OF HORSEMANSHIP. 13^ 



An * Italian traveller and writer fpeaks of having 

 feen between Balfora and Bagdat, a lingular breed of 

 green horfes, with yellow eyes. I am no voucher for the 

 truth of this account, but at the fame time dare not 

 venture to prefcribe any bounds to the variety in which 

 nature is known to delight ; as to the green colour it is 

 certainly unknown among horfes ; and fo were, at fome 

 time or other, and in diiFerent countries, many other 

 colours, which are now familiar; and as to iho: yellow 

 eyes, they feem to be no more extraordinary, than the 

 Ferret eyes, by which a breed of cream-coloured horfes, 

 belonging to his Majelly, and now in the royal ftables, 

 are peculiarly diftinguifhed. 



The horfes of this laft nation ftand in no better 

 eftimation than thofe of India. They are weak, fpirit- 

 lefs, and ill-made ; in fome parts of the kingdom 

 they do not exceed three feet in height. Almoft all of 

 them are gelt, and are fo daftardly and timid, as to be 

 unfit for war; fo that it may be faid that this country 

 was conquered by the Tartar Horfes, which are a race ex- 

 tremely adapted to war ; and although but of a mode- 

 rate fize, are ftrong, nervous, proud, full of fpirit, 

 bold, and adive. They have good feet, but fome what 

 narrow, their heads are well-fhaped and lean, but too 

 fmall. The forehand long and ftifF, and their legs 

 over-long : yet with all thefe imperfections, they muft 

 be accounted good and ferviceable horfes, being uncon^- 



* Viaggi de Gafparo Balbi, p. 31, 1590. 



querable 



