Costume
ARABIAN NATIVE COSTUME. Traditional Bedouin garb or Royal Ceremonial Dress, hence over-revealing costumes would not be appropriate. Natural materials are preferable, such as wool, cotton and leather in black, white, brown, dark blue, red, yellow and dark green. Blue beads, shells, silver and other traditional items such as authentic embroidery and jewellery may be used.
ARABIAN SHOW COSTUME. Anything which makes an attractive picture reminiscent of the Arabian Nights legends or folklore of eastern countries is acceptable.
The horses are judged at the paces of canter, extended canter, gallop, walk and halt. Trotting is a pace not used at all in a costume class and no individual workout is required.
The horse should be ridden boldly, under the direction of the judge, but with consideration for the welfare and safety of the other competitors.
Excessive speed may be penalized. The class is judged 50% for costume, 50% for manners and paces.
[Pictured Left: Costume / Ros Skybird - Catrin Arabians]
Dressage
Dressage is a very popular equestrian discipline with Clubs all over Australia.
Young people often have their first dressage experience in Pony Club, but many large Arabian Shows have dressage programs where Purebreds and Derivatives all compete, from the lowest to the highest levels. 
Occasionally a Purebred Arabian has won through to the top levels of open dressage, but those who want to ride an Arabian and are serious about their dressage will probably choose an Anglo Arabian [Thoroughbred/Arabian breeding] or an Arabian Warmblood [Warmblood/ Thoroughbred / Arabian breeding].
Purebred Arabians and Derivative Arabians are eligible to compete in Open Dressage Competition in their appropriate official levels, and many do.
[Pictured Right: Dressage / Catrin Samiir - Catrin Arabians]
Endurance
Endurance is the sport of preference for many riders who love their Arabians. Today there are just as many dedicated endurance breeding studs as there are show studs, and Australian Arabians compete regularly on the world endurance circuit, often for teams from other countries.
The first Tom Quilty Gold Cup was held at Windsor, NSW, in 1966. This event is regarded as the Australian Championship Endurance Ride. Today it is rotated among all the States to try to give as many riders as possible “the Quilty experience”. There are endurance clubs in all States, and rides to suit all abilities, from 2O and 4O km introductory and training rides, to 80 km, 120 km and 160 km Rides for the serious competitors. The endurance motto is - “To complete is to win” - and there is an emphasis on finishing a Ride with a healthy, sound horse.
Halter
Sooner or later most Arabian horse owners want to show them. Some have National aspirations, while others merely wish to have some fun at the local Agricultural Shows. There are lots of Shows out there which cater for Arabian horses!
To begin with, most local Agricultural Shows provide classes for Arabians. These may be few in number depending on your area, but will usually include halter classes for Purebreds and Derivatives, and a selection of saddle classes.
As well, Arabians may compete in any “open” or non-specific breed classes like hacking [most Arabians are Galloway-sized], Western classes and even the show-jumping. Youngsters mounted on Arabians also compete in rider classes. 
All States have Arabian Affiliates or regional Clubs, and most of these run at least one specialized Arabian Show annually. These have lots and lots of Arabian Classes for Purebreds, Partbred Arabians, Anglo Arabs, Arabian Warmbloods, Arabian Ponies, Arabian Riding Ponies, Quarabs and Arabian Stockhorses of all shapes and sizes.
You will find at least one halter class for your Arabian and lots of saddle classes. Each State will have at least one Royal Show with Arabian Classes and one very large Arabian Show like the Victorian Classic [Victoria], the East Coast Championships and the National Stud Horse and Pony Show [New South Wales], and the Arabian Challenge Show [Queensland].
Both amateurs and professional handlers compete in halter classes. Most Affiliates run clinics for amateurs, and there are also Amateur Classes at Arabian Shows for people who love to show their own Arabians.
The Arabian Horse Society’s Rule Book, available from the Society in hard copy, or from the Society website, will outline any rules involved in Arabian classes.
[Pictured Above: Halter / El Ishmael Sho'keem - El Ishmael Arabians]
Harness
Arabians, with their natural extension at the trot, are made for harness, and there are several kinds of competition in which they compete.
Most of the Arabian Shows provide harness classes. Purebreds and Derivatives will compete in light vehicles such as viceroys or sulkies, and there are a number of pairs and teams that regularly appear. 
Apart from the formal driving classes, such as Horse in Harness and the Turnout Class, there is the Ride and Drive and an Obstacle Drive marked with cones.
Some of the more adventurous and disciplined compete in Scurry Racing which is a lot of fun to watch, and can involve single horses, pairs or teams. Arabians have been successful in open competition against other breeds.
