FERSEYN
AHR*1381
Grey Stallion 1937 - Bred By W. K. Kellogg Institute
*
Raseyn X  *Ferda
FERSEYN

Bred by W. K. Kellogg

For many years Ferseyn was one of the three leading Arabian sires in North America, sharing honors with
Alla Amarward 1140 and Abu Farwa 1960. All three stallions were owned by H.H. Reese in California.

Ferseyn�s sire, *
Raseyn 597, was one of only three sons of the great Skowronek to come to the United States. One of these, *Raswan 607, died within months of his arrival in this country, but the other two, *Raseyn and *Raffles 952, both became extremely successful and influential sires here. *Raseyn, a gray foaled in 1923, was bred by Crabbet Stud in England and imported from there in 1926 by W.K. Kellogg, Pomona, California. Skowronek was a gray who turned snow white as he aged. He was bred by Antoniny Stud in Poland and was foaled in either 1908 or 1909. Skowronek was sired by the very good gray desert bred, Ibrahim, foaled in 1899 and taken to Antoniny in Poland in 1907. Skowronek�s dam, Jaskolka, a gray foaled in 1891, was considered one of the best mares at Antoniny. She came from very old and precious Polish lines going back to the very early 1800s - some of the oldest recorded pure Arab bloodlines in the world. Skowronek�s entire stud reputation was made at and by Crabbet in England. He was a horse of transcending merit and quality. He was an unusually prepotent sire who stamped his get strongly with his own ultra-classic Arabian type. *Raseyn inherited this classic type in full measure and he, in his turn, passed it on just as strongly as did Skowronek.

*
Ferda 596, the bay dam of Ferseyn, was bred at Crabbet in England. Foaled in 1913, she was imported with *Raseyn and several others in 1926 by Mr. Kellogg. Today *Ferda is recognized as having been one of the breed�s great broodmares; her blood has bred on with positive significance for generations. Her daughter, *Farasin 615, produced the great athlete and sire, Farana 708, as well as several other important individuals, most of them full siblings of Farana. *Ferda�s daughter, *Ferdisia 595, was an elegant, extremely high-class mare whose blood is relatively rare today, but treasured by connoisseurs. *Ferda�s son, *Ferdin 613, was for some years a successful Kellogg sire; he is found in pedigrees today through several sources. *Ferda�s strongest direct claim to fame, however, was her truly great son, Ferseyn.

While Ferseyn�s pedigree is considered 100% Crabbet, a detailed analysis of it reveals that the Crabbet makeup breaks down into 37.5% Ali Pasha Sherif Egyptian lines, 37.5% Blunt desert lines, and 25% Polish lineage. Because he bore the classic stamp of
Skowronek and *Raseyn so strongly, Ferseyn is often regarded more as of Skowronek breeding than anything else, but actually he was basically linebred to Mesaoud. He was 25% Skowronek, but he was 28.125% Mesaoud. The latter appears in Ferseyn�s pedigree four times - twice via *Raseyn and twice via *Ferda. *Raseyn�s brown Crabbet-bred dam, Rayya, foaled in 1915, was the product of a Mesaoud grandson on a Mesaoud daughter, as was *Ferda. This was a favorite linebreeding formula of Crabbet Stud. *Astraled 238, a brown foaled in 1900 and bred by Crabbet, appears in Ferseyn�s pedigree twice. He was one of the greatest sons of chestnut Mesaoud, who was one of the two most influential sires ever to stand at Crabbet - the other was Skowronek. Mesaoud was bred by Ali Pasha Sherif in Egypt. Foaled in 1887, the Blunts took him to England in 1891. Traveling with Mesaoud to England was Merzuk, also a chestnut foaled in 1887 and bred by Ali Pasha Sherif. After being in England only a few months, Merzuk was sold into obscurity - and oblivion - to South Africa. His sale was later much regretted because his only foal, the chestnut Ridaa foaled in 1892, proved herself one of the greatest of all the Crabbet broodmares. Ridaa and thus Merzuk each fill two spaces in Ferseyn�s pedigree. Three important Blunt desert mares appear in Ferseyn�s pedigree. Ferida was a bay foaled in 1886 and taken to England in 1891. The magnificent Queen Of Sheba, a brown foaled in 1875, was taken to England in 1879. Rodania, one of the most influential and important root mares in the Arabian breed, was a chestnut foaled in 1869 and taken to England in 1881. Rodania appears in Ferseyn�s pedigree three times, two of them via her great chestnut daughter, *Rose Of Sharon 246, an extremely meritorious Crabbet-bred mare foaled in 1885. Queen of Sheba is twice in Ferseyn�s pedigree, both times via her son *Astraled, the previously mentioned Mesaoud son. The Blunt desert stallion, Hadban [1878], a bay purchased by them in India in 1883, is found in Ferseyn�s pedigree twice via his daughter, *Rose Of Sharon. Ferseyn�s pedigree is linebred through the entire middle section with total outcrosses on the top, second generation, and the bottom, third generation.
As an individual, Ferseyn had the ultra-classic Arabian type which came so strongly through *
Raseyn/Skowronek, but in his case there was added to this look a certain refinement and elegance which came from *Ferda.

