Amazing decorative carved horse on metal stand

An astonishing piece, this is a carved wood horse, standing about 1.3m tall, with a flowing (real) tail and a saddle that terminates in a carved bird's (raptor) head.

I don't know, but I suspect it originates from the Middle East where white (grey) Arab horses and hunting with raptors is a serious sporting pastime. He, this wonderful, evocative horses, certainly represents something along those lines. And his decorative straps (carved wood too) would seem to fit with that genesis. Perhaps from a palace or even an hotel in that region?

He is made of solid wood, and weighs accordingly, although not a single piece. One or two joint cracks do show in his legs, but I'm not going to do anything about them as I believe he needs his age to show. Overpreparing him would weaken his powerful decorative presence.

An exciting piece. About 1.1m wide excluding his tail, and 1.3 tall from the floor to the tips of his ears.