Ivahri Arabians Australia

The Crabbet Influence in Modern Spanish bred Arabians

Prior to the Spanish Civil War significant imports of English Arabian horses took place, most of which were either pure or mostly of Crabbet breeding. Sadly many of these horses were lost as a result of the war. However some of these horses, or at least their offspring, did survive and live on in modern Spanish Arabian pedigrees.

The Controversy

In the making of the original Australian Crabbet percentages list in the early 1990's the author(s) made a decision to treat all Spanish arabian imports to Australia as having ZERO Crabbet blood in their pedigrees. This decision, I understand, was made due to the uncertainty over the identity of Spanish horses that lived on after the Spanish Civil War.

This decision has caused much confusion over the years. While telling people that the Crabbet Stud had a significant influence on Spanish breeding (which it did), we refuse to acknowledge the KNOWN Crabbet blood in their pedigrees.

We can't have it both ways!

The review of Spanish Arabian Crabbet percentages

Up till now I have attempted to be "uncontentious" in accepting the source data supplied by the original list authors. This has been very important as I have no desire to cause dissention among users of this list and the various state based Crabbet show organisers. I also have no desire to be portrayed as being "disrespectful" of the undoubted knowledge behind those who developed the data.

Following consultation with overseas pedigree researchers I have decided to discontinue the assumption that Spanish horses have no Crabbet blood in their breeding and have decided to calculate their Crabbet percentages based on PUBLISHED and WAHO ACCEPTED pedigrees. As a result you will notice that some figures have changed- not by that much, but they have changed.

How significant is this change?

Not particularly! Most of the modern Spanish arabian horses I have checked so far have less than 10% KNOWN Crabbet blood in their pedigrees. I'm sure there may be some higher, and there are some that have no Crabbet blood in them. 

May this impact on Crabbet show qualifications?

This is a matter for the individual Crabbet groups to determine, and in the event that your horse has been denied entry into a closed, Crabbet % based class, and is of significant Spanish influenced breeding I would recommend you discuss this with the show organisers. Please note: I will not act as an arbiter or get involved in any dispute. This list is for your information only & individual Crabbet groups continue to maintain their own data.