RUSSIAN HORSES. 



557 



about our home army horses, which I am convinced are 

 inferior to Russian troopers, for active service. When we 

 turn to India, the case is entirely different ; because there, 

 our men are mounted on Australasian horses, which are 

 bred chiefly for the Indian saddle-horse market, under 



nolo by] 



[J. Deltox, Paris 



Fig. 555. — Circassian horse (15. J). 



conditions that are far more favourable to horse develop- 

 ment than those which exist in Russia. 



Amongst the many other breeds of horses which are 

 foaled and reared on the steppes of Russia, the Circassian 

 horses (Fig. 555) are of the most Eastern type. They 

 come from the Southern district which is bounded by 

 the rivers Aras and Kur, and are supposed to be the 

 result of crossings between Arabian, Persian and Turko- 

 man horses. They are usually about 14.2 high. 



