Unlike the emir of Bahrain, who took over as ruler upon the death of his father, the emir of Qatar couldn't wait for nature to take its course. On June 27, 1995, Sheikh Hamad dethroned his father Sheikh Khalifa, who was travelling abroad. Nearly a decade later, he continues to rule Qatar.
Yet, like the emir of Bahrain, he likes to be depicted alongside white horses. The murals in Bahrain (below) depict the emir astride a white steed with head bowed. The official photographs in Qatar spotlight the emir holding the horses' reins (right). The horses stare out at us while the emir gazes to the side.
Since the emirs hold the reins of power, these official depictions imply that their subjects are like white thoroughbreds. In Bahrain, the horses have their heads bowed, honored to be ridden into the future by so esteemed a ruler. In the ostensibly more tolerant Qatar, the horses get to stand alongside their ruler. But don't doubt for a minute that the emir would not yank the reins (set around the mouth) hard if any horse might dare rise up.
I suppose you have to feel sorry for the white horses.
Posted by: Homeowner Loans | May 13, 2010 at 07:18 AM