,^-v^ 



m THE HORSE, DIFFERENT BREEDS, ETC. 



him seem much less in bulk than he is found to be by actual measure* 

 iilent. 



III. The Arabian. 



We come now to notice some of the most distinct, strongly marked, 

 »nd valuable breeds, among which the Arabian, or that species of the 

 Arabian best known to us, is justly celebrated. 



Whether the' present pure blood Arab is native to Arabia or imported ; 

 whether of recent origin or of a lineage as ancient as the sculptured ruins 

 of Nineveh and Babylon, it is needless to inquire ; but the people of that 

 country claim that they have authentic pedigrees reaching back for more 

 than two thousand years ; while on the other hand, it is asserted by some 

 who have tried to discover the real origin of this famous stock that prior 

 to the thirteenth century the horses of Arabia were a poor race and lightly 

 esteemed. Be that as it ma}^, the horse of the present day, so 

 renowned throughout the world, undoubtedly began to attract notice some 

 five or six hundred years ago, since which time he has grown into his 

 great repute ; and now the best horses of most civilized lands are 

 thoufirht to derive their hiofhest claims to noble descent from the Arabic 

 Kochlani, and those of his congeners that have shared his excellences. 



In a subsequent chapter the subject of breeding will be appropriately 

 treated ; but we may advert here to a singular fact in connection with the 

 sons of the desert and the horse that shares their name and their affec- 

 tions. So thoroughly are the principles of breeding understood among 

 them, or such is their extraordinary care, (and perhaps climatic influence 

 may have something to do TN-ith it), that their horses long since reached 

 a degree of perfection unrivalled in any country, and this perfection is 

 steadily maintained. 



Travelers differ as to the number and names of the distinct breeds of 

 liorses which are found in Arabia ; but a comparatively recent Mohamme- 

 dan writer, who seems to have had more than ordinary opportunities for 

 knowing the facts in the case, has stated that there are six distinct breeds, 

 which he names and characterizes thus : 



(1) The Dgclfe, found chiefly in Arabia Felix, seldom seen at Damas- 

 cus, but common in the neighborhood of Anaze. Horses of this breed 

 arc of lofty stature, have narrow chests, but are deep in the girth, and 

 their ears are long. They are remarkable for spirit and fleetness, but are 

 exceedingly tractable, and their abilit}^ to endure hunger and thirst is a 

 remarkal)le feature. A two-year-old colt, he says, will co>st in his own 

 country two thousand Turkish piasters. 



(2) The Secaloni, a breed from the eastern part of the desert, som«« 

 what inferior to the Dgelfe, though resembling him in most points. 



