- French Anglo-Arab -

The French are now the world specialists in breeding Anglo Arabs. The stallions standing at French National Studs all over the country are the result of centuries of refinement, and are much in demand for producing event and endurance horses to compete at international level. The Selle Francais, too, is a specialist showjumping breed which evolved directly from the Anglo Arab, and has a high degree of Anglo Arab parentage.

The first French Anglo Arabs were produced in the 19th century, when English experiments in cross-breeding the Arab and the Thoroughbred were attracting some interest internationally. The foundation stallions for the French strain were the extraordinary Arab stallions, Massoud and Aslan. Massoud was imported from Egypt, and Aslan from Turkey, in the early 19th century.

Massoud, who died in 1843, was brought to France by the remarkable Madame de Pompadour. She was responsible for establishing the first Arab breeding programme in France during the late 1700s, and was at the forefront of the expeditions to Arabia for horse stock, common at the time. Her stud, the Pompadour stud, has since been bought by the French government and is now one of the 23 National Studs (Haras Nationaux), most of which offer Anglo Arab stallions.

Massoud arrived in France in 1820. Although he has no living representatives left in the direct male line, he does have far-reaching influence to this day, through several outstanding brood mares.

Massoud and Aslan were bred with Thoroughbred mares from the start. They also produced offspring from three Arab mares, imported at the same time: Daer, Cornus Mare and Selim Mare. They produced the fillies which were to become the foundation mares for the French Anglo Arab breed: Delphine, Clovis and Danae. Further strong influences came from the exceptional Anglo Arab stallion, Prisme (1890-1917) - see Horse profiles for a description of this remarkable horse.

The breeding programme for Anglo Arabs had a deliberate purpose from the start: to produce high-level European sport horses. The original Anglo Arabs have been largely incorporated into the Selle Francais breed, but there remains a strong tradition of pure Anglo Arab breeding.

The French tradition is to breed Anglo Arab to Anglo Arab, rather than Arab to Thoroughbred. This produces horses of varying levels of Thoroughbred and Arab blood, usually expressed as a percentage of Arab blood. For example, a French Anglo Arab would be registered as "41%", meaning that his lineage made him 41% Arab blood, 59% Thoroughbred. Anglo Arabs can be registered as long as they have a minimum of 25% Arab blood. There have been times when the stud book was opened to Anglo Arabs with less than this, as a way of bringing more Thoroughbred blood into the breed: but such animals were not allowed to compete as Anglo Arabs.

Some of the most outstanding Anglo Arab sires in the world are French, and this is considered the place to buy for connoisseurs of the breed. There are now French Anglo Arab breeding lines established in England and the USA, and the French strain of the breed looks set to continue its world domination.

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