What are the main differences between a quarter horse and an arabian horse?

horsey1120 wrote on December 28th, 2008 8:59 am :

I have had both types of horses, so I know from experience.

Arabians are usually more elegant and graceful, they excel in dressage. They are known for being hot-tempered and spooky, but I had an Arabian that was the opposite. They are also well known for being extremely smart and fast.

Quarter horses are more predictable. They are stockier. They are great barrel racers, and amazing at the quarter mile. They are less spooky. They are great for beginning riders and for western.

Laken F wrote on December 30th, 2008 7:57 pm :

a arabian comes from Arbia and quarter come around the usa arabian horses are much longer and larger tha quater horses also.

Fae wrote on January 2nd, 2009 2:47 am :

if you live in mountians, or hills, or rocky areas, i would definitely go with a quarter horse

arabians are good with plains

quarter horses are generally more stocky, with a heavier coat, and better on footing in rocky areas. they are pretty gentle, but can be stubborn

arabians are like those horses you see in fairy tales with muscular bodies and kinda smaller, thinner legs, they look like prince charming’s horse… and they’re very spirited

morgans arent as good for riding, but if your a very beginner, they can be pretty good, because they are very gentle

mafoxson83 wrote on January 5th, 2009 2:38 am :

That is a quarter horse above.

That is an arabian above.

?cheerleader? wrote on January 5th, 2009 6:39 am :

quarter horses are very stocky, strong horses. They are great for barrel racing or any speed event. They differ from the arabians physically, they’re legs are thicker and they have a thicker barrel (stomach).

arabians are great for endurance events. they are scrawnier, they have a petite frame.

both horses are good for trail riding, QH’s are probably more suitable though. theyre stronger. but both are beautiful.

you said youre open to other suggestions. my personal favorite is the thoroughbred. its pretty much a mix between arabians and quarter horses..they have great strength and endurance. they are fast. i have a thoroughbred. they can take a lot, and they love to run!

tennesee walkers and morgans are really similar too. i dont know much about these breeds, but they have beautiful gaits.

Sam ? wrote on January 5th, 2009 6:28 pm :

i have experience with both. About a year ago I leased an ariabian mare named Camara. All horses are different, but from what i have learned are that they are very high strung. Ariabians are full of themselves. They get scared easily and they take pride in everything they do. They also are bveautiful movers. Great for show jumping and dressage.

I now own a quarter horse large pony. Quarter horses are known for being western horses, but they make great english riders too (im english) they dont get as tired as the ariabian and they have great personalities. Quarter horses are very durable and love the outdoors!

hope i helped =)

Vicko T wrote on January 6th, 2009 9:39 am :

The Arabian horse is a breed of horse with a reputation for intelligence, high spirit, and outstanding stamina. The breed standard for Arabian horses, as stated by the United States Equestrian Federation, describes the Arabians as standing between 14.1 and 15.1 hands (140-155 cm) tall, “with the occasional individual over or under.” The American Quarter Horse is an American breed of horse that excels at sprinting short distances. Its name came from its ability to outdisance other breeds of horse in races of a quarter mile or less, where some individuals have been clocked at speeds up to 55 mph. The modern American Quarter Horse has a small, short, refined head with a straight profile, and a strong, well-muscled body, featuring a broad chest and powerful, rounded hindquarters. They usually stand between 14 and 16 hands high, although some Halter-type horses may grow as tall as 17 hands. I think you should go with an Arabian horse as they seem to be mostly shorter and you say you are short. However, it would be up to you to choose either based on the info and how fast you would like to ride. wikipedia.org is a good site to research the horses on.

Natie wrote on January 8th, 2009 5:47 am :

-Arabs tend to be more spooky and excited w/ new situations that they haven’t experienced yet, but that all just depends on the horse. I’ve had a few Arabs that took everything w/ stride.
-Quarter horses tend not to be very anxious in new situations & will do almost anything the rider asks w/out making it a big deal. As an experienced rider I like Arabians better because they usually give me more of a challenge, which I enjoy, but I’ve also ridden Quarter horses that give me a challenge too.

Kelcy S wrote on January 11th, 2009 12:35 am :

Arabian horse:

Quarter Horse:

dragon_wolf_999 wrote on January 13th, 2009 10:25 am :

it depends on what u want to do with the horse. showing or just a hobby horse?
the arab is my fav breed. they are smart. they can be spooky but i have seen some calmest be arabs. they have a dished face smallish heads and lean looking. endurance and engish riding is what they are used the most for. but can do barrels and western.

the Quarter horse is mostly calm stocky barreled body large full hips. used mostly for western riding. but have seen them used in english. and fast for the quarter mile.

I like a morgan they are pretty much an all around horse.

str8putter wrote on January 15th, 2009 6:05 pm :

If you read most of the history of Horse breeds in America, some have Arabian blood in them generations back.. The throughbred history goes back to the Arabian, so does the Morgan and Qtr. Horse… with long time breeding and outcrossing that is where the distint breeds today evolve to be..

