12 PURCHASING FROM THE STABLES. 



The ears of a genuine Arab are small, and the hair 

 inside is silky : they never have that tremendous 

 curling in of the points so proverbial among bad Per- 

 sian and country-bred horses. Lop ears are quite as 

 ugly as those that curl in, but a large lop ear, if only 

 well shaped, rather peaked, and not large round at 

 the points, with a thin skin, is no such sign of bad 

 caste ; it appears to belong to a peculiar breed. 



The glands below the ears are sometimes found 

 swollen ; and if much so, may be a serious detriment. 



A small head on a large horse, or large head on a 

 small horse, are of course equally out of proportion ; 

 a trifle either way is perhaps immaterial, if only lean, 

 with the large eye, broad forehead, and hollow jowl ; 

 yet, a head possessing these and all .the foregoing 

 good points, may still, from some peculiarity of con- 

 formation, not altogether please the eye, or be a very 

 handsome head ; but one void of these requisites can 

 never be termed a blood head. A " cut short" head, 

 with a slight indentation about half a foot above the 

 nose, is a great favourite with some judges. I like 

 it too* 



THE NECK. 



The neck of an Arab I never knew too light or too 

 long, though it is often quite long enough. Take 

 care especially that it is light, and that the upper 

 surface is not too thick : it should be very muscular 



* This is the Nedjed head, a capital description of horse for a roadster or 

 hunter, but the Oneisa, which has rather a large head is a horse of much 

 greater size, stride and enduring qualities, and therefore a much superior horse 

 for the turf. ED. 



