Blood

A gray Arabian horse with a “blood mark.” Also known as a “bloody shoulder” (although it can appear on several parts of a horse’s body), this unusual marking has a famous legend behind it. A great bedouin chief had a magnificent mare that he prized above all horses. Once he was out riding with this mare when he was attacked by bandits. Despite being heavily pregnant, the mare valiantly tried to carry her rider to safety, but it was in vain; he was shot in the heart. Nevertheless, his horse carried his body back to his tribe, with his lifeblood staining her shoulder reddish-brown. When her foal was born, he too carried the blood-red mark on his shoulder. Their descendants continue to bear this marking.

Alcohol markers and ink on marker paper. Approx. 7 x 10 inches. © Mary DeMauro 2015