[Pictured Right: Harness / Engle Diamond - El Ishmael Arabians]
Pleasure
Among the fastest-growing equestrian clubs all over Australia are the Trail Riders groups.
Every week-end large numbers of Arabian owners saddle up and head off into the bush for a week-end of riding and socializing with like-minded horse-lovers.
Those who work long hours in the city see this as a chance to “blow out the cobwebs”, and really enjoy the horses they see only to feed and rug during the week.
Some Arabian Affiliates include regular trail rides on their annual programmes, and Competitive Trail Riding is also a low-key, popular sport enjoyed by Arabian owners. Trail riding is popular because all ages can participate, because it is non-stress, and because riders get to ride in country to which they otherwise have no access. 
The Arabian has always been a family horse. Arabians are also passed from family to family, baby-sitting the newest bunch of youngsters, so they can ride along with Mum and Dad.
Apart from organized groups, Arabian owners also ride informally with their friends, and often well-behaved stallions are included in the groups as they love to get out and explore the countryside too.
[Pictured Left: Pleasure / Stacey-Le Amirs Shadow - Orr-Brae Arabians]
Racing
With The Arabian's influence on modern day Thoroughbred racing and its own long history of racing, athleticism, speed and beauty, Arabian racing today makes perfect sense. 
The Arabian horse is the original source of all speed and remains the source of stamina, as it is renowned for its soundness of wind and limb.
Although Arabian racing in Australia is looked upon as a new participant in the Australian racing industry, history shows that Arabians were racing with Thoroughbreds in the 1800’s.
[Pictured Right: Racing / Tristram Sahm & Kevisan Park Cascade - Katy Pix]
Western Pleasure
Arabian Shows have provided Western classes for many years. The Society was a foundation member of the Horse Shows Association of Australia [HSAA] which formulated the first Rule Book and gave us the rules for our Western classes. 
The Rule Book provides Western Pleasure, Western Equitation and reining classes. There are extensive notes on saddlery and dress, as well as the several acceptable ways of holding the reins, and a reining pattern. A Western Pleasure Championship is provided at the Australian National Championships each year.
Over the years we have enjoyed some excellent Western Champions, some of whom competed with success in open western competition.
[Pictured Left: Western Pleasure / Oasis Zorba - Blue Crystal Arabians]
Stock Horse
These are very popular classes in some areas, particularly among our younger riders. The Arabian Rule Book provides rules for two Australian classes – Australian Pleasure and Working Stock Horse. The latter has been contested at Australian Championships since 1992.
Australian Pleasure is judged 80% on Performance and Manners and 20% on Condition and Conformation. The aim is to reward an all-round horse which is a pleasant, educated mount, showing ability. The desirable paces are a flat, ground-covering walk, free-moving rising trot and balanced, controlled, straight canter on correct leads. The class is judged both ways of the ring and is ridden two-handed.
The Working Stock Horse Class is judged 80% on pattern work and 20% on the ability of the rider and correct appointments. It is a fast, interesting class, which ends with a flourishing crack of the stockwhip.
Reference: Arabian Horse Society of Australia - for more valued information click to go to the 'AHSA site'
GENERAL APPEARANCE AND IMPRESSION
A unique combination of beauty and utility, the typical Arabian is a symmetrical saddle horse combining strength and elegance - with a bright, alert outlook and great pride of bearing. The sharply defined facial features, the thin skin with its silken, iridescent coat, the fine hair of the mane and tail and the hard clean legs with their exceptionally clean cut tendons and joints, are characteristic Arabian features associated with a quality of the highest degree.
The movements give an impression of lightness, agility and grace, associated with a free, ground covering stride and great impulsion. There is no standard height, however the usual range is from 14-1 hands to 15-1 hands.
ATTRIBUTES
Hearing and sight are acute. Highly intelligent with a unique temperament combining spirit and courage with tractability and exceptional affinity for humans, the Arabian likes to please, but resents abuse.
The Arabian, with its outstanding soundness of wind, limb and constitution is renowned for an endurance capacity far above the average and likewise for its prepotency, fertility and longevity.
GENERAL APPEARANCE
Stallions should exhibit great masculinity with powerful muscle development, commanding presence, and great pride of carriage. The neck should be high set and arched with a well developed crest. The stallion's head has shorter ears and stronger musculature of the forehead and jowls. The feet are usually smaller than in the mare. The scrotum must carry two well developed testicles.
Mares should be feminine. They are not as strongly made as the stallion with a softer expression and greater refinement. The neck is lighter and often less arched but should have a similar curved attachment to the head. The carriage, light footed and proud, is usually less flamboyant than that of the stallion.
THE HEAD
The head is a distinctive feature of the Arabian breed. It should be short with a broad forehead and deep circular jowls set wide apart, and tapers to a small, refined muzzle.
