Palestinian Communities Preserve Arabian Horse Tradition Amidst Urban and Occupied Challenges

In RAWABI, as Arabic rap music blared from loudspeakers and hundreds filled the stands in the West Bank city, handlers meticulously prepared gleaming Arabian stallions for the competitive show ring. Palestinian breeder Abdelnasser Musleh, 30, emphasized to AFP the deep connection between horse culture and Palestinian identity: “A significant part of our heritage and presence is intertwined with horses. We take immense pride in this noble breed.”

Horse culture has evolved into a vital communal activity in densely populated Palestinian areas, even as open land shrinks due to expanding Israeli settlements. Musleh established an Arabian horse farm in Kufr Aqab, a crowded town north of Jerusalem on the West Bank side of the Israeli barrier. At the Rawabi pageant, men in black Armani and Adidas tracksuits meticulously groomed their stallions, applying glossy gel to the breed’s expressive eyes and brushing their sleek coats—a hallmark of Arabian horses revived over recent decades, according to Belgian judge Conrad Detailleur.

The number of registered purebred Arabian horses in the region has surged from 20 in the 1970s to approximately 25,000 today, largely driven by the Israel Arab Horse Society, as noted by West Bank registrar Ashraf Rabee. The event fosters unity, with participants from urban Palestinian communities and Arab-Israeli citizens—constituting 20% of Israel’s population—bringing horses through military checkpoints from cities like Haifa and Nazareth. Despite lacking pastures or stables, breeders adapt, cultivating horses in compact urban spaces, often under or adjacent to their homes.

Musleh, who has dedicated 13 years to horse breeding, highlights the social significance of competitions: “This is where Palestinians gather, share knowledge, and strengthen bonds.” In East Jerusalem, riders traverse dense neighborhoods on horseback, while in Nablus’s historic alleyways, stables nestled in century-old stone buildings echo with horses’ calls—a stark contrast to the area’s history of resistance against Israeli occupation.

The Rawabi venue buzzed with families, men, and women, some smoking shisha or cheering for their favored horses. Handlers used plastic bags to stimulate dramatic head tosses, a signature trait of the expressive Arabian breed. Beneath the glittering lights, horse breeding transcends mere hobby; it embodies cultural identity and belonging. Breeder Rashad Al-Sah of Arraba, Israel, affirmed to AFP, “The Arabian horse is part of our Arab culture. Even without ownership, it’s in our blood.” His colt Shahed recently claimed victory at the show, embodying the enduring spirit of a tradition that defies adversity.

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