Shagya Arabian horses are a unique breed that originated in Hungary.
They are typically calm and intelligent animals that make excellent riding and sport horses.
If you’re thinking about buying a Shagya Arabian, here is what you need to know.
Shagya Arabian Breed Info
Here are some of the key things you need to know about the Shagya Arabian:
| Height (size) | 15.0 – 16.0 hands high |
| Colors | Most commonly gray, but chestnut, bay, and white are also seen |
| Country of Origin | Hungary |
| Common Uses | Dressage, eventing, jumping, hunting, endurance riding, driving, pleasure riding |
Shagya Arabian Facts & Information (Breed Profile)
The origins of this breed may be traced to the military stud farms in Babolna (Hungary), Piber (Austria), Radautz (Romania), and later Mezohegyes (Hungary), Topolcianky (Slovakia), Slatina and Mangalia (Romania), and Kabijuk (Bulgaria) which were established between 150 and 200 years ago under the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
The Hungarian military developed the Shagya-Arabian in 1789.
The driving force behind the development of the Shagya Arabian was the need for the Imperial Hussars (Hungarian light horsemen) to have a horse that had the intelligence, defining characteristics, and stamina of the Arabian breed but was also of a bigger size and had a better weight-carrying capacity, and better jumping ability.
The Shagya is a breed of horse that has been selectively developed for its size, athletic ability, and strength, all of which have contributed to their success as sport horses.
The Breeding Program
The Shagya were created by cross breeding desert bred Arabian stallions with mares from southeastern Europe that were mostly descended from Arabian stock.
Over course of time, elite desert-bred Arabians were carefully introduced to the bloodlines.
Additionally, English Thoroughbreds and Lippizaners were periodically added in the breeding mix to help in improving the size, movement, and riding attributes of the horses.
The breed was named after Shagya, a dapple-gray Arabian horse, born in 1810, that was brought to Babolna in 1836 from Syria, and is reported to have had a significant impact on the development of the breed.
He was bred by the Bani Saher bedouin tribe, and then sold to the agents of the Habsburg monarchy.
Shagya was tall and very strong, and he successfully passed these characteristics on to his offspring.
Most Shagya horses today can be traced back to this horse.
Record Keeping
To guarantee that only the finest stallions and offspring were employed to improve the breed, meticulous records were kept, not only of the pedigree, size, and performance of the individual horses, but also of the breeding quality and performance of their offspring.
It is interesting to note that the oldest mare line goes back to 1781 – eight years before the stud was established!
The importance of performance testing was recognized right from the start of the project.
Both mares and stallions were extensively tested in dressage, a ride over plains, woods, and mountains that lasted 10 days and covered 480 miles (770 km), 2-mile sprints (3,2 km), and long distance driving.
The horse’s jumping ability, speed, physical condition, and temperament were meticulously documented in these records.
The breeding program was so successful that the Hapsburg’s Imperial Guard in Vienna and the Royal Guard in Budapest were both mounted on Shagyas, and Shagyas were the horse of choice for the cavalry officers.
Shagyas in the Modern Times
World War I was devastating for the breed, and World War II was even worse, however some studs managed to recover.
Shagyas are now bred by private owners in Germany, Austria, Hungary, Denmark, Switzerland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, France, Norway, Sweden, the United States and Venezuela.
The International Shagya registry was formed with the intention of preserving the goals of Shagya breeding, preserving Shagya bloodlines, and promoting performance testing in order to preserve the essential qualities that make the Shagya the exceptional all-around horse that it is.
Even though Shagyas are not ‘pure’ Arabians, they nevertheless have a special status within the WAHO, and they have a closed stud book.
Shagya Arabians that have been bred purely following the method of Babolna and Topolcianky studs may be referred to as “purebred Shagya Arabians”, according to a statement that was issued by WAHO (World Arabian Horse Association) in 1978.
In 1986, the North American Shagya-Arabian Society was created, and played a significant role in the introduction of the breed to the United States.
If you’re interested in learning more about this fascinating breed, keep reading!
Alternative Names
n/a
Temperament/Personality
Good natured, amiable personality
Physical Characteristics
The Shagya should have the appearance of a beautiful, elegant, and harmonious riding horse. They have correct gaits and movements, and generally enjoy jumping.
They possess robust health, are long-lived, and have great stamina.
However, in comparison to purebred Arabians, Shagyas are often taller, less refined, and have larger bones owing to the limited introduction of non-Arabian blood, and the selective breeding practices of Hungarian studs.
Colors
Most commonly gray, but chestnut, bay, and white are also seen
Height (size)
15.0 – 16.0 hands high
Stallions
n/a
Mares
n/a
Weight
n/a
Blood Type
Warm
Common Uses
Dressage, eventing, jumping, hunting, endurance riding, driving, pleasure riding
Health
n/a
Popular Traits
Very versatile with exceptional stamina
Feeding/Diet
Easy-keepers
Country of Origin
Hungary
Ancestors
Desert Arabian, Thoroughbred, Lippizaner