628 ASIATIC AND NORTH AFRICAN HORSES. 



often try the staying powers of their animals much more 

 highly than this." 



" Barbs were formerly used as French cavalry horses 

 and subsequently as chargers for French infantry officers. 

 Their employment in the French Army is now restricted 

 chiefly to Algeria and a few other colonies " {Cagny and 

 Gohert). Algerian Barbs have been much crossed with 

 French and English blood, and consequently have lost 

 a good deal of their original type (Fig. 600). 



For remarks on the classification of North African 

 horses, see page 422. 



East Indian Horses.- — The native horses of India 

 are of the smart, wiry sort (Figs. 417, 601 and 602). 

 As a rule, they are best when they do not exceed 14. i 

 or 14.2 ; for the more they are beyond this height, the 

 " weedier " do they become. Having light fore-hands 

 and well-sloped shoulders, they are clever and jump 

 well, and they have excellent feet. Their legs, though 

 capable of standing a great deal of work on hard ground, 

 are often mis-shapen, from errors of breeding and bringing- 

 up ; so that turned-out toes, calf-knees, cow-hocks, and 

 sickle-hocks are of frequent occurrence among them. 

 Generalty, they are flat-sided and wanting in muscle 

 over the loins. Consequently, they are poor we'ght- 

 carriers, and bad stayers at fast paces ; but are marvel- 

 lously good at enduring fatigue and privation. The 

 best of them make capital light cavalry horses up to, 

 say, 13 St. 7 lbs.. Although they are not as strong or 

 as good-looking as Arabs, they are probably hardier 

 and better suited to endure hunger and thirst. Many 

 of them, especially if they have a dash of EngHsh or Arab 

 blood, have a fair turn of speed, and consequently make 

 good pig-stickers and polo ponies. Indian racing ponies 

 which have a strong infusion of English blood, are 

 generally about 14 lbs. worse than Arabs of the same 

 height, and particularly so over long distances. At 



