Instructions
Spend a lot of time teaching your Arabian stallion to lead at a walk. From the time he is halter-broken as a young colt, he must learn to respect and obey you. This respect must be earned by firmness and repetition. Never turn you back on him when you are leading him and always stand at his side. Once he has learned to move forward freely and comfortably, teach him to yield to the left or right when you push on his shoulder. Train him to back up when you press on his chest. The importance of this groundwork cannot be over stressed, and the more time spent on it, the greater will be your reward.
Train him to trot on the halter. When shown in hand, the judge will want to see how well your stallion moves. Arabians with good conformation can almost always achieve a "floating" gait and it is this movement that the judges prize the most. Anyone who has spent time observing horses at play in an open area has seen this movement. Stallions performing an extended trot will raise their heads and flare their nostrils, and this is what the judges are seeking. You need to be fit and to have the ability to run very fast to keep up with him. He must obey you without hesitation.
Teach him to stand still and erect. When you line up beside the other stallions in the class, your stallion must not attempt to interact with the others. All four legs must be firmly on the ground. The forelegs must be lined up together and the hind legs must do the same. He must not rest one hind leg or "point" a foreleg. Train him to do this alone at first; then introduce another horse into the arena. When the judges want to compare two stallions they often ask them to stand nose to nose. Your hours of training at home will pay off here, as good manners will be considered favorably by the judges.
Familiarize your Arabian stallion with a riding crop or short whip. Some trainers find their stallions to be more obedient if they carry a whip in the show ring, while others use tid bits to encourage them. The judges will be looking for the horse to have "presence." This is difficult to describe, but it is an attitude of alertness and a demonstration of high spirits without the horse being unruly. Great champions have natural presence, while some trainers ask their helpers to whistle, clap or make loud noises from the sidelines to excite their stallions when they are asked to trot out.
How to Train Arabian Stallions for a Show
Arabian stallions are among the proudest and most beautiful of all horses, and as a breed they are also intelligent and easy to handle. Stallions with excellent conformation and exceptional attributes are shown "in hand" with a halter or headstall and are judged not only on their appearance, but also on their temperament, manners and flair. To participate in an official Arabian horse show in the U.S., an Arabian must be registered with the Arabian Horse Association or Canadian Arabian Horse Registry. He must be in excellent condition and groomed to perfection.