The Horses of the Sahara 20

The Horses of the Sahara 20

In the Sahara, then, the horse is the noblest creature after man. The

most honourable occupation is to rear him, the most delightful pastime

is to mount him, the best of all actions is to tend him well.

 

The Arabs assert that they can tell beforehand, by certain methods, what

will be a colt's stature and character when he becomes a horse. These

methods vary in different localities, but those most generally adopted

are the following:—For the height, they take a cord, and passing it

behind the ears and the nape of the neck, they bring the two ends

together on the upper lip just below the nostrils. Having established

this measure, they apply it to the distance from the foot to the

withers. It is an article of belief that the colt will grow as high as

this last measurement out-tops the withers.

 

When it is desired to ascertain the value of a horse by his proportions,

they measure with the hand from the extremity of the dock to the middle

of the withers, and take note of the number of palms. They then begin

again from the middle of the withers to the extremity of the upper lip,

passing between the ears. If in the two cases the number of palms is

equal, the horse will be good, but of ordinary speed. If the number of

palms behind is greater than in front, the horse will have no "go" in

him. But if the number of palms between the withers and the extremity of

the upper lip is more considerable than in measuring from the tail to

the withers, rest assured the animal will have great qualities. The more

the number differs to the advantage of the forepart, the greater will be

the value of the horse. With such an animal, say the Arabs, they can

"strike afar"—go a long distance—thus expressing the pace and bottom

promised by such proportions. With a little practice they easily come to

judge by the eye so as to have no occasion to measure. While a horse is

passing they compare rapidly, starting from the withers, the hindpart

with the forepart, and without going into details the animal is judged.

 

 

REMARKS BY THE EMIR ABD-EL-KADER.

 

Passing before a horse the Prophet began to rub his face with his

sleeve, saying: "Allah has been wrathful with me because of horses."

"Felicity is attached to the forelocks of horses." And it is on their

account that their owners can reckon on the aid of Allah. Therefore it

is your duty to wipe their forelocks with your hands. A wise man has

said:—"The noble labours with his hands without a blush, in three cases;

for his horse, for his father, and for his guest."

 

One mode of judging of a horse is to measure him from the root of the

mane close to the withers and descend to the end of the upper lip

between the nostrils. They then measure from the root of the mane to the

end of the tail-bone, and if the forepart is longer than the hindpart

there is no doubt the horse will have excellent qualities. To ascertain

if a young horse will grow any more or not, the Arabs measure first from

the knee to the highest point situated in the prolongation of the limb

above the withers, then from the knee downwards to the beginning of the

hair above the coronet (to the crust of the hoof): if these two measures

are to one another as two-thirds to one-third, the horse will grow no

more. If this proportion does not exist, the animal has not done

growing, for it is absolutely necessary that the height from the knee to

the withers should represent in a full grown horse exactly double the

length of the leg from the knee to the hoof.

 

In the desert the curry-comb is never used, the horses are cleaned with

the nose-bag, which is made of horse hair, and are frequently washed if

the weather is favourable. Milk is their ordinary drink. Should it

happen to run short, the Arabs do not hesitate to go a considerable

distance to find clear and pure water for them. The barley ought to be

heavy, very clean, without any bad smell, and completely clear of the

impurities which are unavoidably mixed with it in the "silos." The

horses are covered with good _djellale_, which fully protect the loins,

the belly, and the chest. They are manufactured in the tribe. Those that

are made with care are water proof.

 

There are some coats which must be preserved with equal attention from

cold and from heat. Experience has demonstrated that this is necessary

for all horses of a light colour, beginning with the white, the fineness

of whose skin makes him very susceptible.

 

In the sun he melts like butter:

In the rain he melts like salt.

 

Coats of a dark colour do not need so many precautions. When it is very

hot or very cold, the horses are brought inside the tent. In the Sahara

the nights are always cool; in summer, as in winter, the animals must be

covered. Nothing is overlooked that may avert checked perspiration.

After a long journey the saddle is not removed until the horse is dry.

Nor do they give him any thing to eat until he has recovered the

regularity of his breathing, and for the most part they give him water

to drink with the bridle on. Lastly, the encamping grounds are

studiously selected. What is preferred is a dry ground, cleared of the

stones that might encumber it, on which the horse is placed so that the

forequarters shall be a little higher than the hind quarters, and facing

as much as possible the master of the tent, who watches him night and

day like one of his own children. To place a horse with his forequarters

lower than the hind quarters is to ruin his shoulders. Particular care

should always be taken of the _djellale_. A horseman is little respected

by the Arabs when it can be said of him:

 

His horse drinks troubled water,

And his covering is full of holes.