Ferseyn was a small horse. l don�t know his height because I never measured him, but he was probably in the neighborhood of from 14-1 to 14-2 hands; I don�t believe he could have been much over that. His head was very much in the tradition of his sire�s and those of many
Skowronek sons. In profile he displayed the flat, broad forehead associated with this Iine. He had a very mild dish and a refined, gentle rise over his nasal bone. His muzzle was pleasingly small. The line of his lower jaw tapered back to well defined, clean jowls. Overall, his head in profile was rather short and more or less wedge shaped. His face, from the front view, was exceptionally typy and extremely attractive. The great width between his eyes and his prominent eye cages were the dominating features. His nostrils were of average size and set up properly in his muzzle, but they were not quite as close together as is ideal. His head and face were characterized by fine chiseling and cleanness of bone. His eyes were very large and dark with a lively expression, which reflected the lively brain inside his head. Ferseyn�s ears were short, small, and of very pleasing appearance despite the fact that they were placed a bit farther apart than is ideal. He used his ears extremely well. Ferseyn�s nicely shaped neck was of average length and he used it unusually well so that most of the time it looked beautifully clean and attractive. Ferseyn�s shoulders were average; they were of correct 45� slope and of adequate length and definition, but they were not of such excellence that they commanded specific admiring attention. This horse was neither high nor clean enough in his withers. Ferseyn was rather long in the back and not entirely smooth over his coupling, but his back was strong and straight always. Ferseyn�s hindquarters were among his most beautiful features. His croup and hip were of good length, without being of really praiseworthy length, and the entire pelvic structure, from both side and rear views, was beautifully square and strong with excellent muscling throughout. His tail was well attached in a perfect manner. His tail carriage was true splendor. His tail was gaily carried in a high fountain arch, always perfectly straight (never in the least wry). His outstanding tail carriage, the arched way he consistently used his neck, and his overall abundance of Arabian type made Ferseyn a highly visible version of Arabian character.

Ferseyn had a wide - but not too wide - chest and good drop of legs all around. He featured excellent flat, clean bone, with the clean, strong tendons well away. His joints were large and clean. He had long, well muscled, forearms and gaskins with short cannons. His pasterns and feet were perfection; his feet were particularly beautiful and noteworthy in every way. We seldom see feet this good anymore, but part of the alarming modern situation as regards feet is clearly the result of extremely poor and uneducated foot care seen with increasing frequency today. I am sure some of the modern �farriers� (so-called) could have ruined Ferseyn�s beautiful feet too, but the point I wish to make is that this horse had inherited his excellent feet and carried the genes for them. I also want to hasten to say that there are a minority of very good farriers today along with the less good ones. From the side view, Ferseyn was in perfect front leg alignment; his hind leg alignment was quite satisfactory. From the rear view, his hind leg alignment was total perfection - and very beautiful. From the front view of his front legs, Ferseyn tended to sometimes toe-out a bit, but he did not always stand that way and I never saw a foal by him who had this flaw. He was the only *Raseyn get I ever saw who had it. I have, therefore, wondered if it might have been caused by some unknown early environmental factor. In general analysis the legs of this horse were very good; in proportion, quality, muscling, and structure, they were truly excellent and highly commendable.

