464 THE PEOPLE'S FARM AND STOCK CYCLOPEDIA. 



frontiers of Egypt. Bruce writes that "the best African 

 horses are said to be descended from one of five, on which 

 Mohammed and his four immediate successors fled from 

 Mecca to Medina, on the night of the Hegira." Youatt says, 

 " The barb alone excels the Arabian in noble and spirited 

 action ; but if there is a defect in the barb, he is perfect for that 

 which he was designed. The barb improves toward the west- 

 ern coast of Africa, both in his form and graceful action." 

 The Arabs found in Barbary are descendants or emigrants from 

 Eastern Arabia. " The horses are likewise all of Arab 

 stock considerably modified by change of climate, food, and 

 management." 



Berenger furnishes the following description of a true barb : 

 " The neck is long, slender, and ill-furnished with mane, but 

 rising distinctly and boldly out of the withers; the head is 

 small and lean ; >^the ears well-formed and well-placed ; the 

 shoulders light, sloping backward, and flat; the withers fine and 

 high ; the loins straight and short ; the flanks and ribs round and 

 full, and with too much bend ; the haunches strong ; the croup, 

 perhaps, a little too long ; the quarters muscular and well de- 

 veloped ; the legs clean, with tendons boldly detached from 

 the bone ; the pastern somewhat too long and oblique ; and the 

 foot sound and good. They are rather lower than the Arabian, 

 seldom exceeding fourteen hands and an inch, and have not 

 his spirit or speed or continuance, although in general form 

 they are probably his superior." 



The barb is the chief element of excellence in the Spanish 

 horse, and was at a very early period of systematic improve- 

 ment of the English thorough-bred introduced into England. 

 The Godolphin Arabian was a barb, and to him traces some of 

 the best racing blood in England. The Barbary and Arabian 

 horse are found on the south of the Desert of Sahara, among 

 the inferior tribes. These horses are " small, weak, unsafe, 

 and untractable." 



Horse Degraded With Man. As we go to the west, 

 along the African coast, we find fewer horses, and greatly in- 

 ferior in form and quality. It is worthy of note here, that as 



