TREATMENT OF FOAL. 329 



only to the principal chiefs, who can afford to have 

 them properly looked after, as it would be dangerous 

 to turn them loose on the grazing-grounds. The Arabs 

 generally prefer mares, because, in the time of war, 

 they do not betray their movements by neighing like 

 the horse, and are, moreover, more easily kept. In the 

 value of the mare as a breeder they have an additional 

 reason for this preference. Hence they exclaim, "A mare 

 that produces a mare is the head of riches ; " and with per- 

 fect truth, seeing that from three to four thousand pounds 

 have been received for the offspring of a single mare. 



The foaling exhibits certain Arab peculiarities. The 

 instant the foal is dropped it is taken up in the arms of 

 one of the bystanders, who carries it up and down in 

 his arms for a considerable time, in the midst of almost 

 inconceivable din, purposely made under the belief 

 that, after such a horrible uproar, it will never after- 

 wards be frightened at anything! This lesson over, 

 the master of the tent places the right dug of the mare 

 in the foal's mouth, and exclaims, " May Allah bring us 

 good fortune, health, and abundance ! " All his friends 

 respond, " Amen ! may Allah bless thee ! He has sent 

 thee another child." 



Besides teaching the foal to suck its dam, it is speed- 

 ily taught to drink earners and ewe's milk, because it 

 can thus be left in the tent when the mare is again put 

 to work ; and because, in default of water, it will in 

 after life be satisfied with milk instead, not only as 

 drink, but as food, should barley run short. 



The weaning is generally in the sixth or seventh 

 month, when the women take possession of the foal, 

 saying, " It belongs to us now ; it is an orphan, but we 

 will make its life as pleasant as possible/' And they 

 do. The women and the children play with it and pet 

 it, feeding it with a sort of semolina made with wheaten 

 flour, as well as with bread, milk, and dates ; and to 

 their gentle handling the Arab horse is doubtless in- 

 debted for his admirable docility. 



