Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-11-24
The Points of n Horse.

| 1t Is a weil-known fact that the yarious
species of animals in a wild state transmit
| their primal characteristics of form color
and other distinguishing features from
generation 10 generation. The wild
English cattle, for instance. which once
abounded in the ancient forests of the
classic land of Northumberland, roaming
through the woods and deep dells of the
Northumbrian border testify their purity
of blood by their coInmon resemblance. be-
ing universally milk white. having only
the tips OF their horns and muzzle., and
ears colored. But VIXEN they were mixed
with the common breed the color was lost.
| Here, then, Is the explanation of the var
| iouS colors to be found in the horse Ii is
| very generally considered that color, rs
| well rs otier distinguishing characteristics.
can be fixed in the breed, but it requires
many generations 10 hand j; down with
certainty.
We will next invite attention to the
prcdomnating co!or4 and the accredited
| value attached to each. In the first place,
| the remarks OF General Daumas, who never
wearied Of studying all the points Of the
noble animal, are worthy Of the greatest
attention. In his standard work, "The
| Horses of S'ahara,' he gives the adagcs
which pass current III the East:
The Arabs are very particular us to the
color Of their horses, White is the color
for the Princes. but does not stand heat
| The black brings good fortune, but fears
rocky ground. The chestnut is the most
active. IL one tells you he has seen
horse tlv III the air, ask of what color it
was; if he replies Chestnut believe him.
| In Il combat against Z chestnut, you must
have chestnut. The bay is the hardest,
most sober. If one tells You a horse has
leaped to the bottom of . precipice with
out hurting himself, ask of what color he
was, and il he replies Bay believe him.
| Ben Dyab, renowned chief of the
desert, who happened one day to be pursued
by Saad-el-Zanity, turned to his son and
asked:
"What horses are in front of the enc
my"
White horses, replied the son.
80 1t is we'll; let lis make for the sunny
side, and they Will melt away like butter
"Some time afterward Ben Dyab again
| turned to his son and said:
"'What horses are in front of the enc
my?
80 Black horses replied the son.
1t is well let us make for the stony
ground, and we shall have nothing to fear
they are the negroes of the Soudan, who
! cannot walk with bare feet upon the
| flints'
lie changed his course, and the black
horses were speedily distanced third
time and Ben Dyab asked:
And now what horses are in front of
the enemyY
SO Dark chestnuts and dark bays
In that case said Ben Dyab, strike
out my children, strike ont, and give your
! horses the heel, for these might perchance
overtake us, had we not given barley to
ours all the summer through"
| In studying the points Of 4 horse, nova
days, the color plays an important part
with those who profess understanding,
Doubtless, deep bays and browns with
black points, are in the greatest demand,
because the coat is easily kept clean, its
richness pleases the eye, and they possess
the ooncomtants of endurance and
! longevity. \ black horse is not held in
such high esteem, and vet many a superior
animal wears Il coat of sable hue. 1t has
been said by gatherers of statistics on the
subject that chestnuts have good constitu-
tions, but are often high-tempered, while
| the black or red ran wears well, and is
not moved by every shadow that crosses his
path The piebald and soft colors with
white markings, don find favor for racing
or general purposes. 1t IS also noteworthy
that few gray or white horses wear the
| laurel wreath in the best company. As the
| trotting records stand to-day, the queen is
a chestnut, and her predecessor was a bay.
The rival stations, Maxv Cobb and Phal-
las, are bays, and the retiring champion,
Smuggler, is brown. The best yearling,
two-year-old and threc-year-old perform
ances belong to youngsters of blood-red
hue. But Elvira, who lately deposed the
bay filly Bonita as ruler of the four
year-old record, is a black. Among the
PAGERS which have beaten 2:1S in harness
we find the unapproachable Johnston is
solid bay; Little Brown jug is . beautiful
brown, and so is Richball. Sleepy Tom is
| dark chestnut, and Buffalo Girl is bright
bay The subject OF color is an interesting
study, and there is more than fancy in it
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