Can you describe to us what Furūsiyya is?

Linguistically, the term furūsiyya comes from the root FaRuSa, which means: “to be versed in everything relating to horses”. Furūsiyya is the result of the application of this verb, that is to say the fact of having knowledge in the field of horses and their riding.

Furūsiyya is a broad and somewhat fluctuating concept, whose meaning can change depending on the time periods and the people who use it. Much more than the equestrian arts or simple horsemanship, furūsiyya encompasses a complex body of knowledge, both theoretical and practical, on everything relating to the horse. On the one hand, genealogy, hippology (study of horse sciences in its entirety), horse riding, dressage, hippietry (old form of veterinary medicine concerning horses), farriery and breeding. Cavalry have made up the elite of armies for centuries, and so furūsiyya also encompasses military and associated tactics, particularly when relating to the handling of weapons (whether mounted or on foot). Hunting and polo, activities intended for entertainment but considered as excellent preparatory training for war, are also part of furūsiyya. Finally, the concept also has a moral dimension, notably concerning courage and generosity.

The totality of knowledge that is furūsiyya is acquired through in-depth education, reserved for the political, cultural and/or warrior elite.

What are its origins and are they specifically rooted in Saudi Arabia?

Certain constituent elements of furūsiyya date back to pre-Islamic Arabia, notably the moral values mentioned earlier, together with knowledge relating to the handling and use of spears and a body of traditions on the origin and genealogy of certain horses. Following the conquests of the Muslim armies, furūsiyya was enriched by the contributions of several equestrian cultures, mainly Byzantine, Sassanid and Central Asian. At the end of the 8th century, under the Abbasids, a certain synthesis between these various traditions was finally achieved and institutionalized. From then on, its mastery became a mark of belonging to the political, cultural and/or warlike elite throughout the Islamic empire.

How is it linked to the specificity of thoroughbred Arabian horses?

The practice of furūsiyya is not, in itself, exclusively associated with Arabian horses. Other breeds of horses have also been used. However, if pre-Islamic and then Islamic Arabia had not nurtured this adoration for the Arabian horse and had not granted it a very particular status, superior to that of other horses and other animals, the Muslim world would probably not have developed such a sophisticated equestrian culture. The Arabian horse thus embodies an ideal about the perfect horse, culturally at least, if less so in practice.

Is this tradition still alive in certain communities?

The arts of furūsiyya reached their peak during the reign of the Mamluks (1250-1517). They then gradually declined, because the primacy of the cavalry in warfare gradually declined.

Furūsiyya is nowadays less practiced than it was before. But the notion of class or group belonging conferred by its mastery remains.