Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-06-20
ARABIAN HORSES.
INTERESTING ACCOUNT By J. q. WILSON,
AMERICAN CONSUL AT JERUSALEM.

1t is a question what sort of horse
Noah took with him into the ark, and
where the horse went after the disembark-
alton. Tradition states that the first horse
trainer was Ishmael, after he was turned
out Of his fathers tent. He is said to
have captured a wild horse, and from her
is descended special strain Of blood
known as Benatel Ahwaj, the Oldest
known breed, and all the Arabian breeds
are ramifcations of the original stock,
particularly of fine, choice breeds known
as thoroughbreds, or pure blooded, by the
Bedouins of the desert. 1t is probable
that the home of the Arabian horse was
in Northern Arabia, on the borders of
the Euphrates, where there is more wa
ter on the surface Of the ground than in
Southern Arabia. The pure Arabian
horse is from fourteen to fifteen hands
high. He has large head, large eye
and arched neck, and is of mild DISPOSE
ton, and of unusual intelligence. Com
pared with other horses, he is perfectly
tractable. For his size, his speed is
great, and his jumping and leaping pow
ers are remarkable. He is a good walk
er and runner. The Bedouins do not
teach their horses to trot, neither do they
train race. horses. They themselves are
bold riders for short distances, throwing
spears, knives, javelins, and exercising
themselves in strange feats of horseman-
ship, impossible for any one but them
selves.
Travellers will remember the eques-
trian feats of the Jordan Valley guides,
who are usually Bedouin Sheiks, and
who take great care of their horses.
Training commences when the colt is
young. The Bedouins know nothing
about breaking a horse, and their belief
is, that unless horse has done good ser
vice before he is three years old, he will
never be worth anything. There are
five recognized strains Of Arabian horses,
all equally or nearly equally pure and
valuable. Written pedigrees are not
known, but by tradition the pedigree is
preserved for generations, descent being
reckoned by the dam only.
The pure Arab horse commands high
price the mare still higher price
And if sold, the first foal is considered
the property Of the seller. A friend Of
the writer, an Arab, owns the one.ffth
part of pure mare, for which he paid
fifty Napoleons. 1t is beautiful ami
NAL. In mixed blood, the size and shape
of the head follows the least beautiful
type of the ancestors, as in the Spanish
horses Of the present day. The English
thoroughbred so called, is not pure
Arabian, though he is larger and strong
er than the pure Arab horse. The ear
of the Arabian horse is small and beau
tifully shaped the neck is light; the
shoulder good and the forearm very
strong. The hind quarters are narrow,
indicating speed rather than strength.
The legs are strong, less bone and more
back sinew than in American horses
The pastern joints are long and fine
too long for strength-and the long pas
tern causes the horse to trip even on level
ground.
| had last year the offer of beautiful
Arap horse, and at reasonable price.
He was the fastest walker | have ever
seen in Palestine, but he tripped and NOV
ed badly OH the down. hill grade. did
not purchase him, being afraid that he
might stumble. The best gait of the
Arab horse, is galloping or running, but
| doubt not that by training, good shoul-
der action could be obtained. The Arab
horse has good wind, great powers of en-
durance, and he will bear any amount of
training. He is fearless, and hence safe.
In this respect he is very different from
the northern horses of the Turks.
The colors are various; gray, white,
brown, black and bay. The bay is said
to be the best the black is rare the best
horses have seen in Arabia are gray.
For the pedigree or family of horse,
the Bedouins look at the head, where it
is said, signs Of parentage are seen. A
very good horse, and fayorlte one IN
Palestine, is a cross between the Arabian
and the Russian, which is sixteen or
seventeen hands high, large and power
full horse, and sometimes very beautiful,
For such horse, the French Consul
paid four hundred Napoleons.
The supposed deterioration Of the Arat
horse of late years, may be from the sys,
TEN of close breeding, to degree which
would not be tolerated elsewhere, and the
result is weakness. All blooded horses