Persian Horses. 



at 



parativcly small muzzle. The other, which was "The Shah's war-horse," was a stallion, 

 about IS hands i inch high, grey, or rather with a white body and flea-bitten neck, and a 

 head of the true Arabian character, powerful limbs, showing work about the hocks, and a 

 fla"- magnificently carried. The chestnut might have been a valuable sire for breeding ponies ; 

 neither had good action, or any action at all according to our sense of the term. They were 

 supposed to be each worth .£'1,000, or nearly four times the value of a blood English hack of 

 the same quality and superior action. 



Major Thomas Francis, who was formerly at the head of the Remount Department at 

 Bombay, writes in reference to the very common-looking (Arab .') animal which is engraved 

 on the previous page, from an original picture in my possession by Zeitter, a German artist, 



ARABIAN MARE AND FOAL. 



vj\\o lived some time in British India; "The horse in your picture (of a Beloorh chief) is a 

 Persian with a lot of good Arab blood in him. The Persian is the best animal to be pur- 

 chased in Bombay as a hack and carriage-horse. The Government used to buy as many as 

 they could get, at 550 rupees each (£SS), at Bombay, to mount the dragoons and artillery. 

 They are from 14 hands 2 inches to 15 hands 2 inches high, and better roadsters and chargers, 

 and stronger, than the ordinary run of Arabs. The best bred Arabs seldom exceed 14 hands 

 2 inches, and are more frequently under that height, although I have known a few to reach 

 15 hands i inch. A well-bred, well-shaped Arab was worth ;£200 in my time, and I believe 

 they are now dearer. No breed of horses has such a hardy constitution as the Arab, and 

 stands the alternations of temperature, heat, and rain so well ; but the Persian is nearly as 

 hardy, and a far pleasanter hack to ride." 



