326 THE ARAB HORSE OF AFRICA. 



other black, the disease is generally found in the white 

 foot. So common is this prepossession against white 

 feet, that I have known instances of them being stained 

 by chaunters ; but while I admit that a preference is 

 due to the dark hoof, I cannot say that I would reject 

 him for the want of it." 



We must allow our readers to decide whether, in the 

 matter of the colour of a horse's foot, they shall side 

 with English blacklegs, alias chaunters, or with the 

 Emir of the African Desert. 



The late Lord Chancellor Campbell wrote a book 

 demonstrating that Shakespeare was learned in the 

 law ; and, more recently, Bishop Wordsworth has done 

 the like to prove that he was a good Christian and an 

 orthodox divine : a horse-dealer may with equal truth 

 make it clear that he was very knowing in horse-flesh ; 

 for has he not drawn this portrait of a horse as he ought 

 to be ? 



" Round-hoofed, short- jointed, fetlocks sharp and long, 

 Broad breast, full eye, small head, and nostril wide, 

 High crest, short ears, straight legs and passing strong, 

 Thin mane, thick tail, broad buttock, tender hide." 



It is curious to contrast Shakespeare's beau ideal of a 

 horse with that of an Arab of the desert : 



" A thorough-bred horse," says Abd-el-Kader, " is 

 one that has three things long, three things short, three 

 things broad, and three things clean. The three things 

 long are the ears, the neck, and the fore-legs ; the three 

 things short are the dock, the hind-legs, and the back ; 

 the three things broad are the forehead, the chest, and 

 the croup ; the three things clean are the skin, the eyes, 

 and the hoof. He ought to have the withers high and 

 the flanks hollow, and without any superfluous flesh. 

 The tail should be well furnished at the root, so that it 

 may cover the space between the thighs ; the tail is 

 like unto the veil of a bride. The eye of a horse should 

 be turned as if trying to look at its nose, like a man 



