24 THE HORSE 



some tribes only every second day ; but careful training precedes a hunting 

 excursion which may continue for one or two months during which no corn 

 is obtainable, and the rider's life may depend upon the fettle of his mount. 

 For two months in the winter the hunter is given no work but as much 

 corn and grass as he can eat. A drench of six to eight gallons of boiled 

 butter is administered to the horse, cast for the purpose, as a preliminary 

 and at intervals of two or three times a fortnight. After nearly two 

 months have elapsed grain only is fed and water once or twice a day for 

 about ten days, during which the horse is schooled and the size of the 

 stomach reduced. The horse is now considered fit for the chase of the 

 giraffe, elephant, antelope, or buffalo. 



" It may be added that the Saiiidia and Hamr tribes of camel Arabs keep 

 the best animals, the former owning a cross between the Darfur and 

 Arabian called the Gyouliat breed. 



" During the rainy season no horses are taken south of the eleventh degree 

 north latitude as an approximate line, owing to the prevalence of the tse- 

 tse fly. 



"In Abyssinia, contrary to the general rule in the Sudan, most horses are 

 cut, and mule breeding is extensively carried on. The horse is shaped like 

 that of Darfur, but is smaller and up to very little weight. The Galla 

 country is the principal breeding-ground, to the north of which the royal 

 breed named Gena Fingan is to be found, though said to have degenerated 

 very much from in-breeding, since for a long time it was kept entirely apart. 



" As I have no experience and little exact information of the Abyssinian 

 horse, I will merely add that it does not hold a vei'y high place in the 

 estimation of the wild horsemen who roam the pastures of the Sudan and 

 Central Africa." 



THE BURMA AND MANIPUR PONIES 



The Burma Pony is a stout useful little fellow, up to great weight, not 

 by any means fast, but a good jumper and very hardy. The Shan Hills 

 are the home and birthplace of this variety, but he is called a Fegu as 

 often as not. 



The Manipur is a distinct breed, smaller, quicker, and better looking. 

 This pony is famous for polo, which may almost be said to " run in the 

 blood," as polo has been played in his country for centuries. 



SUMATRA AND JAVA PONIES 



A COMPACT BREED OP PONIES about "11 to 13 " hands are found in these 

 countries. They have handsome heads, high crests, plenty of spirit, and 

 great muscular power. It is a common sight to see one of these cobby 

 ponies trotting away with a four-wheeled carriage containing four persons, 

 and apparently doing it with all the ease in the world. 



The Javanese are of the same type, but decidedlj' inferior to those of 

 Sumatra, whether Deli or Acheen. 