Ferseyn had no particular action at the trot, but his trot was average and entirely correct with no motion flaws or aberrations of any kind. He moved freely and gracefully. His way-of-going (tracking) was entirely correct, despite the sometimes-mild toeing-out in front.

Ferseyn looked his best in normal healthy good flesh; when too fat he lost some of his elegant beauty. When young, the gray Ferseyn was attractively dappled. As he aged he became heavily flea-bitten. In the overview, he was an extremely stylish horse who carried himself well; he was an unusually beautiful, classic horse who strongly displayed Arabian breed character. He was a horse of quality whose good features far outweighed his faults. He was also an outstanding sire with strong capability to not only pass on his special superlative Arabian class and breed type, but also to improve in areas of head, legs, hindquarters, and overall refinement and quality.

In personality, Ferseyn was a prankster. His mind was always working and he was quick to find ways to amuse himself. He was adept at turning lights on or off, at undoing door latches and gate closings, and at untying knots. He was, like his sire, a nipper, but as was also the case with his sire, it was nothing mean. Although annoying to a handler, Ferseyn used his busy mouth like a person uses fingers. As he aged he nipped less and seemed more content to wait and see what might happen, rather than always trying to make something happen. In his paddock he often preferred to keep moving, although he was never a fence runner; unlike a fence runner he would stand quietly to eat as long as it took to eat a proper amount of food, but when done he was apt to begin to walk his route, swinging his head in a high circle. In one of his paddocks he wore a very deep path along his favorite fence route. At times in his life I occasionally saw a pregnant mare put with him to keep him from walking the fence and swinging his head. With such a mare he would stand quietly with her, enjoying peaceful companionship. He happily shared his feed manger with her. Inside the stable, in a stall, Ferseyn seemed to have no vices beyond his ability to open latches, but he did like to always see what was going on around him. He was a very easy keeper who always kept himself in good flesh.

Ferseyn was bred by the W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Ranch, but his dam was sold by that stud in 1936 when she was already pregnant with Ferseyn. *
Ferda�s buyer was Fred E. Vanderhoof, Woodlake, California, and it was on the Vanderhoof ranch that Ferseyn was foaled on May 21, 1937.

Herbert H. Reese was the manager of the Kellogg Ranch for 12 years from 1927 until 1939 at which time he left Mr. Kellogg�s employ and began his own Arabian horse establishment at Covina, California, just a few miles west of the Kellogg Ranch. When Ferseyn became available for sale when he was 2 years old, Mr. Reese bought the very attractive and promising colt. At the Reese stable Ferseyn joined
Alla Amarward who had been purchased just a short time before. Abu Farwa was to follow in 1942.

Although Mr. Reese apparently bought Ferseyn in 1939, he did not get his papers transferred into his name until April 26, 1940, because it was necessary to effect a color change in registry records. Ferseyn had originally been registered as a bay, but he had actually been gray and by the time Reese bought him this was very obvious.
At the Reese stable Ferseyn settled in well and readily accepted his place in the hierarchy as second to the sober minded
Alla Amarward who was a mature stallion of 4 years when the still adolescent Ferseyn arrived. When Ferseyn was 5 years old, however, the big 2 year old Abu Farwa was given a stall in the stallion barn and Ferseyn couldn�t resist. Whenever he could get the newest stall latch figured out and free himself during the night, he went right on by Alla Amarward�s stall and spent his time happily harassing the bigger, but very adolescent, newcomer who felt his very survival in the hierarchy depended on his making a good show against the visiting gray stallion. The Reeses would, of course, be awakened by the resulting noise. Eventually a stall latch was devised which even the adroit Ferseyn could not figure out and there after the night forays stopped.

