THE ARABIAN HORSE 171 



And yet It Is doubtful If at this late day any modern 

 breed of horses can be improved by Arab crosses. The 

 thoroughbred horse is founded on the Arabian, so even 

 is the Percheron; and so are the trottlng-bred and 

 Morgan horses, the two latter having derived their 

 Arabian blood mainly by way of the thoroughbred. 

 The thoroughbred horse of the eighteenth century was 

 very close to the Arab foundation and resembled the 

 Arabian In size and shape; but the modern thorough- 

 bred Is a whole hand. If not more, taller than the Arab, 

 and shows hardly a trace of the Arabian foundation 

 except, perhaps, In the shape of his head and in the 

 fineness of his bone. 



The Arabian horse stands from fourteen to fifteen 

 hands high, but Is usually much nearer fourteen than 

 fifteen. He Is easily recognized by the setting on of his 

 head and neck, and by the roundness of his haunch. 

 The walk of the Arab Is very poor, being a careless, 

 stumbling walk much like that of the thoroughbred 

 horse but even worse. His trot Is very poor, for he 

 goes In a stiff-legged fashion and Is used so little on the 

 trot that he really has no trotting gait at all. He has, 

 of course, a springy canter, but his speed at a run Is 

 far less than that of the thoroughbred. 



The color of the Arab Is usually chestnut, gray, or 

 bay. The Arabs, like most other people, prefer the 

 bay color. Black Is rare and considered to be an 

 Inferior color. White horses are highly thought of by 

 the Arabs, but seldom occur. Roans, piebalds, duns, 

 and cream-colored horses are never found among pure- 

 bred Arabs. It is commonly supposed In this country 



