THE ARABIAN. 429 



spiration incidental to a warm climate. The consequence is, 

 that the horses of those and other countries with similar 

 pasturage, are completely free from the strangles and other 

 glandular diseases, which are so frequent and fatal to those 

 of Europe. 



The pure Arabian is considerably smaller than our race- 

 horse, seldom exceeding fourteen hands two inches in height. 

 His head is very beautiful, clean, and Avide between the 

 jaws ; the forehead broad and square ; the face flat ; the 

 muzzle short and fine ; the nostrils large and open ; the 

 eyes prominent and brilliant ; the ears small and hand- 

 some ; the skin of the head thin, through which may be 

 distinctly traced the whole of the veins ; the neck rather 

 short than otherwise. The body, as a whole, may be con- 

 sidered too light, and the breast rather narrow ; but behind 

 the fore legs, the chest generally swells out greatly, and 

 with much depth of ribs, leaving ample room for the lungs 

 to play ; the shoulder is superior to that of any other 

 breed ; the scapula, or shoulder-blade, inclines backward, 

 nearly at an angle of forty-five degrees ; the withers are 

 high and arched ; the neck beautifully curved ; the mane 

 and tail long, thin, and flowing ; the legs fine, flat, and wiry, 

 with the flanks placed somewhat oblique, which has led 

 some to suppose that their strength was thereby diminished ; 

 but this is by no means the case : the bone is of uncommon 

 density, and the prominent muscles of the fore-arms and 

 thighs prove that the Arabian horse is fully equal to all 

 that has been said of his powers. The Arabian is never 

 known in a tropical climate to be a roarer, or to have curbs ; 

 the shape from the point of the hock to the fetlock being 

 very perfect. It is a remarkable fact that the skin of all 

 the light-coloured Arabians is either pure black or bluish 

 black, which gives to white horses that beautiful silvery 



