20 THE HOKSE AND ITS DISEASES. 



Virginia and Kentucky, and is found to a greater or 

 less degree in all the states. The Americans have, at 

 different times, imported some of our best horses. The 

 celebrated '' Shark," the best horse of his day, was the 

 sire of the best Yirginia horses, and '' Tallyho," a son 

 of " High Flyer," peopled the Terseys. In the back 

 settlements, and in the south-western states, is a horse 

 resembling the wild horse of the Pampas. 



The Turkish Horse. 



The Turkish horses are descended from the Arab, 

 crossed by the Persian and other bloods. There is no 

 horse more gentle, nor more respectful to his master, or 

 the groom that dresses him ; the reason is, because they 

 treat their horses with great kindness. They are longer 

 in the body than the Persian, and the crupper more 

 elevated — their general height is from 14 to 15 hands 

 high. 



The Persian Horse. 



I have ridden a Persian horse for thousands of miles, 

 oftentimes twenty-four hours in the saddle, without 

 coming off, and I eandidly say, that I see no difference 

 between them and the Irish horses, only they run a 

 little smaller than the Irish. I have also ridden Arabian 

 horses, for hundreds of miles, but I prefer the Persian, 

 as the Arabians are very apt to stumble. The native 

 Persian horse was so highly prized, that Alexander 

 considered one of them the noblest gift he could bestow ; 

 and when the Kings of Parthia would propitiate their 

 divinities by the most costly sacrifice^ a Persian horse 

 was offered on the altar. 



The Arabian Horse. 



The Arabian horses deservedly occupy a very high 

 rank. A few wild horses are yet seen on some of the 

 deserts of Arabia ; they are hunted by the Bedouins for 

 their flesh, which is considered a delicacy of the animal 



