Welcome to our first edition of The Rasan Chronicles. In trying to
come up with a name for this blog, I wanted to choose something that would,
over time, give expression, meaning and coherence to future posts and
conversations. I have long been
intrigued by the Bedouin concept of the rasan and the symbolism between the
interwoven strands of the rasan and the ancestral lines of the horse. In the case of this blog site it is hoped
that the reader will find common threads that will provide consistency of
content while at the same time enough variety to provide color and interest.
The
following excerpts from various authors will serve the reader in becoming
acquainted, if not already so, with the concept of the rasan, and in process
come to understand the mission and purpose of this blog. It is my sincere hope to be able to provide
content that is thoughtful, interesting, instructive, substantive, and at the
same time full of passion…not the detached opinions of a mere observer, but the
real-life, blood, sweat and tears version of the wonderful life I have come to
know because of the Arabian horse.
The rasan (literally,
“bridle” or “rope”, and the marbat (“the place where the rasan is tied)2 go hand in hand in describing the practice used by certain breeders who
intensively use a female line to create or establish type or a “look”3 within their breeding program. Rasan has come to be called strain in English. The marbat adds provenance, generally representing the person who was primarily associated with that strain. For example, Kuhaylan Rodan. The rasan is Kuhaylan and the marbat is Rodan, connecting the rasan to a man named Ibn Rodan who was famous for this group of horses.4 It should be noted, however, that while tradition may state a mare line is such and such, sometimes this changed through acquisition by another tribe. The thing we need to overcome is that long time traditional strains should not be confused with specific horse types.5
In dealing
with the complex subject of strains and families there is a wide variety of
divergent opinions and there is no final word or black or white about it.6 A broad perspective is enhanced by studying a
wide variety of resource materials, no one of which is the final word on the
subject. We can learn much from modern
science and the study of genetics and heredity while at the same time honoring
the traditions within the breed. As an
example, mtDNA research has recently indicated that tail female *Maaroufa
(Negma, Yamama, Manial, etc.) descendants trace to the same tail female mare from
whom we get the Bint Helwa (Zaafarana and *Bint Serra) line.7 “The root mare is Ghazieh from Abbas Pasha, at
least that’s the last named mare we know of, but I'm sure Ghazieh had a mother,
too.”8
References:
1
Explanation, chart and drawing of unknown
origin, presented to me by Christie Metz,
Silver Maple Farm
2
The
Horse of the Bedouin, Al Khamsa,
http://alkhamsa.net/education/education/the-bedouin-horse.html
3
Strains
and Family Branches Preserved in Straight Egyptian Breeding, by Judith Forbis
4
The
Horse of the Bedouin, Al Khamsa,
http://alkhamsa.net/education/education/the-bedouin-horse.html
5
Strains
and Family Branches Preserved in Straight Egyptian Breeding, by Judith Forbis
6
Strains
and Family Branches Preserved in Straight Egyptian Breeding, by Judith Forbis
7
Strains
and Family Branches Preserved in Straight Egyptian Breeding, by Judith Forbis
8
Joe
Ferriss, quoted in Strains
and Family Branches Preserved in Straight Egyptian Breeding, by Judith Forbis
Other useful resources:
Reference Handbook of Straight Egyptian
Horses, Volumes I-XII, published
by The Pyramid Society: www.pyramidsociety.org
Manual of Straight
Egyptian Horses and Ancestral Guide, published
by The Pyramid Society: www.pyramidsociety.org
For complete list of available books on the straight
Egyptian Arabian horse contact The Pyramid Society. 859-231-0771 or http://pyramidsociety.org/society/publications
The Arabian Horse
Families of Egypt, by
Colin Pearson
The Royal Arabians of
Egypt and the Stud of Henry Babson, by Walter Schimanski &Judith Forbis
