274 ROAD, TRACK, AND STABLE. 



Another family is descended from " the Mare of 

 the Old Woman," whose story is as follows. A 

 Bedawee had been pursued for some days through a 

 long and devious course. On the way his mare gave 

 birth to a foal, but her master soon mounted again 

 and continued his flight, leaving the little creature to 

 its fate. However, when he stopped at night to rest, 

 the infant appeared, having followed all the way, not- 

 withstanding its extreme youth, and thereupon he 

 gave it to an old woman, who brought it up by hand ; 

 and this foal, " the Mare of the Old Woman," became 

 the mother of a noted family. 1 



As to the manner in which the Arabs treat their 

 horses, it is pleasant to be assured that neither ro- 

 mance nor tradition has exaggerated its kindness and 

 familiarity. " Their great merit as horse-breakers is 

 unwearied patience. Loss of temper with a beast is 

 not in their nature, and I have never seen them strike 

 or ill use their mares in any way." If Providence 

 provided Central Arabia as a region peculiarly fit for 

 breeding sound horses, it would seem also that the 

 ancient Arabian race was specially designed to have 

 the nurture and training of these high-bred animals. 

 The Arabs have a saying which is indicative of their 

 character . " A noble may labor with his own hands, 

 without disgrace, in three cases, — for his horse, for 

 his father, and for his guest." 



It is clear that rough treatment would soon convert 

 Arabian horses into demons. Mr. William Dav, the 

 well known English trainer, conjectures that the ill 



1 The endurance of young foals is surprising. I know of a case 

 in which a foal only ten days old travelled by the side of its dam. 

 a Morgan, over fifty miles in about twelve hours, without injury. 



