It Started With Moe! by Nina Harf
I was around seven years old when my mom, sister and I met the current president of the Board of Directors of Al Khamsa, Inc., Monica Respet, at Golden Key Stables. Monica and my mom quickly became close friends, and she offered to let me ride Jasuur Ibn Kamar, one of her Al Khamsa Arabians. I became familiar with all of her horses, including her two stallions, and began working with them more regularly. Not long after I started working at her farm, she took me in as one of her own. I learned almost everything I know about owning, breeding, foaling, and caring for horses from her. The more time I spent at her farm, the more I got to understand this unique group of desert Arabians. I was intrigued by how much Al Khamsa horses want to please people.
Above, Nina braiding the Respet stallion, Faydin Sameer, 2005 black stallion (Faydin x MSF Noel), of the Code Red *Urfah tail female line. Below, riding Jasuur Ibn Kamar, 2003 chestnut gelding (AEP Kamar x MSF Noel). At left, teaching Riverton Mocha Starr (Moe) to lead when he was two weeks old. Moe is a 2020 bay Babson Egyptian colt by BW Fadl Tali x Ahmeds Char Serra.
I wanted to learn more, so a friend and I did our 4-H project on Arabians. We presented at a Hippology competition where we got many other 4-Hers interested in the different branches of Arabians. Monica trained me to work with her foals and I was impressed by how quickly they understood what I was asking, even at such a young age. I was caught off guard by the fact that twelve different horses could have such unique personalities yet all have a few similar traits. 46
