Ever wanted to get near beautiful horses and give them a hug? Or you’ve been wanting to visit an equestrian center and see its world-class facilities? All these and more are possible if you book a tour at Al Shaqab!
Al Shaqab is a leading global equine center established in 1992 by H.H. The Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani to honor the Arabian war horses ridden by victorious Qatari knights of the past and to preserve and perpetuate Qatar's rich equine heritage. The Arabian horse is among the oldest of all horse breeds, with some sources dating its origin as far back as 3,000 years ago. (Al Shaqab)
The distinctive Arabian horse can be recognized by its concave face, large black expressive and wide-set eyes, broad forehead, arched neck, small and curved ears, high tail carriage and light graceful movements.
A member of Qatar Foundation (QF) since 2004, Al Shaqab is known globally for the highest levels of excellence in producing pure Arabian horses and organizing world-class equestrian competitions. Moreover, Al Shaqab also aims to engage the community and instill in them a love for horses through its riding academy and by organizing other equine-related events and activities. One of these activities is a tour of Al Shaqab’s state-of-the-art facility.
Upon arrival at Al Shaqab’s Main Arena Building, guests will gather at the VIP area on the ground floor. The tour starts with a meet and greet with the guests. They will then be ushered to the Reception Hall and will be given a short briefing on Al Shaqab’s facilities through a 3D model.
Distinctively designed in the shape of a horseshoe, Al Shaqab's world-class facilities cover 980,000 square meters where almost 1,000 horses of different breeds are receiving the highest level of care and attention. Over the years, Al Shaqab has produced prize-winning stallions and mares that have won awards at major international shows, including seven world championship titles.
Following the briefing, guests will proceed to the second floor of the Main Arena Building where the VIP & Emiri lounges are. Here, guests can view both the indoor and outdoor arenas. Al Shaqab’s indoor arena is the biggest air-conditioned equestrian arena in the world with 2,400 seats. The outdoor arena has 2,100 seats.
Next, guests will be transported to the Equine Exercise Centre where they will be given a tour of the horse exercise areas featuring a swimming pool, treadmill, jacuzzi, and horse-walker. Guests might experience seeing a horse doing a lap in the pool and another one flexing muscle on a treadmill if these horses are on training on the day of the tour.
When needed, Al Shaqab horses use treadmills for 30 minutes to 1 hour for a highly effective full-body workout. A treadmill workout helps enhance horses' agility, increases cardiovascular fitness, builds muscle tone and overall well-being. The treadmill exercise is ideal for the rehabilitation of tendon and ligament injuries and back injuries of horses.
Al Shaqab ensures the workout routine of each horse is tailored to its specific needs, with swimming as one of the main exercises. A 30-minute swimming exercise is a training modality that Al Shaqab trainers use to improve horses' fitness and condition in addition to the daily training program routine. It is also a beneficial exercise for horses to assist in rehabilitation after an injury. The swimming pool is 72 meters in length and 5 meters deep. Who knows you might get lucky and see a horse doing swimming exercise during the tour?
After the Equine Exercise Center, guests will be transferred to the Royal stables that house the most beautiful Arabian horses in the world. There are 750 stables within the Al Shaqab equestrian center.
On the way to the Royal stables, guests can also get near, interact and take selfies with the gorgeous horses at the paddocks. Arabian horses at Al Shaqab are friendly and fond of interacting with guests, which highlights the center's philosophy of showcasing "horses that are beautiful, athletic, and have great moral character and kindness."
Guests are encouraged to make eye contact with the horses to feel that instant connection. All horses at Al Shaqab are sure to capture the hearts of everyone.
When things get more relaxed and 'back to normal', Al Shaqab can accommodate a bigger group of guests like the cruise ship tours and student tours. Students and children will then have a fantastic time enjoying educational and fun tours, and the chance of riding ponies.
Please follow current COVID-19 restrictions and note that:
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