THE AMERICAN TKOTTrN"G-HOKSE. 175 



they think it showy, and cultivate it in their saddle- 

 horses, but for the purpose of display, they being too 

 indolent or ignorant to turn it to better account. 

 Further, the roads are generally villainous through- 

 out the land, and veiy unsuitable for quick driving, 

 in fact some of the most wealthy and aristocratic 

 Spaniards, even at the present day, always use mules 

 in their carriages. 



The Spanish horse doubtlessly has a very large 

 proportion of Barb blood in his veins, more espe- 

 cially those of the southern portion ; this may be ac- 

 counted for by the shortness of the sea passage which 

 in the neighborhood of Gibraltar, in suitable weather, 

 even before the days of steam, could be made in 

 three or four hours; but the influx of Barbs into 

 Spain, which must have been great, I do not attrib- 

 ute so much to accidental importation of individuals, 

 as to the numbers which must doubtlessly have been 

 taken there during the Moorish ascendency, for the 

 purposes of war, more especially as the Moors at 

 that period were famous as cavalry, and relied prin- 

 cipally on this arm of the service for carrying out 

 successfully their predatory system of warfare. 



The Moorish horse also has very frequently this 

 knee-action, previously mentioned in the Spaniard. 