At the Reese ranch Ferseyn was trained to ride. He began his stud career when only 2 years of age and was an immediate success. Mr. Reese eventually sold his Covina property and moved to a large ranch at Chino, California. During this period - probably during the 1955 season - Ferseyn was leased for a time to Sonny Wilkinson of Chino. I cannot now remember the details, but I think Mr. Wilkinson rode the horse rather more than he had previously been ridden and also stood him at stud.By 1956 Ferseyn was back at Reese�s Chino ranch and Gordon J. Lemons, a new student at California State Polytechnic College at Pomona (which was the old Kellogg Ranch) who had just gotten out of the U.S. Army, had come to work part-time for Mr. Reese. Gordon and I became good friends (and remain such today). In September of 1956 we decided it would be something special for us if we could ride and be photographed riding the three very historically important Reese stallions. Mr. Reese gave his consent. We brought the stallions in one by one, cleaned e
ach in turn, rode each, and took each other�s pictures.

It was great fun riding these famous stallions; each was very different. Dear old Alla, then almost 21 years old, had not been ridden with a saddle for 12 years and at best had never been more than green-broke, although sometimes someone would hop on him bareback with just a halter and rope and ride him out to bring the mares or cattle in from their pastures. Alla had never before worn a full bridle which was all Gordon and I had to use that day, but he accepted it in good grace and did his best - although he surely seemed surprised at this unexpected interruption in his ordered life. Ab was, of course, beautifully trained English and well schooled in a full bridle; he was an unforgettable powerhouse to ride and certainly not a horse who lulled his rider to sleep. Ferseyn was accustomed to western tack. I don�t know if he had ever before worn a full bridle, but he accepted it with no opinions expressed on his part. When I got on him I asked him to move off at a walk which he did readily enough, but he immediately began to test me by not walking quite straight. I could feel that this fun loving horse wanted to see what, if anything, I would do about this. I straightened him out and he decided I could ride, just a little, so he went on very well - so well, in fact, that after a time I did become lulled into complacency. I dropped the reins, keeping only a light hold on the very end loops, and let my mind happily wander while I relaxed and enjoyed this great horse. He sensed immediately when my full attention was no longer on him and he lost no time in taking advantage of this. He quite suddenly stopped dead in his tracks and simultaneously turned his head around and grabbed my right foot in his mouth. I almost always rode with soft moccasins and so he had my foot itself in his mouth and not a boot. He did not bite down, but held my foot in a firm grip from which I could not extricate it. He looked up at me, his eyes dancing with fun. A victory! He was absolutely delighted. I pulled his head away with the left reins and we went on. I did not give this then 19 year old prankster another chance - he had taught me to pay attention.

From 1949 until his death in 1963, I was Mr. Reese�s part-time secretary and I also spent considerable time during those years grooming the Reese stallions. Ferseyn was always easy to handle, but it was necessary to watch his mouth and make sure he was tied securely; it was well to keep checking the tie as well. To him the grooming itself was nice, but the best part was the opportunity it afforded him to match wits and perhaps devise a little entertainment for himself.
During his stud career, which spanned 24 seasons from 1939 through 1962, Ferseyn sired a total of 250 registered Arabian foals - he had 122 sons and 128 daughters. This number falls into better perspective when we consider that at the time of his death there were still less than 25,000 living Arabians in the United States. Of his get, 79.2% or 198 individuals reproduced. The 20.8% which never bred consisted of 7 daughters and 45 sons. There were far too many Ferseyn get to list them all here, but I will try to name some which for one reason or another hold special interest.

