COMMON HORSE. 
325 
<f There is scarce an Arabian,” says Buffon, 
“ how poor soever, but is provided with his horse. 
They, in general make use of mares in their or- 
dinary excursions ; experience having taught them 
that they support fatigue, thirst, and hunger, bet- 
ter than the horses are found to do. They are also 
less vicious, of a gentler nature, and are not so apt 
to neigh They are more harmless also among 
themselves, not so apt to kick or hurt each other, 
hut remain whole days together without the least 
mischief The Turks, on the contrary, are not 
fond of mares ; and the Arabians sell them such 
horses as they do not choose to keep for stallions 
at home. They preserve the pedigree of their 
horses with great care, and for several ages back. 
They know their alliances and all their genealogy ; 
they distinguish the races" by different names, and 
divide them into three classes. The first is that 
of the nobles, the antient breed, and unadulterated 
on either side : the second is that of the antient 
race, but adulterated ; and the third is that of 
tiie common and inferior kind : the last they sell 
at a low price ; but those of the first class, and 
even of the second, amongst which are found 
horses of equal value to the former, are sold ex- 
tremely dear. They know, by long experience, 
the race of a horse by his appearance ; they can 
tell the name, the surname, the colour, and the 
marks properly belonging to each. When they 
are not possessed of stallions of the noble race 
themselves, for their mares, they borrow from 
their neighbours, paying a proper price as with 
us, and receive a written attestation of the whole. 
In this attestation is contained the name of the 
horse and the mare, and their respective genealo- 
gies. When the mare has produced her foal, new 
witnesses are called, and a new attestation signed, 
in which are described the marks of the foal, and 
