214 THE ARAB THE HORSE OF THE FUTURE 



writer, ' too greatly increasing its height would cause 

 it to lose something.' I doubt if you could greatly 

 increase its height if you kept the breed pure. If 

 the height were increased by cocktails or hackneys 

 the breed would lose much. Besides, it would no 

 longer be pure Arab. 



The Adelaide Chronicle (August 23, 1902) writes 

 that a small horse of 15 to 15.2 hands was the type 

 of stallion required for the India markets ; a horse 

 15.3 to 1 6. 1 hands is altogether too large, however 

 well bred. 



An article in the Spectator (March 15, 1902) says 

 ' that the English riding-horses are condemned as 

 " too long on the leg." To stand campaigning, a 

 beast must be compact and short-legged.' 



I think it is Major- General Tweedie who cites a 

 shrewd judge as saying that a good big horse may 

 beat a little one over a short course, but at three or 

 four miles a good little one would beat the biggest 

 he ever saw ; and another writer has said that 

 he would go further, and assert that a moderate, 

 medium-sized horse would beat a good big one. 

 But the ' horsey swell ' prefers to be high up in the 

 world ! 



The Spectator lays down that it is clear that the 

 same sire which produces a racehorse is not needed 

 to procure a good cross-country riding-horse ; nor 

 would the best racing blood ever be available, if only 

 on account of the cost for such a purpose. This 

 gives the key to much of the mischief The cost of 



