The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-11-13
THE OLDEST CHARGER IN THE
BRITISH ARMY.
From Land ana water, Oct. 80. ]

Colonel Kent, Seventy seventh regiment has favored
with the following particulars OF his nne old charger
which excited such attention at the Balakava anniver
sary at the Alexandra Palace THE history Of my fine
gallant old charger is very remarkable that II
deserves TO be known he Ia probably the most
travelled horse the world and possibly be less
than twenty-five years old, and am glad OF this oppor
tunity making it public through the medium Of your
excellent paper He is high caste Arab and came up
with the Tenth Hussars from Bombay, through Egypt
and Consrantnope, tho Crimea, where the late Col
onel stratton Of my regiment. bought him. and rode
him ali through the latter part OF the He then
companied the regiment to this country and for
some time at Aldershot and Dublin, where he EN-
barked with the regiment in 1857 and with 10
round the Cape Australia distance OF Is 900 miles
He then went out with the regiment during the mutiny
III India, another coo miles, and has marched
with it all the way from Calcutta TO Peshawur
at one extremity. and TO BOMBAY a, the
other extremity Of india Finally, in 1870, he came
home through the Suez Canal TO Liverpool Portsmouth,
Portland, Aldershot Chatham and Woolwch where he
was until the other day. when at the request of the
directors OF the Alexandra Palace, sent him TO the
Baaklava fste distinction Of which he may well be
proud. There is not sign OF age about him, and no
carries Just fine coat now as he did In his young
days, when be was ridden by Lord strathnairn and
other officers of distinction. ! rode him myself the
other day when His Royal Hghness the Field Marshal
Commanding-in-Chefw was at Woolwich,. and he never
carried me better, or looked more snowy
Thinking some further particulars and details about
SO celebrated horse would interest readers We
inspected him carefully al the Alexandra Palace yester
day and now give the result Of observations
Colonel Kent gives the horses age as over twenty i've
years; but Sergeant Walker told US he had known him
twenty-five years and that he believed his actual age
twenty Re that Il nar, he IS ssh fresh
and sound and able do good days work
horses and certainly does not look half his aga He
a remarkably compact. neat little horse very deceiving
TO height In consequence of his great evenness
When first saw him we took him to be about four
teen hands two inches but measuring him found
him TO be just half an inch under fifteen
hands. Some of this deceptiveness Of appear
ance probably due TO the largo building
he standing in; bat he Is just the kind
OF horse which always looks smaller than he really
In color he is bright chestnut with white blaze
down his face and his two feet white, the hind
stocking extending nearly up 70 the hook With capi-
tai legs and feet strong back and closely ribbed he
up plenty weight and with long strong thighs and
deep slopng shoulders he must have a considerable
turn OF speed His head like most of his breed
and game looking and y well set on somewhat coarse
neck
With the assistance Of Sergeants r Walker and
Hayles or the Seventy seventh regiment, who mad
charge Of him. carefully took the following
ments:-