114 THE HISTORY AND ART 



They are reported to have then- ftirrups remarkably 

 fliort, which obliges the rider to fit upon his faddlc, 

 as if he was in an cafy chair : their bridles * are fo 

 powerful, as to endanger the breaking of the horfe's 

 jaw, if he ihould refift ; the hand being as rough and 

 fevere, as the bridles are cruel, and both co-operating 

 to bruife and tear the mouth,, and in the end to render 

 it callous and dead : it is a great feat of horfemanfhip 

 with them to flop Jljort ; this they effecl by mere vio- 

 lence and ftrength, and as they never previoufly make 

 the mouths, nor fupple the joints of their horfes, the 

 rudenefs of they?o/)fo fhocks the whole frame, as fre- 

 quently to fpoil and ruin the haunches and other 

 parts. The horfe-flioes ufed by them are large, very 

 heavy, and of a circular form, refembling in fliape 

 that fort of llioe, called by us the Bar-Jlooe. The pro- 

 vince of Sinan is at prefent eminent for its race of horfes, 

 of which fome arc near fixteen hands in height, and 

 very mufcular and ftrong ; while the breed of the 

 •wandering Arabs, feldom exceed the meafure of fourteen 

 and two inches, probably for the want of more gene- 

 rous nourilliment than they can find in their migra- 

 tions and unfettled condition. The Arabians feel no 

 relu(5lance to part with their horfes in fale, they being 

 a commodity which they breed for that purpofe, and 

 the Imaum raifes a revenue from the duty of horfes 

 which are fcnt out of the country, the tax being about 

 ten pounds fterling paid for each horfe. 



* They are known in Europe by the name of Turkifh bits. 



4 The 



