28 THE ART OF TAMING HORSES. 



judicious crosses with English blood, are superior for 

 strength and endurance to the Eastern horses bred in 

 the stud establishments of the East India Company. 



The exaggerated idea that long prevailed of the value 

 of the Arab horse, as compared with the English 

 thorough-bred, which is an Eastern horse improved by 

 long years of care and ample food, has been to a great 

 extent dissipated by the large importation of Arabs that 

 took place after the Crimean war in fact, they are on 

 the average pretty ponies of great endurance, but of 

 very little use in this country, where size is indispensa- 

 ble for profit. In the East they are of great value for 

 cavalry; they are hardy and full of fire and spirit. 

 " But," says Captain Nolan, " no horse can compare 

 with the English no horse is more easily broken in to 

 anything and everything there is no quality in which the 

 English horse does not excel no performance in which 

 he cannot beat all competition ; " and Nolan was as fa- 

 miliar with the Eastern, Hungarian, and German crosses 

 with the Arab as with the English thorough-bred. 



We spoil our horses, first by pampering them in hot 

 stables under warm clothing; next, by working them too 

 young; and, lastly, by entrusting their training to rude, 

 ignorant men, who rely for leading colt the way he 

 should go on mere force, harsh words, a sharp whip, 



see with surprise that Colonel Apperley, the remount agent, recom- 

 mends crosses with Norfolk trotting and Cleveland stallions. No such 

 cross has ever answered in this country. Had he recommended 

 thoroughbred weight-carrying stallions in preference to Arabs, I could 

 have understood his condemnation of the latter. I should have hesi- 

 tated to set my opinion against Colonel Apperley, had I not found 

 that he differs entirely from the late General Sir Walter Gilbert, the 

 greatest horseman, take him for all in all, as a cavalry officer, as a flat 

 and steeple-chase rider, and rider to hounds of his day. See Napier s 

 Indian Misgovernment, p. 286 et sej 



