 15.2HH to 16HH on average, and are considered a Hotblood. Colors are usually gray, dapple gray, white, and any solid color. (11)
Their temperament is easy-going.
They are attractive with wide foreheads and plenty of space between their ears and eyes. The tailset is high, with mostly flat croups. (12)
They are renowned for their speeds and stamina, and their muscular quarters and well-formed legs make them a versatile horse in any competitive field.
Closing with the immortal words of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, “Happy Trails to You.”
1-9: Internet/Wikipedia
10-12: “A Pocket Guide to Horses & Ponies,” by Corinne Clark, Parragon Books, UK, 2007