16 



THE RACE-IIORST 



all our racing blood ; as it is quite evident the 

 indigenae of our own country, or of those European 

 ones which approximate to it, would never have 

 produced the sort of race-horse now seen on the 

 British Turf. The nature and character, indeed, 

 of the horse of the Desert, are peculiarly adapted 

 to an animal who, like the race-horse, is called 

 upon to put its physical powers to the severest test 

 to which nature, aided by art, can submit. In the 

 first place, the Arabian horse possesses a firmness of 

 leg and sinew unequalled by any other in the world. 

 This excellence, w^iich he owes to climate, arises 

 from his having larger muscles and smaller bone 

 than other horses have ; — muscles and sinews being 

 the sole powers of acting, and on them depend the 

 lasting qualities of an animal going at the top of 

 his speed. Bones being the weight to be lifted, 

 serve only to extend the parts ; and it is evident, 

 that such as are small, but highly condensed, like 

 those of the deer, and the horse of the Desert, are, 

 by occupying less space, and containing less weight, 

 more easily acted upon by muscular force, than 

 such as are large and porous, and for a greater dura- 

 tion of time, without fatiguing the acting powers. 

 But the excellence of the Arabian horse, or horse 

 of the Desert, does not end with his hiji^hlv con- 

 densed bone, and flat and wiry leg, so much 

 esteemed by the sportsman. All the muscles and 

 fibres of his frame are driven into closer contact 

 than those of any other breed ; and, by the mem- 

 branes and ligaments being composed of a finer and 

 thinner substance, he possesses the rare quality of 



