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• The founder of the religion called Islam, the prophet Muhammed, contributed to the breeding of Arabian horses starting in the early A.D. 600's. Muhammed wanted to spread the word of Islam throughout the world. He also wanted to establish a worldwide Arabian empire. He knew this could only be achieved with a powerful army mounted on purebred horses. Muhammed, therefore, ordered the breeding of noble and pure horses. He promised the reward of life in paradise after death to every person who raised and donated such a horse for the cause. He said, "However many grains of barley you give your horse, this will be the number of sins which you will be forgiven all at once." The Muslim army made its way through Egypt, North Africa, across the Mediterranean, and into Spain and France, conquering all in its path. But the Muslims were eventually defeated. They returned to their homelands, leaving many of their magnificent horses behind. This stock was the beginning of the Arabian influence on the native horses of Europe. In Spain, Arabian stallions were crossed with the native mares. The result of this crossbreeding was the Andalusian horse. The Andalusian was introduced into many European countries for breeding to refine the existing stock of heavy, bulky horses.
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