ON CHOOSING AND PURCHASING HORSES.
In the Sahara horses that are celebrated for their blood and speed sell easily and at a good price. There are blemishes that totally exclude a horse from serving in war. Such as el maateuk, a narrow and hollow chest accompanying lean and perpendicular shoulders. It is difficult to form an idea of the importance attached by the Arabs to the development of the muscles of the chest.
Another blemish is fatness and want of prominence in the withers. You can never fix the saddle properly on such a horse, nor handle him boldly in galloping down hill. Again, the jardens "father of bleaching" (of the beard): curbs, when too far gone; ring-bone; spavin, especially when it is near the saphena; the processes known as louzze, or "almonds," on the ribs, and fekroune, or "tortoise," on the forequarters; splints, if near the back sinew; the pastern prolonged and bent; the pastern short and upright; windgalls along the tendons; and a long and concave back, are all serious objections. An animal is also rejected if he cannot see at night, or when there is snow. It is discovered by the manner he raises his feet when it begins to grow dark. The defect may be ascertained by placing a black surface before him in the day time—if he steps upon it without hesitation, there is no doubt on the subject. As the Arab passes much of his life-time in making nocturnal marches to surprise his enemy, or to escape from him, what could he do with such an animal?
Let us pass on now to the faults or blemishes which, though generally dreaded, do not prevent a horse from changing masters. These are narrow nostrils—they will leave you in trouble; long, soft, and pendant ears; and a short, stiff neck. A horse is little worth that does not lie down, nor one that switches his tail about while in quick motion; also horses that scratch their neck with their feet, that rest on the toe of their foot, that over-reach themselves in trotting or galloping, or that cut themselves by knocking their feet together. To discover if a horse cuts himself, pass the two wrists, joined together, between his two fore-arms and place them below his breast. If they are touched by the inner part of the fore-arms, be sure that the animal has too narrow a chest and cannot help cutting himself.
Distrust a horse that wets his nose-bag in eating his barley, and that seems to sip the water with the tips of his lips. An ambler is not fit for a chief: it is the horse of such as "clash the spurs," (carry messages). Beware of a horse that rears, refuses the spurs, bites, is difficult to mount, and breaks away from his rider when the latter dismounts: these are all grave faults in war time. Leave to the pack-saddle a horse that is deaf. You will know him by his hanging ears, void of expression, and thrown backwards, and also by his not answering to any sound of the voice. By sight, by smell, by hearing, a horse will warn his master of coming danger, if he does not save him from it. He saith:
Preserve me from what is in front,
I will preserve thee from what is behind.
"The lion and the horse disputed one day as to whose eyesight was the best. The lion saw, during a dark night, a white hair in milk, but the horse saw a black hair in pitch. The bystanders pronounced in favour of the latter."
The highest virtue in a horse is endurance, to which, in order to constitute a perfect animal, must be joined strength. A horse is considered strong if he clears fifteen to sixteen foot-lengths in his first bound. If he covers a greater space he is deemed to be of superior strength, but if he clears no more than eight to ten feet he is set down as a heavy animal. A very fiery horse never exhibits patience of fatigue; nor one whose legs are lanky, neck too long, and buttocks too heavy to be in harmony with other parts of his body; nor one who lacks vigour in his heels. Such a horse, after a long course, will be exhausted in his legs, so that when he is pulled up by his rider he will still take several steps contrary to the latter's wishes. A horse that has neither patience nor mettle is easily recognised. The form of his body is irregular, his chest narrow, and his breathing short. Strength and wind are the two highest qualities of a horse. The absence of either is likely to affect his endurance and lower his spirit.