The Horse 251 



ron, or his derivative, the Canadian. More- 

 over, the big breeds have coarse bones and 

 spongy as to texture. Oriental horses and 

 thoroughbreds have bone compact as ivory 

 and well-nigh as hard as flint. 



A thoroughbred wears a satin coat set off 

 with mane and tail of silk. A cart horse, be 

 he never so glossy, has hair coarse to the 

 touch, with mane and tail of hemp. A 

 sightly beast, a pattern of his kind, the lead- 

 ing factor until lately in the world's develop- 

 ment, the cart horse is yet no match, weight 

 for weight, even in his own special province, 

 for the thoroughbred, compact of fire and stay, 

 ivory bone, and whipcord muscle. A blood 

 horse will break down, even kill, two common 

 ones, yet be sound and serviceable afterward. 

 Witness Omar Pacha, the Turk, who travelled 

 ninety miles without check, in time of the 

 Crimean War to carry news of a Russian 

 repulse, and lived to a good old age after, 

 though his rider died of sheer exhaustion. 

 Witness also the Nedjed breed, derived 

 from Mahomet's own favorite mare, and still 

 kept religiously by the Imaun of Muscat, 

 whose warriors think nothing of a hundred 

 and twenty miles without once drawing rein, 

 if horsed with these, " The Daughters of the 

 Stars." 



"Oats ! " wrote Dr. Samuel Johnson : U A 



