40 The Arab Horse 



father Rabiah, descended without taint 

 of foreign blood from five famous mares 

 owned by Sheik Salaman, he being fourth 

 in descent from Ishmael son of Abraham. 

 Major Upton sums the entire matter in 

 these words: ''An authentic family of 

 horses has been preserved in Arabia for 

 3,500 years/' 



Until Upton had made the researches 

 that opened up the true history of the 

 Bedouins and their horses, it was common 

 report that these latter were descended 

 from mares that belonged to Mahomet. 

 It is capable of proof that Mahomet 

 never owned a horse until he went to 

 Medina. He then became possessed of 

 seven mares, three of which were bought 

 — their names and former owners are 

 recorded — and four others were gifts. 

 The race of pure bred Arab horses was 

 in existence three thousand years before 

 Mahomet was bom. 



Some writers have mentioned a family 

 of Nedjid horses, and of Kochlani, as 

 being the best strains of Arab blood. 



