About the World Arabian Horse Organization

WELCOME to the website of the World Arabian Horse Organization. Here you can find our latest news a wealth of information and many hundreds of photographs, not just about WAHO, but also about the activities in our Registering Authority Member countries and at our Conferences. There are also several very interesting articles in the General Interest section. The WAHO Office can be contacted by email should you have any Arabian horse-related questions you think we can assist with. Enquiries about Individual Membership are always welcome. We hope you will enjoy browsing our site.

Introduction

Founded in 1970, the World Arabian Horse Organization is a registered charity with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. There are now 83 countries affiliated to WAHO as Registering Authority Members, either in their own right or in the care of a neighbouring studbook authority, together with 4 applying member countries. WAHO has the responsibility of ensuring that standards acceptable to all our Registering Authority Members are established and maintained in the matters of regulations, methods of registration and production of Stud Books.

The basic objectives of WAHO are, in brief:

  • To preserve, improve and maintain the purity of the blood of horses of the Arabian breed and to promote public interest in the science of the breeding of Arabian horses;
  • To promote and facilitate the acquisition and distribution of the knowledge in all Countries of the history, care and treatment of horses of the Arabian breed;
  • To advise and co-ordinate the policies and activities of Members of the Organization;
  • To co-operate with any person or body of persons domiciled throughout the world in an endeavour to promote uniformity in terminology, definitions and procedures relative to the breed of Arabian horses;
  • To act in a consultative capacity in discussion and negotiation with International, National and other authorities on matters concerning horses of the Arabian breed.

At the historic 1970 meeting in London, when WAHO was founded, the late Major Ian Hedley said something which the Executive Committee of WAHO still believe in to this day. He said the world saw the Arabian horse in the beginning as a war horse, but he hoped that it would finally become an instrument of peace and understanding. All the members of WAHO have to be thanked for the tremendous contribution they have made over the years, as they worked together to turn this hope into a reality, in the interest of the subject of all our efforts, the Arabian horse. With our strong commitment to protecting the integrity of the world’s Arabian studbooks, to education and to equine welfare issues especially those which affect our breed, WAHO’s achievements over the past fifty years have laid a solid foundation on which to build for the future, as we face the many challenges facing horse breeders and owners everywhere, and the scientific and communication innovations that lie ahead.