The Arabian is very verstile.. western,english,driving,halter,jumping,dressage,endurance and much much more… They are very loving and caring animals, very personable (will become part of the family) In History, Beduin Tribes would have their prize Arabian Mares sleep in the tents with them and rode them into battle because they didn’t whinny or snort like the stallions did..They have lots of spirit ( not crazy like some will say, if you treat them like the family dog they will be great pets..lol..but its true)

Quarter horses are great for the working class, working cows and livestock, western , hunter on the flat, over fences, halter.
Sort of a cold breed , some personality but nothing like an Arabian… Stocky in Build.

arachnia_litehammer wrote on January 17th, 2009 3:57 pm :

Arabians a fine boned and slender and have the most amazing vaccum between their ears. Flighty, untrusting, and ornery are good words to describe thier dispositions. Quarter horses are like bulldozers very stocky strong and gentle in their natures, however they can have a stubborn streak a mile wide.

I’m glad you asked about Walkers!! I’ve had them for years and a more intellegent horse you couldn’t find. They are smart, emotional, and very loving. Riding them is a treat for the body as a real Walker will have 5 gaits instead of the other horse breeds that only have 4. The normal gaits are walk, trot, canter, and gallop. Walkers have an extra gait between walk and trot called The Tennessee Walk. The best way I can describe it is like being in chair that’s being pushed along swiftly on glass. There’s no bounce at all it’s like gliding. All their gaits are smooth, even the trot which is like rocking in a chair, making posting completely unnecesiary. And the gallop is like riding the wind. My Walker, Jake by name, died back in April at the grand old age of 30 after a long battle with arthritis. We hadn’t ridden in years and we both missed it greatly, he was a soul-mate to me and I miss him.

Goolia wrote on January 20th, 2009 12:12 am :

Well Arabians are kinda full of energy and jumpy (really depends on the personality of your horse).And Quarter Horses are quick,and laid back (again,depends on the personality of the horse).I have an Appendix which is a Quarter Horse Thoroughbred cross.He’s pretty laid back, can be playful (running’ around a lot) at times.I like him a lot.I also had an Arabian that we just sold.He was real jittery and always full of evergy.I don’t know if that helped at all,but there it is!

DarlingCowgirl wrote on January 22nd, 2009 11:44 am :

Arabs are a “lighter” horse with a dished face while quarter are a “medium” horse with a lightly dished face and large shoulders and hindquarters arabs are thin, light and lean and very hyper while QHs are layed back and calm, i prefer the QH they have more “personality”

nightwolfdog wrote on January 22nd, 2009 12:49 pm :

A Quarter Horse would be best for you since you’re short (no offense) plus they’re good for all-around riding. Arabians are more finely bred.

kcpaull wrote on January 23rd, 2009 9:58 pm :

Here’s a link where you can go and find out about all different breeds of horses:

That way you can check out all the breeds and see which one would be best for you personally.

fae wrote on January 24th, 2009 11:46 pm :

Arabian is the ONLY purebred horse on the earth–bred for centuries with the pedigree preserved in Beduin tribes. They slept with these horses in their tents. The Thorobred came from cold blood an Arab the Quarter came from Thorobred and Morgan breeding. Arabians are high spirited and very smart thus they require a diligent, gentle and intelligent trainer that can use the Arabs tenacity to the trainers advantage. A Quarter horse is more forgiving in that it’s not quite as “hot blooded” and can be less inclined to rebel or spook due to the “cold blood” influence twice removed from the “hot blooded” Arab relation. The beautifull Arabian is a threat to those who would rather have a “slave” so to speak, spirit is the fire of aristocracy in the pure bred Arabs bloodlines, making a proud intelligent animal that many are afraid will make a fool of them!

Me wrote on January 27th, 2009 7:06 pm :

Yeah, Arabians are the only purebred horses on earth, which also means that in order to maintain their bloodlines alot are also INbred! I wonder if that has something to do with their irritating behaviour. Quarter horses are the best. they’re not insane like Arabians.

wyomingirlie16 wrote on January 29th, 2009 5:28 am :

OK, I’ve had experiance with both, along with the foxtrotters and Walkers…not much Morgans though.

Basically, its what YOU need…..pretty much every horse is good for something.

The quarter horse generally a little more ‘lazy’ than the Arabian, however, its also more laid back. They have wonderful speed for the first quarter of a mile, and they love to be spoiled.

The Arabian is a little more energetic. I think that most of the people who say their horse ’spooks’ more probably are used to only one or so horse. They are wonderful horses with great endurance…wich is good in the mountains that we live in. As a general rule they love to do what you WANT them to do….but not what you TELL them to do. lol They seem to be a little harder to convince to do something (Cross a stream, or climb a really steep hill) than the quarter horse, but they take pride in doing it…and most people who’s had Arabians will tell you that they will do almost anything you ask…but get flighty if you try making them do it.

My dads favorite is the Walkers…They generally love to go, but they are so domesticated that they will hardly ever buck, even in they’ve never beed ridden. They make a great beginners horse, and love to be spoiled. They have a wonderful gait thats the ‘running walk’ its like a really smooth walk thats as fast or faster than a trot. They can go for miles and miles like this. (Some people not used to riding horses, or on horses that aren’t trained very well might find it a little hard to keep the horse in the gait…but for me it comes very easy)

Foxtrotters are about the same as the Tennessee Walkers.

