340 THE BEST ARABIAN 



This exceptional creature is not, however, the horse we 

 want to know ; it is the average horse and rider all over 

 the world which most appeals to us— the horse we our- 

 selves might own. At all events, the latter is the horse 

 I have proposed to chat with you about. You can find 

 out the merits of the famous Arabians from other writers, 

 for there are many such. 



It has been habitual to give us accounts of only the 

 splendid horse of the sheiks and emirs ; and many, in- 

 deed, of those who have painted them have not been stu- 

 dents of the race. While there is a color of truth in all 

 that we have heard about the Arabian, while the excep- 

 tion is as marvellous in his way as a " Flora Temple" or 

 a " Black Maria," the average Arabian is by no means supe- 

 rior to our own average horse — scarcely his equal. He is, 

 moreover, so small as to be useless for any but light per- 

 formance — an ordinary carriage to go a distance must 

 have three or even four horses ; he would not do our work 

 at all. 



The exceptional Arabian is unquestionably a fine fel- 

 low ; but — and I think I may claim some experience, as 

 I have seen and used horses in a great many parts of the 

 Avorld — apart from a certain attractiveness we readily 

 grant him, I do not think that the best Arabian is nearly 

 as good as the best hunter, the best trotter, the best racer, 

 or the best saddle-horse of England or America ; and I am 

 quite sure that I would stake my money on a hundred 

 broncos of the Western plains, ridden in their own way by 

 cowboys, against a hundred Arabians of the Syrian desert, 

 ridden by Bedouins — for a i)ull of one to five hundred 

 miles under conditi<ms fair to each. This may be a strong 

 statement, but I believe it to be a just one. 



I by no means underrate the Arabian. In addition to 

 his beauty he })ossesses many sterling qualities, and has 