In 1941 there was Nazar 2135, an unusually beautiful gray/white gelding of superlative style and type. He was out of Vivienna 1002 and was bred by Woodworth Clum. Before he was gelded, Nazar sired 8 foals. l used to ride this ultra gorgeous horse and always considered it a terrible mistake for the breed that some unknown person had gelded him.
In 1944 came one of the most important sons Ferseyn ever got - the classic and beautiful gray, Ferneyn 2865, bred by Harvey G. Ellis. A double grandson of *
Raseyn, Ferneyn was out of Moneyna 1352, a particularly sweet tempered and lovely mare renowned in her time for her bridleless appearances in parades, shows, and on trail rides. Ferneyn got 151 foals, the most famous of which was Ferzon 7723, a double grandson of Ferseyn and a triple great-grandson of *Raseyn. Ferzon was the central shaping figure in the Gainey breeding program, now famous throughout much of the Arabian horse breeding world.

Latseyn 3654, a gray foaled in 1946, was one of Ferseyn�s most beautiful sons. He was out of Mailatrah 2402 and was bred by Roy Jackson. Latseyn sired 27 foals.

Fersara 4104, a gray mare foaled in 1947, was unquestionably one of the most important animals Ferseyn ever sired. Widely renowned for her extraordinary class and beauty, she was one of the most famous show mares of her time. Her dam was the great broodmatron, Bint Sahara 2394. Bred by Frank B. McCoy, Fersara was the main foundation of his well-known and very successful breeding program; she produced 8 foals in her life, including Ferzon, mentioned earlier. Through Ferzon, Fersara also had strong influence on the Gainey program.

Three significant Ferseyn sons were in his 1948 foal crop. They were all grays. The outstanding Taj Mahal 4539, out of Mlecha 1997, was bred by R.J. Geimer. He got 68 foals. Al-Marah Safir 4573, a beautiful horse was out of the lovely Rose of Luzon 2184 and was also bred by Mr. Geimer. Al-Marah Safir got 68 foals in his life, too. Seneyn 4958, out of the very beautiful Allaseyna 2768, got 108 foals. He was bred by Roy J. Jackson.

Saki 6248, one of Ferseyn�s most famous and best daughters, was foaled in 1950. A gray, she was out of the outstanding mare Ferdia 1588. Saki was bred by Mary Susan Brown and became the premier broodmare at the Jack Tone Ranch in California. She ultimately produced 14 foals.
Khalek 7175, foaled in 1951, was a very high quality gray stallion bred by Mary Doesken and Lorraine Messenger. He got 77 foals. His dam was Shangri-La 2230.
At this point in his life, the success of and widespread coverage given to his daughter,
Fersara, made the 15 year old Ferseyn much in demand as a sire.

In the 1953 Ferseyn foal crop was Royal Son 8365, a fine chestnut full brother of
Fersara. Bred by Harry Linden, he got 75 foals during his rather short life.

Fermait 8879 was foaled in 1954. Bred by Florence E. Bradburn, this chestnut was out of Anamait 3357 and he sired 39 foals during his life. The 1954 bay stallion, El Gato 9075, was one of the best sons Ferseyn ever sired. Bred by Reggie Crawley, El Gato was out of the outstanding broodmatron El Sikada 2340. El Gato got 108 foals during his life.

In 1955 the memorable chestnut stallion, Ferseyns
Rasim 9700, was foaled. Out of Anazehs Nijm 8090, he was bred by Carleton Cummings. He sired 53 foals in his life.

Fersha 11722 was a 1956 gray stallion out of Sha-lra 6823. Bred by Donald C. McKenna, Fersha got 110 foals. In Ferseyn�s 1956 foal crop was also the only Arab of which I am recorded as the breeder, although I have certainly advised on the breeding of a great many others. The one I bred was the lovely bay mare Habanina 11721, out of *Habanera 6779. Habanina produced 5 foals.
Ferseyn�s largest foal crop numbered twenty and arrived in 1957. Royal Storm 12017, an excellent gray full brother to the wonderful
Fersara, was bred by Frank McCoy. Royal Storm sired 129 foals. Sir-Seyn 12876 was a gray stallion out of Wud-Ali-Abou 8123. Bred by Catherin Richardson, he got 90 foals.

