CHAPTER III 



THE HORSES OF THE EAST 



THE BARB — THE EGYPTIAN HOUSE — THE DONGOLA HOKSE— THE BURMA AND MANIPUR 

 PONIES — SUMATRA AND JAVA PONIES— CHINESE AND COREAN PONIES — JAPANESE 

 HORSES — THE MODERN ARAB — THE PERSIAN HORSE — THE TURKISH HORSE — OTHER 

 ASIATIC HORSES— EAST INDIAN HORSES — THE AUSTRALIAN HORSE— SOUTH AFRICAN 

 HORSES. 



THE BARB 



This kind is named after the country in which it is found, which is 

 rather an extensive one, comprehending the states of Tunis, Tripoli, Algiers, 

 Fez, and Morocco, all lying on the northern coast of Africa to the west 

 of Egypt. "Vegetation is very luxurious in the valleys watered by the 

 streams which descend from the Atlas Mountains in their course to the 

 Mediterranean, and grass is abundant in the early spring and autumn, but 

 in the summer season the great heat burns it all up ; and therefore the 

 horse is dependent upon the care of man for fodder during a great part of 

 the year. Berenger describes the true Barb as follows :— 



" The fore-hand is long, slender, and badly furnished with mane ; but 

 the neck rises distinctly and boldly out of the Avithers ; the head is small 

 and lean ; ears, of good size, and well placed ; shoulders, light, obliquely 

 sloping, and broad ; withers, thin and high ; loins, straight and short ; 

 flanks and ribs, round, and well developed ; haunches, strong ; croup, some- 

 what too long ; quarters, muscular and full ; legs, clean, and the tendons 

 clearly marked and separate from the bone ; pasterns, somewhat too long 

 and slanting ; feet, sound and of good shape. In size they are lower than 

 the Arabs, seldom measuring more than fourteen and a half hands, and 

 they have not as much spirit, speed, or endurance, although in external 

 things they are perhaps superior to him." 



The GoDOLPHiN Arabian, of which the annexed cut is a representation, 

 is said to have been imported into France from Barbary, and is supposed 

 to have been presented by the Emperor of Morocco to Louis XIY. as a 

 fine Barb ; but he was thought so little of in Paris that he was set to draw 

 a cart about the streets, from which ignoble occupation he was rescued by 

 Mr. Coke, and brought over to England. This gentleman gave him to a 

 Mr. Williams, who kept the St. James' Coffee-house, and by him he was 

 presented to the Earl of Godolphin for stud purposes. It was, however, 

 only by chance that his value was discovered ; for being used as teazer to 



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