VARIETIES OF THE HORSE. 39 



been given as one reason why the best of them cannot 

 run up amongst even indifferent English horses ; but this 

 cannot be the reason, or anyhow the only one. There 

 are many Barbs, and Arabs too, as big as Lecturer; 

 but what an example the game little son of Colsterdale* 

 would make of the best field that ever assembled on an 

 Indian racecourse. Barbs are very handy as chargers, 

 particularly in stopping short, and being such quick 

 beginners that from standing still they may be extended 

 in about three strides. They are a peculiar type of animal, 

 and no others resemble them excepting the Spanish 

 horses, who are evidently very near relations, with the 

 same lofty crest, thick neck, and drooping quarters. The 

 Spaniards are the best of hacks, but do not stand very 

 much squeezing. Of other Eastern horses the only ones 

 worthy of note are the Persians, Syrians, and Turks, 

 which are coarse likenesses of the Arabs, with more size 

 and knee action, well calculated for troopers and light 

 phaeton horses ; and the Turkomans, which are said to 

 be good, but three-cornered looking, but of whom I have 

 no personal knowledge. Other Asiatic horses are only 

 descendants of English and Arabs, like the stud-breds of 

 India ; and without constant infusion of fresh blood they 

 degenerate. The same remark applies to the Cape and 

 Australian horses, whose good constitutions hardly 

 counterbalance their bad shoulders (as compared with 

 the generality of English horses), and their vile tempers 

 and tricks. A Cape horse can rear and buck worse than 

 any other horse in creation bar one; that one is the 

 Australian or " Whaler," who seldom considers that he 

 has handsomely disposed of his rider unless he sends the 

 saddle flying after him (the rider) over his (the horse's) 



* Written in 1867. 



