Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-12-20
ARAB HORSE COMING BACK.
Renewal of Interest Predicted in the
Once Famous Steed.


Now that Arabia is going TO be a
country and kingdom on its own ac-
count. with Il king at Mecca and war
taxes and very likely controller of
likely 10 he revived. The arab king
dom is :, kind OF holy thing. based on
MOhammcd and the kaaba, and the
Koran and TO the Arab the horse is
holy. 1t was Mohammed himself who
said (Ur at least SO the Manchester
Guardian tells us), "Thc money that
one spends on horses is in the eyes of
God an aims that one makes at ones
own cost" There is something rather
mystical about this saying. At first
glance it seems TO mean: He who
buys horses is lending money to the
Lord" There may he. however sort
of joker in the phrase. implying that
he who buys horses impoverishcs
himself. and therefore acquires the
merit of him who gives away all his
money. But there is n clue TO Moham-
mcd's meaning in another uttcrancc of
his which is this: Veal is in the fore
lock Of horses until the Day of judg-
ment."
The eastern world and a great part
of Africa could never have been con-
vCrtcd to Islam If II had not been for
the Arab horse. On his back the Arab
rode TO conquest in the name of the
prophet. through Syria, Persia, Egypt.
all Northern Africa and most of Spain,
so that within hundred years after
the prophets death half the known
world was Mussulman. The Arab horse
might well be numbered among the
apostlcs of Islam. and upon his main
trnance in Swiftncss and strength de-
pended. no doubt. the future fate OF the
Arab kingdom and caliphatc. 1t was
only when Europe had horses as good
rs those of Arabia that Christianity
BEGAN to make hcadway against Mo-
hammcdaniSm.
And vet II is funny--the Arab horse
was not an original Arabian product.
In the DAYS before Christ the Arabs
Travelled exclusively on camcls. The
horse now called A9rabian 10 supposed
to have originated on the Libyan des-
crt in North Africa. from which IL
passed to Egypt and eventually TO
Arabia. Europe always had horses in
some shape. but they were very
stocky. loGy. numbering creatures. mt
to draw iron chariots. which were the
tanks of the ancient wars. but not nj
for n gentleman or tirSt-claSs bandit
TO ride. It took the sandy desert 10
breed that kind of horse. and some
how Libya managed to do II. II must
be confessed that the horse oil that
TYNE. as we know him now. has got
the hot, sandy desert out OF his blood
very well. The Morgan horse OF Ner-
mont is only slight modification OF
the Arab horse-so slight that Homer
Doycnport's stallion, Haleb, brought
straight from the Syrian desert. TOOK
the prize at the Vermont state iair AT
Rutland as the animal nearest In all
lines to the typical Morgan. Fancy the
difference in the climate and condi-
tions between Vermont and the Libyan
desert, And yet the Morgan horse
was happy and healthy in Vermont
there was never a creature that stoou
n temperature of 30 degrees below zero
more cheerfully than he. or ever sprans
more blithcly through five feet OF
snow.
The explanation OF this capacity Tor
acclimitization (Which the donkey ana
mule do not possess). probably lies IN
the wonderful and indomitable spirit
of the horse. an animal which. though
II nretcnds to be as timid as rabbit
Is really daunted by nothing on ear'n'
and which would hold up its head pro-
hahly in hell If it had ever done any
thing that would cntitle 1t to go there'
The horse will run away at the turning
of n leaf in the wind: but ii will leap
to death at the command OF ITS mas
ter. Though created for play. ana
knowing that he is created Tor pay inc
horse will accept life of abject toll
and will show an unfagging spirit OF
zeal in the toll. as though 1t were all
that he desired in life. \ man may
aspire to possess the various virtues
and will call in religion to help him.
and then he will not acquire onc-half
the virtues that his horse has by In
lhcritancc and instinct. 4 man may sec