They are heavily involved in breeding,
raising, training and showing prized
old-line Egyptian Arabians. Silber
takes life in the fast track. He likes
to race his Arabians.
T
he Frankels were taking a
pleasant drive in the country
several years ago when they
spotted a farm for sale. They bought
it and another parcel alongside and
now own 155 acres in Metamora.
When they first got into this venture,
Stan was the enthusiastic one. Judy
wasn't sure she would like country
life or riding horses since she had
never ridden before.
Their first horse purchase was
Missy, a mare, "bought scientifically,"
Judy says — "I thought she was pret-
ty." Missy was soon joined by two
thoroughbred geldings, Jet and
Prince Knox. Judy had to learn to
ride, an occasionally harrowing ex-
perience which she has come to enjoy.
"That Stanley loves it is no sur-
prise to me," Judy says. "That I like
it so much is a surprise to me."
Their horse ownership and joint
love for riding has prompted a new
form of communication between the
Frankels. Judy Frankel calls it "talk-
ing horse." They visit saddleries
wherever they go and collect horse Stan and Judy Frankel at their home in Metamora and (below) Tzviah Idan with Tveria.
gear catalogues. Yet they are em-
phatic when asked if they would take says, considered their fine Arabian
horsemanship beyond the pleasure mounts to be treasures and kept them
stage. The answer is no, though they in their tents. They were often given
to royalty as gifts.
may buy another horse or two.
"When you have a person well ac-
There are occasions when interest
and hobby cross a boundary and quainted with any horse and look at
become a business or even a way of a typical classic Egyptian Arabian
life. When the Iden's daughter Tzviah horse, you can look at it like someone
Idan was studying at the University looking at a Rembrandt. The size of
of Michigan in 1981, they bought her the eyes and ears, the straightness of
a horse. The business began to the leg, the tail carriage that stands
snowball from one boarded horse to a up like a flag. It's not just an animal
256-acre farm in Grand Blanc. The to ride on. It's part of the family."
And like a valued treasure, a pure
farm became a focal point for old-line
Egyptian Arabians which, much like blood Arabian can cost a fortune,
high-class pedigreed dogs, have a long though Jack Iden says the bottom fell
out of the Arabian horse market a
and exclusive bloodline.
"We went into it in a big way," couple of years ago. He has paid as
says Jack, a property manager. "We much as $22,500 for an Arab mare.
The Idens are involved in all
attracted a lot of boarders. We also
had clinics. Well-respected people in aspects of Arabian horses: breeding,
Arabian horse breeding hosted a raising, training and showing their
pride and joys. The breeding is an art
number of these." .
The Idens take horse breeding as much as it is science. One analyzes
seriously, almost as a passion for ex- the pedigree, looking for a certain horses, who have been shown at the
cellence. "I look at it as a trust .. . parentage and temperament. A horse Michigan State Fair grounds, at an
with a very rare gene pool," Jack Iden owner who wants to breed then con- Arabian horse show in Mason, MI,
says. Only about 900 pure old-line tacts a breeder with the stock being and at "The Buckeye," an Arabian
Egyptian Arabians are alive. He con- sought and the mare is shipped to show in Ohio, have won their share of
siders them special horses with a long that location. She spends the entire awards.
Jack Iden is still incredulous that
gestation period at the breeder's. The
and colorful past.
Jack Iden is a walking en- Idens recently sent one of their mares he and his wife, a journalist, are in
cyclopedia of Arabian horse breeding to Indiana to be bred to a stallion of the horse business. "If someone had
and history: How the Arabians got to their choosing. As Jack Iden sees it, said, 'Jack, you're gonna be in the
America, their lineage, breeding it's like "putting two Mercedes in a horse business,' I would've said,
techniques and regulations. Even the garage and 11 months later, you have `You're kidding!' "
horses' names conjure up the image three of them."
eon Silber shares the Idens'
Like pedigreed dog owners, Ara-
passion for Arabians. He
of their history and exclusive
He bought his first horse more
breeding: Sabbah, Fakir el Din, bian horse owners have their own
Baksheesh. The Bedouins, Jack Iden animal show circuit. The Idens' than 20 years ago and his interest
L
turned into a way of life.
Silber and horses probably
shouldn't have such a warm relation-
ship. Silber was almost killed by an
angry horse while he was in high
school training to be a jockey. That
soured him for a long time.
"I was deathly scared of horses,"
he says. Yet he decided horsemanship
was his calling and made up his mind
to conquer his fear. He purchased a
horse and, within a matter of months,
owned three of them.
Silber says his early knowledge of
horses was non-existent, but he was
determined to learn. And rather than
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
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