It was at about this time that a major change was shaping up in the life of Ferseyn. Mr. Reese�s health began to fail and Frisco Mari, of nearby Puente, California, wanted very much to own Ferseyn, a horse with an established reputation as one of the great living sires of the breed. Ferseyn was sold.

After his sale, Ferseyn stayed on at the Reese ranch in Chino for a time, no doubt to fulfill prior commitments. Mr. Reese had always fed an old fashioned simple diet which kept his horses in very good condition, promoted good health, and seemed a factor in longevity, but which did not feature supplements or grain other than rolled barley and oats if needed. The Reese horses lived rather natural lives - and did very well. The Mari family wanted to do the best possible for their treasured new stallion and asked that he be fed somewhat differently. A very easy keeper, Ferseyn unfortunately foundered on his new diet. For the rest of his life his feet bothered him. Ferseyn was the only horse I ever knew to founder under the care of Mr. Reese.

I cannot remember when Ferseyn went to his new home at Mari�s Sol de Villa Ranch, I know he was at the Reese ranch for at least part of 1958. He was then 21 years old. After Ferseyn went to Sol de Villa, Mr. Reese missed him so much that he expressed regret for the sale. When Reese�s health made a temporary rally, he eventually bought the outstanding Ferseyn son, El Gato, in an attempt to replace Ferseyn. While El Gato was a better horse than his sire, he just was not the same horse and he never quite filled the same spot as had Ferseyn in Mr. Reese�s heart; in addition, Mr. Reese�s health began to decline again.

Zelamat 15215, was a 1959 gray Ferseyn son out of Admarka 7382. Bred by Lillian E. Goedert, he got 51 foals.

The 1960 gray stallion Regis 16193 was one of Ferseyn�s most popular and successful sons; he got 183 foals. His dam was the outstanding and very elegant Farnasa 1130, a full sister of the great
Farana. Bred by the Kellogg Ranch, Farnasa had remained there as a broodmare when that stud became California State Polytechnic College. In her old age, when I was secretary at what had been the Kellogg Ranch, I noticed that she was no longer able to fare year-round in the pastures. She stood shivering when it was cold or raining and she needed special barn care; she was then 24 years old. l pointed this out to the manager of that time, but instead of agreeing to bring her into the barn he told me to call the knacker and have her shot and hauled away. l could not do that. l had known Farnasa all her life and all this superlative own daughter of the great *Nasik 604 needed was extra care. Instead of the knacker, l called Frisco Mari and suggested that maybe, if he could come immediately and offer $500 for Farnasa, he could get her. This he did and he did get her. The Mari family fully restored her health and bred her to Ferseyn; Regis was the result. He was her last foal.

Lawseyn 18693, a bay bred by Lloyd C. Laws, was in Ferseyn�s 1961 foal crop. He was out of the illustrious broodmare Farlouma 2345, dam of Farlowa 8545, who was one of the best sons of the great
Abu Farwa. Lawseyn sired 60 foals.

One of Ferseyn�s most important breeding sons was in his 1962 foal crop. The gray Amerigo 20585 was out of the lovely Polish mare, *Szarza 18275. Bred by Frisco Mari, Amerigo is credited with 227 foals.

Ferseyn�s last foal crop arrived in 1963, after his death.

Ferseyn died on November 6, 1962, at age 25, from complications resulting from his earlier founder. Mr. Reese died just five months and one day later. At the time of Ferseyn�s death, the Mari family had owned him for about four years. Prior to that, Mr. Reese had owned Ferseyn for some nineteen years while before that Mr. Vanderhoof had owned him for two years. Mr. Reese, as manager of the Kellogg Ranch when Ferseyn was bred, also planned the mating which resulted in the birth of this great horse. Ferseyn made the reputation of Sol de Villa as a significant stud, but Mr. Reese�s management of the horse made the reputation of Ferseyn as an American great, along with
Alla Amarward and Abu Farwa.
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