420 ARABIANS AND WALERS 



common. Wherever the Enghsh go, thither follow polo, 

 racing, athletics. Even at Singapore, within forty miles 

 of the equator, the irrepressible Briton— may his shadow 

 never grow less ! — carries out his regular programme of 

 sport, and in India all the games of the mother-country 

 are played, and tent-pegging and pig-sticking are in great 

 esteem. But this is not Hindoo horsemanship. 



There are many Arabians imported into India across 

 to Kurrachee or Bombay. A few reach Madras. A small 

 part of the British cavalry is mounted on them, though 

 the regulation horse is either the waler — contracted for in 

 large numbers and delivered in Calcutta — or the country- 

 bred. In Bombay there is an immense sale -stable of 

 Arabians, where several hundred are at times collected. 

 This horse commands a much better price than I should 

 expect. I was asked from three to six hundred rupees — 

 one to two hundred dollars at current exchange — for 

 only fairish specimens. This is double the price of the 

 same horse in Syria. How much it could have been beaten 

 down I do not know. It is curious how, from the Ara- 

 bian Desert, this nimble little creature radiates in every 

 direction, carrying the impress of his blood wherever he 

 goes, and improving every native breed with which he 

 comes in contact. 



The native Indian horse is not a remarkable creature. 

 They run of all sizes and shapes ; but though a few big- 

 ones come from the Katiwar and Cutchi country, they 

 average small and of rather slim structure. They look as 

 if little had been done for them for many generations and 

 that little onh^ of recent years. I have seen a few in 

 the interior which were said to be native horses that ap- 

 peared strong and able, but rather nngainly in points. 

 If the native liorse was available, or could be raised in suf- 

 ficient numbers, it is clear that the cavalry would not be 



