144 The Arabian Horse 



turned and very muscular. His temper is exceedingly- 

 good. When led out to start, he appears to great ad- 

 vantage, full of fire, yet very temperate ; and when at 

 work no horse could evince more vigour and determined 

 courage. Other similar examples might be shown of 

 the Arabian as known in India, and among them the 

 beautiful and equally good Little Honeysuckle.' 



A gentleman to whom I am much indebted, and who 

 has for many years been in constant intercourse with 

 the Bedouin Sheiks from Nejed, thus speaks of the 

 Arabian : ' The Arab, although less swift for a short dis- 

 tance, is certainly stouter than the English thorough-bred 

 horse ; his stride is greater in proportion to their size.' 



The English thorough-breds are certainly flatter, 

 more lathy, and of less swelling development than the 

 best Arabians. The Arabians have longer shoulder- 

 blades in proportion to height, and it is only the first 

 blood of England that comes near the Arabian in obli- 

 quity. Muscle starts out of the Arabian in a way I 

 never saw in the best trained English racer. Bone is of 

 a closer texture, more heavy when a cubic inch of each 

 is weighed. First-class Arabians have as large hocks as 

 English horses ; their feet as a rule larger. All good 

 Arabians have the same high, full, and long quarters, 

 and tail set-on high and carried well. Nejed is a coun- 

 try where the best horses are to be found. 



Abd-el-Kader thus describes the Arabian : ' Every 

 horse of noble race fascinates the eyes and rivets the gaze 

 of the enthusiastic spectator. In a pure bred Arabian 

 the moral and physical qualities are inseparable one 



