a o THE HISTORY AND ART 



Nifaa, a di(lrl6t of Armenia, boafted a breed of very 

 large and beautiful horfcs. The chariot of Xerxes, in 

 his famous expedition, was drawn by horfes of this 

 country, and chofen for the tafk, as being the nobleft 

 which could be procured. 



The Scythians were fo confpicuous for their addidlion 

 to horfes, that they were proverbially * famous. They 

 are reprefented to have prefeiTed mares, as thinking 

 them more capable of fervice. They imagined them 

 not to be fo liable to delay, and the inconvenience of 

 Hopping when they had occafion to ftale. Pliny tells 

 us, that this was the motive of their ufmg mares 

 more than horfes in war, and upon other occafions j 

 and we learn from Strabo, that they were wont to geld 

 their horfes, to make them gentle, and more eafy 

 to be governed. It is thought, however, and with 

 much probability, that this preference of the fe- 

 male fex may be afcribed to better caufes. Whether 

 the mare can carry her urine longer than the horfe, 

 or is able to difcharge it with more facility, even 

 while flie is in the moft rapid motion, as Pliny re- 

 ports, is a point only for anatomifts to determine ; 

 but it is certain that, in general, the female fex of thefe 

 animals is more mild and tradable, nor fo fubjeft to 

 fight and quarrel as horfes are, either from lufl, fpirit 

 or vice ; and what might have been ftill a ftronger 

 recommendation, not fo apt to neigh, and thereby 



* Scytha equum. 



betray 