Pretty much all horses are different though. You have to find one with a personality that you like, and even though some breeds tend to have certain traits more than others it really depends on the horse itself

Mulereiner # wrote on January 30th, 2009 6:46 am :

QH- stockier, less action in the front end, quicker for shorter distances, depending on bloodlines-can be cowy.

Arab- more refined, but again depending on bloodlines can be very stocky if its more Polish or Crabbit breedings. Lots of action in the front end depending on the breeding. Dished head, teacup muzzle, turned in ears, higher tailset. Can be cowy and can be used for ranch work. Geered for endurance and ridden for long distances, not necessarily speed.

angela r wrote on January 30th, 2009 2:45 pm :

well, arabians are usually very high strung though they are very beautiful.

quarter horses have short bursts of energy. in the olden days, they would race them a quarter of a mile, thats how they got their name. quarter horses are more average looking then arabians.

but to be totally honest, you shouldnt judge a book by its cover. the same goes with horses. just because you research quarter horses and think that they are best for you does not mean that they are. each horse is different, much like people, so look around before you buy. my pony is a mix of pretty much everything you can imagine but he is a wonderful jumper with a huge personality. try to look into all your options.

just a teen w/ questions wrote on January 30th, 2009 8:28 pm :

huntseat?saddleseat?dressage?
western?eventing?
pleasure?trail?
need more info

afire_atnight wrote on February 3rd, 2009 3:03 am :

um, if you dont know the difference btw a quarter horse and arabian, then you really shouldnt be in the market to buy a horse. im scared for the horse

can76chaser wrote on February 6th, 2009 6:53 am :

I ride Morgans, I have 25 of them. I love them, they give you all of them in everything they do!!! In spite of people thinking they are HOT, they are uneducated!!!! My mother had them befor I was born & they truly great horses!!!! I don’t care for Arabian horses….. they are star gazers!! I just don’t care for them……

equestrian wrote on February 8th, 2009 8:37 pm :

Wow! What a mixed bag of answers you are getting!

Depending on what discipline you are riding, various breeds will be more appropriate than others. For jumping/dressage, Thoroughbreds and Warmbloods prevail.

For working cows, you will see more Quarter Horses than anything else. Any breed is capable of doing that work, just QH/Paints, stock breeds, are bred to excel at this line of work. QH’s are stocky, generally calm horses. They are very versatile, making them the #1 registry in the world.

Arabians excel in endurance and distance riding. They have one less vertebrae than other breeds, making their backs very strong. Excellent trail horses.

Tennessee Walkers and Missouri Fox Trotters are excellent trail horses that are also shown at breed shows in their various gaits.

There are just too many breeds to extol the virtues of each. Most important is the discipline you ride, then finding a horse that has the qualities you desire. Ride as many horses as you can, and eventually you will find your dream horse. Best of luck!

Rachel F wrote on February 8th, 2009 10:46 pm :

Arabs and QH’s are different like night and day.
Arabs are a little bit on the hot headed side. Lots of energy.
there are many different types of QH’s. you have your pleasure breed, halter, cuttin, cow bred. Many types but they all act differrent.

michelemybell429 wrote on February 9th, 2009 5:58 pm :

The largest differences…..well….Arabians run around with their heads and tails in the air kind of floaty like, they have small behinds, thin shoulders and I don’t particularly care for how they are put together body wise. However, they do have very elegant dished faces. The Arabians I’ve had the ‘privilege’ of meeting were not well mannered, they were hot headed, their riders let them get away with kicking like jerks on the trail, and they could never keep up, and they move odd.

I believe that QH’s are MUCH better put together, their behinds seem to fit their body types better, they have thick shoulders. They are usually well mannered and can virtually do any and every discipline and type of riding. You can find a QH for every personality type, they go for hot headed to docile and quiet. QH are the most sought after and most popular horse breed in the United States. I think that for a first horse a QH would be your best choice. However, it is all up to the individual, I wouldn’t put an Arabian in my barn if my life depended on it, I think they are crazy and I wouldn’t trust them any further than I could throw them. HOWEVER, that has been MY experience with them and it ONLY MY opinion. I am MORE than sure that there are very docile and well mannered Arabians out there, I just don’t care.

Bobbi wrote on February 11th, 2009 10:33 pm :

If we knew a little more about what you were going to do with your horse, it would help. They are both good breeds of horses and you really can generalize when it comes to some things. Now, if you will edit what you plan to do with your horse, I will also edit my answer and attempt to add more to what you wanted to know…oh, by the way, to the poster who made the comment that the Arabian is a longer horse….how is he a longer horse if he has one rib shorter than a quater horse???? just curious where you got your information…in fact, the Arabians are known for their short, strong back.

mindy r wrote on February 13th, 2009 10:04 pm :

the best resource is the breed association itself. you can read all about the breeds history, type and usage. often photos are on the sites as well as breed classifieds. most registries are online now.