When the Isrealie-Palestinian war broke out I wanted to paint something in my support of Isreal. With my love of horses I wanted to paint one of them and tried to research if Isreal had a breed specific to its country. I quickly found out that, no, Isreal does not have it’s own breed of horse but the region as a whole has the Arabian horse which seems to be a peaceful link between the two warring parties. (The Arabian horse is amonth the world’s most noble and oldest breeds with archaeological evidence dating back over 4500 years.) I have always loved Arabian’s with their gentle swoop to thier nose and long graceful gaits. They have been a breed that I have painted many times as I love the lines of their bodies. And honestly. they are fun to paint! From the Old Testament regarding horses: Song of Solomon 1:9 I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharoh’s chariots. Job 39:19-25 “Do you give the horse its strength or clothe its neck with a flowing mane? Do you make it leap like a locust, striking terror with its proud snorting? It paws fiercely, rejoicing in its strengthy and charges into the fray. It laughs at fear, afraid of nothing; it does not shy away from the sword. The quiver rattles against its side, along with the flashing spear and lance. In frenzied excitement it eats up the ground: it cannon stand still when the trumpet sounds. At the blast of the trumpet it snorts, ‘Aha!’ it catches the scent of battle from afar, the shout of commanders and the battle.” Habakkuk 1:8 Their horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves at dusk. Their calvary gallops headlong; their horsemen come from afar. They fly like an eagle swooping to devour; Psalms 20:7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.