Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-05-14


No Arab dreams of tying up a horse
by the neck; tether replaces the hal:
ter, and one of the animals hind legs is
encircled about the pastern by a light
iron ring, furnished with a paddock, and
connected with an iron chain two feet
or thereabouts in length, ending in
rope, which is fastened to the ground at
some distance by an iron peg; such is
the customary method But should the
animal be restless and troublesome, a
foreleg is put under similar treatment.
1t is well known that horses in Arabia
are much less frequently vicious or re-
fractory than in Europe, and this is the
reason why geldiDgs are here so rare,
though not unknown. No particular
prejudice that / could discover exists
against the operation itself, only it is
seldom performed, because not otherwise
necessary, and tending, of course, to
diminish the value of the animal New
er had | seen or imagined so lovely
collection. Their stature was somewhat
low. do not think that any came fully
up TO fifteen hands-fourteen appeared
to be about their averaee-but they we're
30 exquisitely well shaped that want of
greater size seemed hardly, if at all,
a defect
Remarkably full in the launches, with
a shoulder Of slope so elegant as to
make one, in the words of an Arabian
poet, go raving mad about it" little
Ia very little-saddleb backed, just the
curve which indicates springiness; a
head broad above. and tapering down to
nose fine enough to verify the phrase
Of drinking from pint pot, did pint
pots exist in Nedjee; most intelligent
and singularly gentle look, full eye, a
sharp, thorn like ear legs fore and hind
that seemed as if made of hammered
iron, so clean and yet so we'll twisted
with sinew; a neat round hoof, just the
requisite for hard ground; the tail set
on, or rather thrown out, at perfect
arch; coat smooth, shining, and light;
the name long, but not overgrown nor
heavy and air and steps that seemed to
say Look at me; am | not pretty p
their appearance justified all reputation,
all value, all poetry; light bay, an iron
color, white or black were less common;
full bay. flea, bitten, or piebald none.
But ii asked what are, after all, the spe-
cially distinct points of Nedjee
horse, / should reply: The slope of the
! shoulders, the extreme eleauness of the
shank, and the full rounded haunch
though every other part too has per-
fection and harmony unwitnessed, at
least by my eyes, anywhere else. Ned.
! jee horses are especially esteemed for
great speed and endurance OF fatigues;
indeed, in this latter quality none could
come up to them.
To pass twentyfour hours on the road
without drinking aud without tagging is
certainly something; but to keep up the
same abstinence and labor conjoined
under the burning Arabian skies for for
ty eight hours at a stretch is, | believe,
peculiar to the breed. Besides, they
have delicscy, cannot say of mouth,
for il is common to ride them without
bit or bride, but of feeling, and obedi-
ence to the knee and thigh, to the slight
est check of the halter aud the voice Of
the rider, far surprising the most elabo,
rate manege given European horse,
though furnished with snaffle, curb and
all. | often mounted them at the invita-
ton Of their owners, aud without saddle,
rein or stirrup, set them off at full gal.
lop, wheeled them around, brought them
up in mad career at a dead halt, and
that without the least difficulty, or the
smallest want OF correspondence between
the horses movements and my own will;
the rider on their back really feels him
self the man half of centaur, not a
distinct being -Palgrape's " Travels IA
I 1r1bid