Saudi Arabia and an Arabian Horse Ranch Adventure
I have been to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) 9 different times already, and I find that hard to believe! Before moving to the Middle East, my KSA expectations were set by knowledge that 15 of the 19 September 11 hijackers came from the KSA, that Mecca and Medina where 2 of the 3 holy sites of Islam and are located in the KSA, that non-Islamic assembly and worship is forbidden there, and that free speed and women's rights are severely restricted. Because the US does a lot of business in the KSA, I have taken the time to learn more about the KSA's history, current culture and politics. While it is not a safe place for a Western Christian to just roam freely, it is a safe place to do business. Really though, how many places are safe enough to just roam freely regardless of your race, religion, etc.? I understand the anxiety and perspective of the Black Lives Matter movement much better now. Additionally the KSA Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman has instituted a number of reforms with more expected. And from what I can tell this agenda seems to taking root and the people of KSA are very excited about the future of their nation.
During my first flight to the KSA from the UAE an Egyptian man sat next to me holding a book titled "Would You Kill the Fat Man?". I took the bait he offered and nervously started fishing. We talked philosophy and religion the entire 1.5 hour flight, while I noticed the three burka clad women in front of us occasionally turning their heads to the side to take in the conversation better. I shared the gospel from a few different angles, and my new friend stated that he had never heard some of the things I shared with him. My excitement that God had used me to provoke his curiosity turned to fear as we landed. Thankfully, I was not greeted by any religious police nor was my entry denied. In fact, while waiting in line for my visa to be stamped for the first time, I took quite a bit of comfort that SpongeBob SquarePants was playing on all the televisions in the immigration terminal area.
I'd been advised when travelling to the KSA to stick to locations Westerners frequent, and to only ride in London Taxi or the hotel taxi. However I now frequently choose any old taxi and often Uber (no cash required and no haggling but you do have to wait for the Uber driver to find you whereas city taxis are often quickly available because they are everywhere). Every city taxi driver that sees my white skin pleads with me to ride with them. I've learned that their goal is to get me in the car and start driving even if they are not quite sure where I asked them to take me. Then at the end of the ride they try to charge me 2-3 times a normal fare! But I'm wise to this now, and I know what the fare should be for most trips. Now I negotiate before I get in the vehicle, and show them where I want to go on google maps before we depart. Even then the driver may still try to increase the fare while en-route based on traffic etc. But you cannot budge an inch or soon you lose a mile! Arabs are good negotiators - I am not.
On my 8th trip into the KSA, a colleague invited me to join him and a Major General in the Royal Saudi Air Force for an iftar (trip was during Ramadan). I was happy to join them, after all it was to an all you can eat buffet featuring foods from across the globe. After dinner we retired in the hotel lobby for tea and coffee. About 10PM the general (Badr) invited us to go with him to see a fellow general's new horse ranch (his name was Faisal). Not wanting to miss an opportunity to venture outside Riyadh, I happily agreed and around 11PM we were off to Lazzaz Arabian Horse Ranch, about 40 minutes from our hotel. I was told that Lazzaz is named after the Prophet Mohammed's horse, and Arabian horses have very distinct features (tail at 45 degree angle to horse's back, round eye/socket, sloped nose, chin that hangs down, etc.). These horses were not bred for riding, only for showing, and they were beautiful. I had never seen a blue horse before and Faisal had two, though it can be hard to tell in the pictures. It was much easier to see the blue coloring in person as the light glistened off their shimmering coats. Part of the judging criteria is how the horse 'acts' when freed from the trainer. Most of them choose to run and snort and kick their legs, including running full speed directly at us and coming to a screeching halt at the very last second - I wondered if they would try to jump the fence onto our table! One by one Faisal's horses were brought out by his trainer and shown to us while I sipped Mint Lemonade under the stars and occasionally petted one. The horses had beautiful stables, an exercise carousel, a grassy area, showers, a "salon" for hoof and fur grooming, and even a pool for swimming!
Beyond already having prize winning horses the still under construction ranch is to become a place where family want to spend the entire day and unwind. The facilities will include: Separate men's and women's riding areas, Riyadh's largest indoor riding arena, an outdoor riding arena, a full kitchen and staff, a few rooms for overnight stays, a meeting area for events, a judges/audience area for competitions, and artwork throughout the grounds. Sitting and watching the horses be trained and shown was indeed very relaxing, and this will surely be one of the memories I'll never forget about my time in the Middle East. Faisal would not accept a single riyal even though I consumed 3 drinks and a slice of cheesecake. We were graciously entertained for over 3 hours and I didn't get back to the hotel until after 3:30! It is very typical for Muslims to be awake all night long during the month of Ramadan between iftar (meal right after sunset/breaking fast) and suhoor (meal before sunrise and resuming fasting). They seem to handle the day/night flip ok but it wrecked me - I was more or less worthless the next working day - but it was worth it! Anyway, enjoy the following pictures! Don't miss the YouTube links at the end to see the blue horses!
