The Opelousas courier., 1891-12-12
THE TRUE ARABIAN HORSE.
ITS RARE BEAUTY AND QUALITIES
DESCRIBED.
Only One ofThese Splendid Animals
Ever Came to America, and Ii
Starved to Death.

deteriorated, Count. Can 1t be true!'
"No, Madame, it is impossible for the
true Arab horse to deteriorate so long as
the Arab tribes follow the same laws,
and so jealousy guard these rare breeds
from loss by sale or theft. They have a
race of horses called the Levantine, which
they offer in exchange for money and
merchandise. These horses have excel
lent points, are snowy, handsome, we'll
trained, and IN every way desirable, but
they no mere compare to the true Arab
breeds than a clumsy cart horse to the
swift runner
"Are there many distinct breeds?"
'There are but five, AMI every n
entirely different, and with distinctive
marks. Those most highly priced, most
rare and valuable, are the Nedijer and
the Osman. The other three-the Ab-
dalla, Dakir, and Mohammed-although
Of blood as pure, and as impossible to
obtain by purchase, have not the same
matchless beauty"
but were net the horses presented
to Gen. Grant by the Sultan thorough
bred Arabs2"
"Certainly not. They were only the
common Levantine horses, snowy AMI
stylish, strong, and with fine points, bat
they were not thoroughbreds, as the
Sultan has never had a pure thorough
bred Arab in his stable"
as this fact generally known and
b~elieved?"
ssIt ia, of course, we'll known in
Europe among such holsenen as study
the different breeds and have seen the
true Arab in its native land. These fine
| breeds which | have mentioned are con-
sidered SO precious that every ptecautlon
is taken not only by the owners, but by
the whole tribe, to prevent their sale or
| loss by intrigue, and the Arab tribes,
with all their peculiar creeds of hospital
| ity, have never arrived at that state OF
| civilization which could induce them to
| give away such treasures. II an owner
| should be tempted by an enormous price
to part with a mare or stalllon-he would
be put to death by his tribe, while the
man who had the temerlty to seek such
a purchase must do so at the risk OF his
life. Every horse lives inside his owners
tent. aud is the pet and delight of the
women and children, and quite as much
a part of the family. Their intelligence
is almost human, as they answer in
obedience to every word, while their
endurance is superhuman. The famous
| Omar I, who now belongs to the Empress
of Austria, the finest horsewomaa in
| Europe. travelled three days and nights
| over the hot and barren plains of the
Arabian desert with but two quarts of
barley for food and an occasional tuft OF
the Sahara clover. Only twice was there
water found for him to drink. Fleet as
a bird, he ran, seemingly unconscious of
his burden, and arrived at the wall
before Cairo apparently as fresh as when
he started. The two Sluhgi, enormous
ereyhounds called antelope catchers,
which were a part of Omar's outfit and
always Travelled with him, were tagging
miles behind, footsore and weary; but
Omar neighed cheerfully, encouraging
them to approach, and promising to them
rest and refreshment in his sympathetic
whinnies."
"Will you describe him2"
aHis skin was black, and shoue
through fine glossy coat of silVer-gray
hair; his mane full and long, and his
tail. which swept the ground, was pink.
About fifteen hands high, in form the
most beautiful that can be imagined in
apy four-footed animal, he was fleet as
the wind, graceful as the antelope,
trained to every agile movement, and
with an endurance inconcevabie. In
disposition faultless-kind, gentle,
caressing, and obedient-he had never
known whip or spur, or even q harsh
word, giving always the best he knew"
stDoes he still live2"
stHe was alive when last I heard, and
is now about forty years old and in his
prime, as the Arab horses are almost as
longlived IS a man.
ttDo they make good war horses9"
tsIn battle their extraordinary ev olu.
lions remind one of the gyratory move
ments of the swallow when it flies. They
turn and wheel with such rapi1jty that
it is almost impossible to ge. a shot at
them, and if they run nothing can catcl
them, their wonderful wisdo i and Gun
ming leading them and their riders out
of difficulties the most serious"
aWhere are they found2n
nIn Mecca, Medina, Palestine, and
the Persian Gulf are found the Nedjier
and Osman. They have the Abdalla
race in the Atlas Mountains as well as
between Afghanistan and the Persian
Mountains, where also live the NOLAN.
med and Dakir breeds. These horses
descended as heirlooms from father to
son, and no possession is SO precious as
these exqisite animals. Their pedigree
is carefully preserved with that of the
family's own, and their names descend
as dc those of the generations of Kings.
Sometimes many or all the members of 9
tribe will be each a part sharer in .
horse, and this horse is left by will to a
successor. One cannot sell his share
without permission from the rest, be he
ever so much in ueed; and it must be an
~unusual circumstance, indeed, which
could gain such permission"
aHave they any concealed marks b
which to be identifeda"
ION every thoroughbred Arab is to b.
seen certain fine marks, ineligible only
to the initiated. When the colt is young
a very fine hot iroa, like q needle,i Is made
to write certain marks and lines on the
q # w-1 lnfH .F Nthd