The ears are short, pricked and alert with fine edges and well defined tips curved delicately inwards.
The eyes should be large, dark and full, a blunted oval in shape, set relatively low in the head. A very important feature of the horse's expression, they should be soft and lustrous in the mare, while in the stallion they should be bright and sparkling with spirit and vitality.
The majority of Arabians exhibit a dish or depression in the profile of the face. The dish is situated about halfway between the poll and the muzzle, and varies considerably from almost imperceptible to quite pronounced. It is usually more marked in mares than in stallions.
""The forehead may be flat or can bulge somewhat (in a jibhá).
The lower edges of the jaw bones are straight with clean cut edges.
The nostrils are comparatively large and very flexible, being capable of great expansion when dilated from exertion or excitement.
The mouth is long with firm, sensitive lips, and the chin neat and distinct.
THE NECK
The neck should be arched and moderately long and in proportion to the body, set high into the shoulders, and rising more steeply from the wither than in other breeds. The curve of the neck behind the poll should match the curve of the well detached pliant throat (Gullet).
THE BODY
The body should be capacious witha deep chest of medium width and long, well sprung ribs giving a deep rounded barrel and good depth through the flank. The side view should exhibit the short topline and long underline of a typical saddle horse. The withers should be well developed and higher than the croup.
THE SHOULDER
The shoulder should be long and lean with the shoulder blade sloped at approximately 45 degrees. Thus the point of the shoulder will be set well forward and high, the humerus will be more perpendicular and the elbow will be set further forward from the girth, with ample scope for free movement over the flattened area of the lower girth region. The combined effect of these features produces the characteristic easy, long-reaching stride.
THE FORELEGS
Standing, the forelegs should be perpendicular to the body. The forearms are long and well muscled, the knees broad and flat and the cannons short with cleanly defined tendons running parallel to the bone which should be flat and of adequate substance, but free of any appearance of coarseness. Fetlocks are clean cut and pasterns are of medium length, strong and elastic, showing the same degree of slope as the shoulder.
HINDLEGS AND THE HINDQUARTERS
The croup should be long from point of hip to point of buttock. It should also be long and comparatively horizontal from point of croup to butt of tail. At rest, the tail setting should be level with the back and not with the point of the croup. In motion the croup becomes more horizontal, raising the tail setting. The buttock is set high and projects back well past the point where the tail meets the body.
Note that there has to be a visible rise from the back, over the loins, to the point of the croup, followed by a lowering of the croup to the butt of the tail. The butt of the tail is seen to be set into the horse level with the back when viewed from the side.
Viewed from behind, the croup should appear wide and strongly muscled and the point of the croup should not project above the muscles on either side of it.
The thighs should appear wide and well muscled.
The stifles should be set clear of the body and capable of very free movement.
The gaskins are long and well muscled. The hocks are large and flat with points well defined.
Viewed from the side, the horse is long from hip to hock and, when standing squarely, a perpendicular line from the point of the buttock to the ground should pass to the point of the hock and down the back of the flexor tendons and fetlock joint.
The hind cannons are slightly longer and stand slightly wider apart than the front cannons and should be parallel when viewed from the rear.
Hooves are rounded and of generous size, with the horn of the walls and strong and the heels wide and of adequate depth. The frog is well developed and the soles distinctly concave (compared to other breeds the Arabian has rather a large foot for its size).
The hind hooves are a little more pointed and narrower than the fore hooves and usually turn out slightly.
TAIL CARRIAGE
When the horse moves, the tail is elevated to be carried proudly in a high pronounced arch.
PACES
Limb Movements should be straight and even at all paces.
The Walk is smart and free, with the hind feet overstepping the prints of the fore feet by up to 30cm.
The Trot is free swinging with the forelegs thrown well forward from the shoulder; the feet dwell a moment at full stretch before coming to the ground, giving the characteristic floating action. There should be a matching free forward swing of the limbs from the shoulders and the stifles, with the knees and hocks being well flexed and the hind legs brought well forward under the body.
The Canter is very smooth and elastic, well balanced with outstanding agility and sure footedness.
The Gallop is very free and light, with a long ground covering stride.
SKELETAL FEATURES
All bones are of great density and devoid of coarseness.
The bars of the mouth arc comparatively long. Usually there are only sixteen instead of eighteen vertebrae in the tail, while occasional individuals are found which have five instead of six lumbar vertebrae and seventeen instead of eighteen pairs of ribs.
The characteristics of the Arabian have been firmly established for centuries and the modern Arabian retains and is valued for the same attributes which characterised the breed in ancient times. His exceptional versatility as a performance horse, quality and soundness, together with his unique temperament and affinity for humans, ensures the continuation of his pre-eminence in the equine world.