Shetland ponies are the smallest members of the stables at Arabian Nights, but they are no less memorable for their tiny stature!

Standing a maximum of 46 inches high, Shetland ponies are known for their intelligence, bravery and athleticism as well as their hardy nature! Two main types of Shetland ponies are recognized by the American Shetland Pony Club; the Classic and the Modern Shetland pony.

Tap Dance Kidd, or “Dancer” struts his stuff during the VIP Experience at Arabian Nights.

The Classic American Shetland ponies’ ancestry dates back to the Shetland Islands, where ponies roamed the hills and moors as early as the 8th and 9th centuries. Shetlands were brought to this country in the 1800′s and first registered in the United States in 1888 by the American Shetland Pony Club. These ponies were primarily bred to pull carts in coal mines, and still excel at driving to this day.

The Modern Shetland Pony combines the historic hardiness of the Classic Shetland Pony with an out-cross of an animated and a superior and more refined breed. These ponies are typically more refined with extreme action—lift from the knee while moving—and a spirited personality. Either variety of Shetland Pony comes in a variety of colors and can display a wide range of markings.

The American Shetland Pony and Miniature Horse Association was kind enough to donate two Shetland Ponies to Arabian Nights as breed Ambassadors. Brush Creek’s Success or “Gus”, a black pony, and Tap Dance Kid or “Dancer”, a bay (brown with black points) pony.  Dancer is a veteran show pony, with three National Halter Championships! Gus plays a special role in the Black Stallion Literacy Foundation’s first grade program. Both ponies are learning a variety of tricks to become a part of the Arabian Nights show, and their bravery and intelligence is instrumental in that process.

Brush Creek’s Success is better known as Little Black to those who work the Black Stallion Literacy Foundation!

Come see Gus and Dancer perform at Arabian Nights in Orlando, Florida, and see why everyone falls in love with these amazingly cute Shetland Ponies. Visit www.Arabian-Nights.com for show times and dates—and don’t forget to check out our VIP Experience!

Horses, like people, have unique personalities and quirks that can endear, annoy or—in Comanche’s case—achieve both at the same time!

Comanche is a 10-year-old Appaloosa gelding that has been performing in the Arabian Nights show for five years. Comanche is easy for guests to recognize because of his uniquely spotted coat, and his quirky personality makes him a standout in the stables at Arabian Nights.

Comanche’s attitude is one of the more endearing—and aggravating—things about him!

One of the performers who works with him regularly, Melody McCray, said, “I just love this horse. He can be such a pain, but he is so funny and unique that you can’t help but like him even when he makes you mad!”

Comanche performs regularly in the Native American Tribute act at Arabian Nights, and he has also performed in the Garrocha act as well as the Western Square Dance act. He is agile, quick and very intelligent, making him a good fit for the discipline of reining.  Comanche performs advanced maneuvers like the sliding stop, flying lead change and spin with little difficulty and he greatly enjoys learning new things.

Comanche is also a feisty and often stubborn horse, which means his riders have to pay close attention at all times! He will spook at times when he is feeling energetic just to test his rider, and the antics aren’t only when he is being ridden. Comanche is a very playful horse and he will run and play with people or horses when he is turned loose in a pen to exercise.

Comanche’s personality and appearance make him a memorable part of the performing herd of horses at Arabian Nights and he certainly keeps our riders on their toes!

Comanche and his rider celebrate a great performance in the Native American Tribute Act.

You can see Comanche perform at Arabian Nights Dinner Show so be sure to get tickets for one of the upcoming shows. Visit tickets.arabian-nights.com to book them today!

Guests of Arabian Nights often remark on how beautiful and talented the horses in our show are, so our featured breed this week is the Appaloosa.

The Appaloosa is a color breed which means it is identified by it’s unique coloring pattern instead of its body type. Their spotted coats have made them very popular horses, and it also makes them stand out in Arabian Nights. The Appaloosas featured in our show work as riding, driving and trick horses, and one even displays the discipline of reining.

Comanche shows off his spots in the VIP Parade of Breeds.

The exact origins of the Appaloosa are unknown, but historians associate them with the Nez Perce Indian tribe. The name “Appaloosa” comes from the Palouse River, which ran through Nez Perce land.

Following the 1877 Nez Perce War, the U.S. 7th Cavalry confiscated all of the tribe’s horses, sold what they could, and shot most of the rest. This led to the near extinction of the Appaloosa breed. However, the horses that were sold continued to breed.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, interest in the breed gradually began to grow as Appaloosas began appearing in Western roundups and rodeos. By 1937, Appaloosas caught the eye of the general public and in 1938 the Appaloosa Horse Club, based in Ontario, Idaho, was founded. Idaho adopted the Appaloosa as its official state horse in 1975.

Today, Appaloosas are known as a hardy and versatile breed. They are skilled in many disciplines such as working cattle, performing dressage, jumping, performing western pleasure, endurance riding, breaking records on the racetrack, and also serving as a reliable family horse. The Appaloosa breed is one of America’s most prized breeds and there are over one million horses registered.

There are five Appaloosa coat patterns:

Blanket – White over the hip that may extend from the tail to the base of the neck. The spots inside the blanket are the same color as the horse’s base coat.

Leopard – A horse whose Appaloosa white patterning is exhibited to an extreme with base colored spots of various sizes covering most of its body.

Few Spot Leopard – This horse’s base color is nearly obscured by its Appaloosa white patterning on up to 90% of its body. Horse may exhibit patches of color on the heads, knees, elbows and flanks. Some have as few as one or two spots.

Snowflake – A horse with white spots on a dark body. Typically the white spots increase in number and size as the horse ages.

Varnish Roan – Dark points (legs and head) and some spots or roaning over a light body. May occur in conjunction with another spotting style and change with age.

Frost – Similar to varnish, but the white hairs are limited to the back, loins and neck. May occur in conjunction with another spotting style and change with age.

Don't let the snow fool you, Brooks has plenty of his own spots!

Some other characteristics that identify Appaloosas include striped hooves and mottled skin around their eyes. Not all Appaloosas display characteristics typical of the breed, as solid-colored horses can also be registered as Appaloosas after blood testing.

There are many body types of Appaloosa horses and their build ranges from a short and stocky horse to a tall and lean horse resembling a Thoroughbred. This makes them ideal for a variety of disciplines and a great fit for the Arabian Nights show!

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