ENCOMIUMS ON THE ARAB TAKEN AT RANDOM i6i 



enters at length into what hardships he can stand, 

 and says that a horse of well-known noble blood 

 ' will fetch any price,' while you can get an 

 ordinary horse for 80 or 100 piastres. 



Major Denham, on losing a fine Arabian, describes 

 how keenly he felt the loss, and says that although 

 he was ashamed of it, yet he was some days before 

 he could get over it ; the animal had been his 

 support and comfort through many a dreary day and 

 night. Almost all riders of Arabs have felt the 

 same sort of affection. As several authorities have 

 observed, ' the Arab is always a gentleman.' 



Captain Thomas Brown, 1830, says in his book 

 that the Turkomans trace all their best horses to 

 Arabian sires. They believe that the race degenerates 

 unless 'refreshed,' and they are therefore most anxious 

 to obtain fine Arabian horses. They live upon 

 plunder, and march from 70 to 105 miles a day for 

 twelve to fifteen days together without a halt. 

 They have been known to go 900 miles in eleven 

 successive days. Yet a sprinter would run away 

 from them for a sprint — but for a sprint only. 

 Where would be the sprinter at the end of the 

 fifteen days of 100 miles a day ? 



The use of the Arab by the Turkoman is further 

 alluded to by Mr. Henry Norman, M.P., in his book 

 on ' All the Russias,' fifty years after Captain 

 Brown wrote. He says that the Cossacks on the 

 Armenian frontier are supplied with rifles by the 

 Government ; their wiry little horses are their own. 



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