What is "GSB" (General Stud Book)?

Dana Harrison of Mechanicsville, Virginia wrote to ask:
"I recently bought an Arabian gelding and many of his ancestors have "GSB" behind their names. Forgive my ignorance, but does GSB simply mean the horses were registered in England or does this mean these horses were Crabbet horses?

A Definition of GSB (General Stud Book)

by Alexia Ross © 2002

A GSB Arabian traces in all lines of its pedigree to horses registered in the General Stud Book in the UK. The General Stud book predated the founding of the Arab Horse Society and ceased to accept addtional lines of Arabians shortly after the latter came into being, the last imported Arabian registered with the GSB being Skowronek who was registered in 1921.

Almost all 100% Crabbet Arabians are also 100% GSB (this was Lady Wentworth's registry of choice even after the founding of the AHS) with only one exception I am aware of, that of the mare Dafina who was added to Crabbet after the GSB was closed to new imports (this would also apply to Mirage if there is anything left of his line that is 100% Crabbet). 100% GSB horses tend to be at least 95% Crabbet as non-Crabbet imports were not numerous in this period but they did exist - horses such as Dwarka, Kesia and El Emir to name a few - so 100% GSB is not necessarily 100% Crabbet.

For definition of 100% Crabbet click here.

PLEASE NOTE: I have 6 copies of the GSB and Old English Breeders Directory from 2000. There are 18 pages bound in a slide edge binder. FREE to the first 6 people who send me $2.00 in stamps to mail them out. Advise email me first to hold the copy at georgia@crabbet.com.