The Hadith says that every Muslim man should know archery, swimming, and riding. Horses and camels are of utmost importance to the Muslims. Hence it is no surprise that these animals are such a large part of their culture.
Horses can be seen everywhere around the UAE, to the extent that they have a 3 week long festival dedicated to horses and horse culture. Sharing the love for horses myself, I have begun going riding to Al Jiyad stables in Dubai. Owned by Ali Al Marzooqi, the stable is one of the best in Dubai, training champions in endurance riding. This weekend Ali took me through his private stable to show off some of his champion horses. It was here that I saw the side of the man that is not usually associated with Arabs. His love for his horses was something I had never seen before. It is a love that has ruined every relationship he has been in, because there is no woman that Ali has loved more than his horses. Seeing the way Ali touched, cared for, and talked about his horses inspired me to show this side of him to the world; it was the purest love I had ever seen.