CHOICE OF A HORSE. 



this mutilation be countenanced. For docking, in the case 

 of some harness horses, there may be some excuse ; but 

 for this senseless barbarism, which serves no purpose, there 

 is absolutely none. Having already stated my opinions on 

 the just proportion between the horse and his rider, I will 

 only add that these miniature blood horses should only be. 

 ridden by medium-sized men. Some of them carry young 

 ladies to perfection, but they lack the height necessary to 

 carry a full-grown eqtiestrienne, 



Ofttimes and many have I been accused of being afflicted 

 with the Arab craze. To the accusation I plead guilty 

 without extenuating circumstances. Having had as much 

 and more to do with pure-bred horses of the silent desert 

 than most men not of Ishmaelitish lineage, I hold the tough 

 Arab fibre in the highest esteem. I am convinced that in 

 the black tabernacles of the Bedaween of the Maha Rania 

 exists the horse in the perfection of his beauty and pride. 

 The difficulty is to get really good specimens of the highest 

 pedigree. Only two faults can be found with the Arabian 

 for park and road riding — viz. that for general purposes he 

 lacks height, seldom being found over 14 hands 3 inches 

 high ; and that he is a careless walker, given to tripping. 

 Those now being bred in this country are rapidly acquiring 

 increased stature, and with the change of habitat they 

 appear to lose this slovenly habit. In the face of persistent 

 opposition this terse, active, and altogether delightful little 

 horse is rapidly winning his way into favour. "The value 

 of a thing is exactly what it will fetch" is an old axiom. 

 A few years back I have seen Arabs sold at Tattersall's for 

 a few sovereigns, but now anything worth looking at readily 

 fetches ;£"i2o and upwards. Their intrinsic value will be 

 ascertained when the results of their unions with approved 

 weight-carrying, blood, and three-parts bred mares appear 



