Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1862-02-13
farm anu Garhel1.
ARABIAN HORSES.

Egypt, and Gent Life IN the DO
" Land" frequent mention IS
made of the Arab horse, renowned
allover the world for their beauty,
aecility, feetness, power, endu-
rance, and value to their masters,
WHO live and roam upon the great
deserts of the East. Mr.. Prime
says the Arabs prefer the mare to
horses, on account Of the superior
power of endurance. They trace
their genealogy by their mother,
and not, as we do, by the sire
The favorate tradition is that they
are descended from the five mares
of the Prophet Mohammed, and
that these came originally from
one common stock, to wit: the Ko-
hailah. The finest breeds of horse
are to be found among the Annezee
ana Shumar tribes, east and south
east Of the Damascus, extending
quite to the Euphrates.
The value of an Arab mare is,
literally, not to be estimated In
gold, since no amount of money
will effect the purchase Of one OF
pure blood. This fact arises from
causes that are evident to one
who knows the Bedouins. In the
first place, money is of no use to
an Arab. lie needs very little for
his ordinary purposes, and more
would be an incumbrance-to be
buried, given away, or lost. His
mare is his life; with her he is free
to travel ON the desert, to fight or
to fly to rob his legitimate enc
mics, and protect his friends. If
he should exchange his mare for
gold, he would be a fair subject for
plumber, without the means of de-
Tense, or escape, having no home,
would be at loss to bury his
treasure where it would be of
practicable use to him.
The color of fhe Arab horse VI
ries, but is most frequently white,
or light chestnut. They are not
large, rarely above fourteen hands
high, and while at rest, none but an
experienced horseman would OBJ
serve their points. But when in
full motion they are glorious ami
mails. ga high bred mare should
hide her rider between her head
and tail, saith the Koran, for the
Koran is not silent on the subject
OF horses and many Of these ami
mails nearly perform this duty.
Mr.. Prime says, it is only by
accident that an Arab horse of pure
blood, is obtained, SO that out of
hundreds Of horses imported into
England and America as Arabian,
it is not probable that until within
the last year, one horse of pure
blood was ever brought into either
country. Hementionsth that he met
gentleman in various parts of Sy-
ria, who was from New Orleans,
whose object in visiting the East
was to obtain these Animals
This gentleman was probably A.
K. Richards, Esq, of Scott county,
KY, who has imported several Ara
bian horses.1 He had, by fortu-
nate occurrence, obtained one mare,
a noble animal, and when last
heard from was about to go down
among the Annazee to look for
others. The inferior horses, not
high blood, are always for sale, and
bring prices, in the desert, varying
from $3.50 to $3.50. There is but
little Arab blood in any horse out
of the Arabian country.
The attachment of the Bedouin
to his mare, Mr.. Prime observes,
is that affection which has been Sc
frequently the subject of poetry
and prose. On the contrary, there
is no sort of affection existing ON
the side of the man, and the beast
receives only just SO much care
and attention as will insure her
against illness and death. Sci.
dom covered and never housed, il
is often a subject of the utmost as
tonishment that the Arab horses
do not perish from exposure. But
for their incredible powersof en-.
durance, they would undoubtedly
dose. After a long days journey.
orsa sharn ride of hours over pre-.