About Al Haddar Stud

Al Haddar Stud was founded on a deep and enduring love for horses that accompanied Shaikh Mohamed from childhood and was shaped through a lifetime of perseverance, humility, and dedication, guided by those who valued discipline, integrity, and true horsemanship.

From an early age, Shaikh Mohamed loved horses deeply, despite being raised in a family that did not share this passion. After exhausting every attempt to convince his father to buy him a horse, he made a defining decision at just twelve years old. In the intense heat of a July day, without informing his father, he rode his bicycle from East Riffa to West Riffa with his friend Isa Al-Muharri, heading to the Ruler's Majlis to personally ask for a horse.

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Exhausted and sunburned, he was noticed by a guard at the entrance, who asked him to sit and rest and offered him lemon juice. When asked why he had come, Shaikh Mohamed replied that he wished to ask the Emir for a horse. The guard pointed toward the Majlis of His Royal Highness Shaikh Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, but seeing it filled with elder visitors, Shaikh Mohamed hesitated and remained near the columns. Even when directed to a smaller Majlis, he still felt intimidated.

Later, when the Emir walked into the garden, he noticed Shaikh Mohamed and called him forward. Shaikh Mohamed approached, kissed his hand, and was asked who he was and what he wanted. His answer was simple and sincere: "I want a horse." When asked whether he knew how to ride, he answered honestly that he did not. The Emir explained that just as someone without a license is not allowed to drive a car, a person who does not know how to ride cannot be given a horse. He then directed him to Fatees Al-Hajri, who was responsible for the Emir's horses, and asked that he be taught to ride first.

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For nearly two years, Shaikh Mohamed trained and learned the foundations of horsemanship, discipline, and responsibility. This lesson—that love for horses must be earned through knowledge and effort—remained with him throughout his life.

At around sixteen years of age, Shaikh Mohamed later met His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa bin Salman Al-Khalifa and expressed his wish to ride horses. He was invited to Safirah, where he was first given a blue mare originally from Iraq. After riding under supervision and proving his capability, he was entrusted with a mare named Al-Ma'anaghiyyah Al-Shagra. When asked to gallop her and demonstrating full control, he was permitted to race on Friday—finishing first place in his very first race.

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When Al-Ma'anaghiyyah Al-Shagra was later sent for breeding, he moved on to riding another mare named Shahla, in keeping with the traditions of the time, which favored riding mares rather than stallions, as was customary historically in work and even in warfare.

His racing journey continued with Albawaga, a mare imported from Iraq and gifted to him by Shaikh Mohamed bin Khalifa bin Ali Al-Khalifa, whom he raced in Riffa.

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As the responsibilities of work and life increased, Shaikh Mohamed stepped away from horses for a period, though his bond with them never faded.

That bond was renewed when he was gifted a dark red stallion of the Jellaby strain by His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed bin Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa. He named the stallion Masood, later registered in the first stud book as Jellaby M7. At the time, he did not own a horse transport trailer, so he borrowed one to collect the stallion. When Masood refused to load despite repeated attempts, Shaikh Mohamed chose not to give up. Together, they walked the horse nearly twelve kilometers to the farm: one person would lead the horse on foot while the other drove the car ahead for a short distance, parked it, and walked back to the horse, repeating this process until they arrived. This story became a lasting example of his determination and perseverance.

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Shaikh Mohamed trained and rode Masood for many years, and over time acquired and was gifted many horses, with continued encouragement and support from Prince Mohamed bin Salman Al-Khalifa.

In 2004, he acquired his first Al-Khalifa desert-bred mare, marking the true beginning of the stud. He named it Al Haddar Stud, in reference to the historic origins of the Al-Khalifa family at Al-Haddar in the mid-17th century.

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Today, Al Haddar Stud preserves ten of the original twenty Al-Khalifa strains, the result of decades of commitment to heritage breeding.

Horses were never simply animals to Shaikh Mohamed; they were family. He followed every breeding decision closely, bonded with each horse individually, and spent countless days and nights at his farm in Bahrain ensuring their wellbeing. The growth of Al Haddar Stud was supported by His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa and His Highness Shaikh Sultan Al-Deen bin Mohamed bin Salman Al-Khalifa, who enabled access to the finest stallions and supported the stud's development.

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Until his final days, stories of horses brought him joy and energy. His life revolved around them, and his closest friendships were with those who shared the same love.

Al Haddar Stud stands as the enduring symbol of a dream born in childhood, to which Sh. Mohamed devoted his life and his love for horses.