The sun is not yet up over the desert , but already 50 horses and riders are gathered at Qatar 's Endurance Village in Al-Wakra , half an hour 's drive from the capital Doha . They are gathered to compete in a 120-kilometer ( 74.5-mile ) endurance race , the likes of which are held here most weeks . Masked riders gaze steely-eyed into the desert as their horses crest their necks and paw the ground , eager to get the race under way . The starter counts down in Arabic , and the horses and riders surge over the starting line , galloping into the pitch-black desert with their high-held tails streaming behind them . Hot on their heels a fleet of Land Cruisers hares after them across the sand , the glare of their headlights creating a moving oasis of light . These are the support vehicles from which the owners , trainers and managers can observe the race in progress and shout instructions . Today , the horses will complete laps of a 30 km ( 18.6 miles ) course , stopping for checks at the end of each lap . Any horse deemed unfit to continue the race will be eliminated at each check point . They will travel at speeds of up to 40 km per hour ( 25 mph ) for around eight hours . Of the 50 who started the race , fewer than a quarter will complete it . Most of the horses are pure-breed Arabians who are revered in Islamic culture , prized for their beauty , intelligence and , above all , their endurance . It was the Arabian horse that formed the genetic blueprint for the modern racehorse , with every modern thoroughbred tracing its DNA to just three `` original '' oriental stallions imported to the UK in the 18th century . Some say the Arabian horse was a gift to mankind from Allah . The ancient breed is supremely well-adapted to the unforgiving desert terrain of the Middle East . Many of these animals are ex-racehorses , gradually trained and brought up to fitness to compete in endurance races . Although the sport is ancient in its origins , today 's races are as professional as they are competitive , with horses conditioned to the peak of fitness and subject to rigorous veterinary inspections both during and after the race . At each stage 's completion , the horses are doused with water and their heart rates measured . A team of veterinarians inspects each horse thoroughly before it is allowed to continue the race . The number of competitors is gradually whittled down until only the very fittest are left to contest the final laps . Endurance is taken seriously in this part of the world : many of the horses are owned by members of the Qatari and Dubai Royal families . One such owner is Sheikh Maktoum , ruler of Dubai . His son Sheikh Rashid is a champion endurance rider in his own right who is competing here today . `` I 've been riding since I was 11 years old and doing endurance since 2006 , '' he said during an inspection . `` Some people in my family are more into flat racing ( his father owns one of the most important thoroughbred racing operations in the world ) , some are more into endurance racing . I actually started with polo but then I was attracted by endurance and I loved it . Hopefully I will be doing it for the rest of my life . '' Unfortunately for Sheikh Rashid , he and his striking grey horse are eliminated after the penultimate lap . But is it one of his compatriots from Dubai who claims first place in a sprint finish with another rider . They are among only a handful of riders to complete the grueling course . The enduring appeal of such a sport is easy to understand ; physically and strategically demanding , it is also an expression of the extreme respect with which horses -- particularly Arabian ones -- are treated in this part of the world . Muslims were told that if they treated these precious horses with love and respect , they would be handsomely rewarded , both in their earthly life and beyond . While the winning rider accepts this congratulations from the crowd , his horse -- a magnificent chestnut with the dish-shaped face and high tail carriage characteristic of the breed -- is handed to a team of grooms to be looked after . With a last look back over his shoulder as he is led away , the horse flares his nostrils and whinnies , a final call to the desert from whence he came .
The ancient tradition of desert racing continues in the United Arab Emirates . The 50 horses and riders set off , completing laps of the desert terrain . The horses are given thorough medical checks after each lap to ensure they are healthy . Only a handful of the horses will make it to the finish line in Qatar .