42 THE ARABIAN HORSE. 



purchasing him of his administrator, for my stock farm, at that 

 time in Pomfret, Conn., for $1,000. 



All who have raised colts from common mares sired by 

 Arabian stallions, are, I believe, unanimous in opinion that 

 their get is generally even tempered, of a mild, willing, and 

 quiet disposition, easily and cheaply raised, early maturing and 

 'fit for service at three years old. 



The prevailing color of the best-bred families of Arabian 

 horses is gray. 



I know of but one attempt to breed the Arabian horse in 

 its purity in this country, as Arabians, and that was made by 

 A. Keen Richards of Kentucky, who visited the Arabian 

 deserts himself several times for the purpose of studying the 

 Arabian horse at home, and brought out to Kentucky, at 

 different times, several of as good specimens as was possible for 

 him to secure in Arabia. The Arabs are very loth to part 

 with their best ones, and especially so of their mares. War 

 and misfortune interfered with Mr. Richards' plans to that ex- 

 tent that he could not or did not accomplish his long-cherished 

 and desired object. 



In a personal interview with Mr. Richards on this subject 

 at Lexington, Ky., in 1880, I found him still sanguine in the 

 belief that the Arabs could not only be bred in central Ken- 

 tucky without deteriorating in any particular from those bred 

 in Arabia, but that in many points, with generous food and 

 good care, they would improve. And he also believed that 

 the thoroughbred race horse of that time could be improved by 

 judiciously crossing with the Arabs; and the trotting bred 

 horses of Kentucky as well. His faith in the Arabian horse as 

 the improver of other breeds was stronger than that of any 

 other gentleman with whom I have ever conversed on this 

 subject ; in fact, he knew more about them than any one else I 

 ever met. He had been there. 



In this interview with Mr. Richards, in speaking of General 

 Grant's then late present of the two stallions — Lepold and 

 Linden Tree — presented by the Sultan of Turkey, Mr. Rich- 



