MY QUEST OF THE ARAB HORSE 



horse, and that was a Maneghi Hedruj, of a 

 very small size. Roans, spotted or piebalds 

 and yellows are not found among the Arabian 

 horses, though roans and yellows are common 

 among the Barbs. The bays often have black 

 points and generally white feet, with some 

 white in the face. The chestnuts vary from 

 the brightest to the dullest shades. 



The Gomussa, of the Sebaa Anezeh, are the 

 shrewdest horse-breeders of the desert, and are 

 so recognized even by their enemies. They 

 have kept in the largest numbers, specimens 

 of the five families which are called the Kham- 

 seh. They also have the choicest of the 

 sixteen other families which are rated equal 

 in point of blood. The Khamseh, according 

 to legend, descend from the five mares which, 

 with other mares of King Solomon, were 

 drinking at a river after a hard battle, when 

 the trumpet blew, calling them back to the con- 

 flict. Only five responded to the call. It was 

 these five which founded the five great families, 

 of which the first is: 



1 — The Kehilan Ajuz. This strain is 

 numerous, and from it all other Kehilans are 

 offshoots. The words Kehilan Ajuz mean "the 

 mare of the old woman," and of course they 



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