ARAB HORSE 



attached to such matters at horse shows, thanks in no small 

 extent to the example set by American judges, who show 

 no sympathy to horses which come into the ring in a 

 slovenly condition or improperly harnessed. Hence the 

 existence of so-called " appointment classes," in which so 

 many marks are allotted to the horse, and a certain per- 

 centage each to the vehicle, the harness, and the livery 

 of the coachman. (See Furniture.) 



Arab Horse. — The Arab, unfortunately for himself, has 

 been the victim of much absurd hyperbole which has been 

 lavished upon him by unreasoning friends possessed of 

 no sense of proportion whatsoever. He is, however, un- 

 doubtedly a very useful horse in his proper place, and 

 unquestionably the English thoroughbred and other breeds 

 owe their existence to the services of Eastern sires in days 

 gone by. 



The Arab breeders have, moreover, set an example to 

 the horse raisers of modern days by the value they attached 

 to their mares ; indeed it is generally admitted that all 

 the best horses of the breed are descendants of one or other 

 of five famous mares, respectively named Keheilan, Seglawi, 

 Hamdami, Abeyan, and Hadban, which flourished centuries 

 ago. That the Arab in years gone by was quite a leading 

 variety of the horse world there can be no denying, but 

 he has assisted in producing better breeds than himself, the 

 result being that for racing purposes he is now altogether 

 a negligible quantity, whilst for hunting he is too small 

 and slow ; in fact, he is not in much demand, unless for 

 hacking purposes or as a boy's hunter, though he is still 

 often useful as a cross for other breeds. One great recom- 

 mendation possessed by the Arab is that his bone is of 

 the very best quality, being hard and close in grain, and 

 there is no doubt that although his speed may not be 

 great, his staying powers are first-rate. On the other hand, 

 his shoulders are not so long and sloping as fashion dictates, 

 though, thanks to his good pasterns, he is a very easy ride ; 



II 



