77 



curry-comb has but four teeth and no handle, the accompanying brush 

 to which, is simply a piece of felt. 



The Persians in general, are reported to be very adroit in the art of 

 shoeing the Horse, having little difficulty in adjusting to the foot, 

 almost any shoe that conies to hand, which facility it seems, results 

 chiefly from the usual strength and soundness of their Horses feet, that 

 nails can scarcely be driven amiss. They shoe with light, flat, even 

 shoes, on which the Horse is liable to slip. Pity but they were acquaint- 

 ed with La Fosse's metluxl, calculated so well for strong feet. They 

 feed and turn to grass like the Arabians, mixing salt with the barley on 

 Avhich they feed their Horses, with the intent of correcting the rank- 

 noss of their dung, and rendering it less offensive as litter. 



This people, like their ancestors, excel in feats of horsemanship, 

 indeed, the report of their activity on horseback, may sound somewhat 

 miraculous to many readers. The fact is nevertheless well established. 

 The Persians are accustomed to play at 7nall on horseback, and so 

 situated, strike the ball with a skill and certainty altogether surprizing. 

 They also place upon the top of a tree, or high pole, a ball or apple, as 

 a mark, setting off at full speed, when they have passed the mark, 

 they turn themselves round toward their Horse's croupe, and in that 

 attitude, drawing their bows, seldom fail to hit the mark with their 

 arrows. Like the Turks and Arabs, the Persians also perform a variety 

 of these feats; such as striking their darts into a turban, or tossing them 

 up into the air, riding alter and catching them as they fall, whilst their 

 Horses are running at their utmost speed. Leaping from one Horse to 

 another, creeping under the belly and around to the saddle again, turn- 

 ing several times round the neck, standing, upright upon the saddle, 

 with their faces towards the tail, the Horses all the while running at 

 full speed. 



In the year of our Lord 15P0, Vioggi de Gasparo Balhi, between Bal- 

 sora and Bagdad, saw, but whether sleeping or waking, has neglected 

 to inform his readers, a singular breed of green Horses with yellow 

 eyes. The traveller might probably see, in a bad light, or with bad 

 eyes, or under some deceptive circumstances, yellow or cream-coloured 

 Horses with yellow eyes. Such are the Hanoverian Horses of his 



Majesty, 



