CHAPTER XXIV 



ORIGIN OF THE ARAB HORSE, ETC. 



The French General Daumas asked the Emir Abd-el-Kadir 

 what was the origin of the Arab horse. The Emir, in his 

 poetic way, informed him that ' Allah created the horse out of 

 the wind as he created Adam out of the mud.' The Emir's 

 account of the creation of the horse of his country, is that 

 when Allah willed to create the horse he said to the south 

 wind, ' I will that a creature proceed from thee ; condense 

 thyself ! ' The wind condensed itself, and the result was the 

 horse. The Emir says, ' The thoroughbred Arab horse 

 has no vice;' and claims for his native breed fire, courage, 

 a proud bearing, love for their masters, and the habit, un- 

 pleasant though it be, of permitting no one else to mount 

 them. The Arab horse shares the emotions of pleasure 

 or pain, experienced by his master. He consistently refuses 

 to touch what another horse has left, and takes great 

 delight in ' troubling with his feet whatever limpid water 

 he may meet with.' The Arabs have a preference for 

 mares, on account of the value of their produce, the 

 easiness of their paces, and their greater hardiness. His 

 notion of a perfect horse is an animal with large brilliant 

 eyes wide apart, black, broad nostrils close together, long 

 neck, shoulders, haunches and buttocks, the back shin 



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