The pedigree of one of their horses of the blue blood is as well known throughout the districts traversed by the tribe he belongs to, as that of any royal family of Europe. The Bedouins of Syria have five principal breeds, known as the Khainsa, or five,—(1) The Kehilan (fem. Kehileh or Kehilet) is the fastest, but not the hardiest. They are bred chiefly by the Bedouins settled between Basra, Merdin, and Syria. That of Dsjulfa seems to be the most numerous. They are highly esteemed, and consequently are very dear. (2) The Seglawi (fem. Seglawieh), of which the Seglawi Jedran is considered the best in all the desert. (3) Abeyan (fem. Abeyeh) is a small, but generally the hand somest breed. (4) The Hamdani (fern. 11am danieh), not a common breed. (5) The Hadhan (fem. Hadbeh), not common.
Mr. Robinson says these five principal races diverge into many ramifications. Every mare particularly swift and handsome, belonging to any one of the chief races, may give origin to a new breed, the descendants of which are called after her, so that the names of different Arab breeds in the desert are innumerable. The horses of the Bedouin of Syria are mostly small, seldom exceed ing fourteen hands. They ride, almost exclusively, their mares, having the advantage over the horses in speed and good temper. The latter they sell to the town's people, or to the fellahs. They object to them, not only because they are more vicious than the mares, but because they neigh, which in an expedition by night might be the means of betraying them. They are first mounted after the second year, from which time the saddle is seldom taken off their backs. They are kept in the open air during the whole year, never entering the tent. even in the rainy season. In summer they stand exposed to the mid-day sun. In winter a sack ' cloth is.thrown over the saddle. Like his master.
with very little attention to his health, he is seldom ill. Burning is the most general remedy, and as this is done with a hot iron, it has given rise to the erroneous notion that the Arabs mark all their horses.
More than half of the Arab horses exported to Bombay are shipped from the seaport of Koweyt. Palgrave says they are generally brought from the north of Arabia or the Syrian desert. There are good horses of this kind at Hayel and Jabl Shouter. Those of Shomer or Anazah breed are high blooded, and often very perfect in all their points. The best of the Nejd horses are small, few reaching fifteen hands, and fourteen being about the aver age, but their small stature is not observed in their excellent shape. The genuine Nejd breed is obtainable only in Nejd; and the distinctive points of the Nejd horse are, the full rounded haunch, the slope of the shoulder, and the extreme clean ness of the shank. In Nejd breeding, care is
taken to select a good stallion and good mare. The total number is about 5000; and horses are kept only for war or parade, all travelling and other drudgery being performed on camels, or on asses. The Nejd horses are esteemed for their great speed and endurance ; and in the latter quality, indeed, they are unequalled, bearing up through abstinence and labour for 48 hours, under all Arab sky. They are often ridden without bit or bridle, saddle, rein, or stirrup, but they yield to the pressure of the knee or thigh, and to the voice ; can be wheeled and turned and brought to a dead stand in mid career of full gallop. Mares are never parted with, and good stallions rarely so. Those of Hayel and Jabl Shomer are a fine breed, and horses from them often find their way to Europe, where they are sold at high prices. These are generally the produce of a Jabl Shomer mare with Nejd stallion, or the reverse. Their height varies from 14 to over 16 hands ; but their shape is less elegant than the Nejd, and often indicates some defect, such as a heavy shoulder, small rump, shelly or contracted hoof, or small eye.
To the east and south of Toweyk, the Arab horse loses in beauty and perfection, in size and strength ; and in Oman they resemble the tattu of India.
In the south of Arabia, the horses are mere rats, short and stunted, ragged and fleshless, with rough coats and a slouching walk, but with fine snake like head, ears like reeds, wide and projecting nostrils, large eyes, fiery and soft alternately, broad brow, deep base of skull, wide chest, crooked tail, limbs padded with muscle, and long elastic pasterns. It was told to Captain Burton (Pilgrim age, iii. p. 269) that the Zu Mahomed and the Zu Husayan, sub-families of the Beni Yam, a large tribe living around and north of Sanaa in Yemen, have a fine large breed, called El Jaufi, and that the clan El Aulaki rear animals celebrated for swiftness and endurance. The other races are stunted ; and some Arabs declare that the air of Yemen causes degeneracy in the first generation. In Solomon's time the Egyptian horse cost 150 silver shekels, which, if the greater shekel be meant, would still be about the average price, £18; and Wellsted tells us (i. p.306) that several of the Imam's horses in his time were of the noblest breed in Nejd, some of his mares being valued at from 1500 to 2000 dollars.