During my first flight to the KSA from the UAE an Egyptian man sat next to me holding a book titled "Would You Kill the Fat Man?". I took the bait he offered and nervously started fishing. We talked philosophy and religion the entire 1.5 hour flight, while I noticed the three burka clad women in front of us occasionally turning their heads to the side to take in the conversation better. I shared the gospel from a few different angles, and my new friend stated that he had never heard some of the things I shared with him. My excitement that God had used me to provoke his curiosity turned to fear as we landed. Thankfully, I was not greeted by any religious police nor was my entry denied. In fact, while waiting in line for my visa to be stamped for the first time, I took quite a bit of comfort that SpongeBob SquarePants was playing on all the televisions in the immigration terminal area.
I'd been advised when travelling to the KSA to stick to locations Westerners frequent, and to only ride in London Taxi or the hotel taxi. However I now frequently choose any old taxi and often Uber (no cash required and no haggling but you do have to wait for the Uber driver to find you whereas city taxis are often quickly available because they are everywhere). Every city taxi driver that sees my white skin pleads with me to ride with them. I've learned that their goal is to get me in the car and start driving even if they are not quite sure where I asked them to take me. Then at the end of the ride they try to charge me 2-3 times a normal fare! But I'm wise to this now, and I know what the fare should be for most trips. Now I negotiate before I get in the vehicle, and show them where I want to go on google maps before we depart. Even then the driver may still try to increase the fare while en-route based on traffic etc. But you cannot budge an inch or soon you lose a mile! Arabs are good negotiators - I am not.
On my 8th trip into the KSA, a colleague invited me to join him and a Major General in the Royal Saudi Air Force for an iftar (trip was during Ramadan). I was happy to join them, after all it was to an all you can eat buffet featuring foods from across the globe. After dinner we retired in the hotel lobby for tea and coffee. About 10PM the general (Badr) invited us to go with him to see a fellow general's new horse ranch (his name was Faisal). Not wanting to miss an opportunity to venture outside Riyadh, I happily agreed and around 11PM we were off to Lazzaz Arabian Horse Ranch, about 40 minutes from our hotel. I was told that Lazzaz is named after the Prophet Mohammed's horse, and Arabian horses have very distinct features (tail at 45 degree angle to horse's back, round eye/socket, sloped nose, chin that hangs down, etc.). These horses were not bred for riding, only for showing, and they were beautiful. I had never seen a blue horse before and Faisal had two, though it can be hard to tell in the pictures. It was much easier to see the blue coloring in person as the light glistened off their shimmering coats. Part of the judging criteria is how the horse 'acts' when freed from the trainer. Most of them choose to run and snort and kick their legs, including running full speed directly at us and coming to a screeching halt at the very last second - I wondered if they would try to jump the fence onto our table! One by one Faisal's horses were brought out by his trainer and shown to us while I sipped Mint Lemonade under the stars and occasionally petted one. The horses had beautiful stables, an exercise carousel, a grassy area, showers, a "salon" for hoof and fur grooming, and even a pool for swimming!
Beyond already having prize winning horses the still under construction ranch is to become a place where family want to spend the entire day and unwind. The facilities will include: Separate men's and women's riding areas, Riyadh's largest indoor riding arena, an outdoor riding arena, a full kitchen and staff, a few rooms for overnight stays, a meeting area for events, a judges/audience area for competitions, and artwork throughout the grounds. Sitting and watching the horses be trained and shown was indeed very relaxing, and this will surely be one of the memories I'll never forget about my time in the Middle East. Faisal would not accept a single riyal even though I consumed 3 drinks and a slice of cheesecake. We were graciously entertained for over 3 hours and I didn't get back to the hotel until after 3:30! It is very typical for Muslims to be awake all night long during the month of Ramadan between iftar (meal right after sunset/breaking fast) and suhoor (meal before sunrise and resuming fasting). They seem to handle the day/night flip ok but it wrecked me - I was more or less worthless the next working day - but it was worth it! Anyway, enjoy the following pictures! Don't miss the YouTube links at the end to see the blue horses!
Gold Arabian Horse Outside the Entrance to Lazzaz
Left to Right:
Faisal (Ranch Owner & New Friend), Badr (New Friend), and Kamal (Coworker & Friend)
Family BBQ Area with Water Feature
Indoor Riding Arena and Judges/Spectators Area
Main Lodge with Staff and Dining
Horse Stables
Momma with her Colt
NOTE: In linked videos the blue can be hard to see but trust me it was unmistakable in person!
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