18 FOREIGN BREEDS OF HORSES. 



movements, great endurance of fatigue, docility of temper, and, beyond 

 any other domestic animal, seeming attachment to man, can promise any- 

 thing for a stallion, the Nubian is, above all comparison, the most eligible 

 in the world. Few of them are less than sixteen hands high.' 



Bosman, whose descriptions prove him to be no bad horseman, thus 

 speats of them : — ' The Dongola horses are the most perfect in the world, 

 being beautiful, symmetrical in their parts, nervous and elastic in their 

 movements, and docile and affectionate in their manners. One of these 

 horses was sold in 1816, at Grand Cairo, for a sum equivalent to 1,000Z.' 

 The Dongola horses are usually of a black colour, but there are some 

 bright bays and sorrels. VvTien their exercise is over, the usual bridle is 

 taken away, and a lighter one put upon them ; for the inliabitants tell of 

 many battles ibat were lost, from their being attacked when their horses 

 were unbridled. 



The slender yet finely set on neck, the noble crest, the elevated withers, 

 the beautiful action and bfjaring of the animal were admirable ; but the 

 long and slender legs, the weakness of the fore-arm, the narrowness and 

 want of depth of the chest, and even a deficiency of substance about the 

 flank and quarters, could not escape observation. Such an animal might 

 have speed, but his endm^ance must be doul^tful, and it is difficult to 

 suppose that any breed of English horses could be materially improved 

 by it. 



Some of these horses have lately reached England : and one of them 

 was recently in London, and belonged to an officer of the Life Guards. 



THE HOKSE OP ETHIOPIA OR ABYSSINIA. 



Ludolph, in his history of this country, says that the horses are strong, 

 nimble, mettlesome, and mostly black. They are used only for war and 

 in the chase ; they travel no long and fatiguing journeys, and all the 

 drudgery of every kind is performed by the mule. 



An Abyssinian who accompanied Ludolph to Europe expressed a great 

 deal of pity for the horses when he saw them drawing heavy carts, and 

 loudly exclaimed at the cruelty of putting so noble a creature to such base 

 and servile emplojonent. He said that he wondered at the patience of 

 the animals, and was every moment in expectation that they would rebel 

 against such unheard-of tyranny. 



The number of horses in Ethiopia must have considerably decreased, 

 for Cyrtacus, a former king of that country, entered Egypt at the head of 

 100,000 cavalry. 



The art of shoeing had not in Ludolph's time (the middle of the seven- 

 teenth century) reached Abyssinia ; and consequently, when the natives 

 had to travel over rough and stony ground, they dismounted and got upon 

 mules, and led their horses in hand, that by having no burden to carry, 

 they might tread the lighter. 



Bruce says little of the Ethiopian horses ; but Mr. Salt, an enterprising 

 traveller, says that the horses are generally strong, well-made, and kept 

 in good condition ; that their accoutrements are also good, and the men 

 themselves are excellent horsemen. 



THE BARB. 



By the term Barbary is understood the northern part of Africa, ex- 

 tending along the coast, and as far inland as the Great Desert, from the 

 frontiers of Eg^ypt to the Mediterranean. The Arabs that are found in 

 this extensive district are mostly the descendants of those who emigrated 

 or were driven from eastern Arabia. The horses are likeAvise all of 

 Arab stock, considerably modified by change of climate, food, and manage- 