 

 

 

 

COATS.

 

 

The favourite coats are:—

 

The White: "Take the horse white as a silken flag, without spot, with

the circle of his eyes black."

 

The Black: "He must be black as a night without moon and stars."

 

The Bay: He must be nearly black, or streaked with gold. "The dark red

one said to the dispute, 'Stop there.'"

 

The Chestnut: "Desire a dark shade. When he flees beneath the sun, it is

the wind. The Prophet was partial to chestnuts."

 

The Dark Dappled-Gray, called "the grey of the wild pigeon," if

resembling the stone of the river.

 

He will fill the douar

When it is empty,

And will preserve us from the combat,

On the day when the muzzles of the guns touch each other.

 

The Grays are generally esteemed when the head is of a lighter colour

than the body.

 

The Green, or rather the yellow dun, which must be dark, with black tail

and mane.

 

White is the colour for princes, but does not stand heat. The black

brings good fortune, but fears rocky ground. The chestnut is the most

active. "If one tells you that he has seen a horse fly in the air, ask

of what colour he was; and if he replies: 'Chestnut,'—believe him." "In

a combat against a chestnut, you must have a chestnut." The bay is the

hardiest and most sober. "If one tells you that a horse has leaped to

the bottom of a precipice without hurting himself, ask of what colour he

was; and if he replies: 'Bay,'—believe him."

 

Ben Dyab, a renowned chief of the desert, who flourished in the year of

the Hijra 955, happening one day to be pursued by Saad-el-Zenaty, sheikh

of the Oulad-Yagoub, turned to his son and asked: "What horses are in

the front of the enemy?" "White horses," replied his son. "It is well;

let us make for the sunny side, and they will melt away like butter."

Some time afterwards Ben Dyab again turned to his son and said: "What

horses are in the front of the enemy?" "Black horses," cried his son.

"It is well; let us make for 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." He changed his course, and the black horses were

speedily distanced. A third time Ben Dyab asked: "And now, what horses

are in the front of the enemy?" "Dark chestnuts and dark bays." "In that

case," exclaimed Ben Dyab, "strike out, my children, strike out, and

give your horses the heel, for these might perchance overtake us had we

not given barley to ours all the summer through."

 

The coats despised are:

 

The Piebald: "Flee him like the pestilence, for he is own brother to the

cow."

 

The kouskoussou arrives when he is gone,

And he finds the dispute as soon as he arrives.

 

The Isabel, with white mane and tail; no chief would condescend to mount

such a horse. There are some tribes even that would not consent to allow

him to remain a single night with them. They call such a one _sefeur el

ihoudy_, "the Jew's yellow." It is a colour that brings ill luck.

 

The iron gray

And the Jew's yellow,

If his rider returns from the fight

Cut off my hand.

 

The Roan; this is called _meghedeur-el-deum_, "a pool of blood." The

rider is sure to be overtaken, but will never overtake.

 

The horse is to be valued that has no white spots except a star on the

forehead, or a simple white stripe down the face. The latter must

descend to the lips, and then the owner will never be in want of milk.

It is a fortunate mark. It is the image of the dawn. If the star is

truncated or has jagged edges, it is universally disliked, and if the

animal adds to that a white spot in front of the saddle no man in his

senses would mount it, nor would any judge of horse-flesh deign to

possess it. Such a horse is as fatal as a subtile poison. If a horse has

several white spots, three is the preferable number—one of the right

feet should be exempt, but it matters not whether it be behind or

before. It is a good sign to have stockings on both the off forefoot and

the near hindfoot. It is called,

 

The hand of the writer

And the foot of the horseman.

 

The master of such a horse cannot fail to be fortunate, for he mounts

and dismounts over white. The Arabs, it must be remembered, generally

mount on the off side and alight on the near side. Two hind stockings

are a sign of good fortune;

 

The horse with the white hind-feet,

His master will never be ruined.

 

It is the same with white forefeet—his master's face will never turn

yellow. Never buy a horse with a white face and four stockings, for he

carries his winding-sheet with him. The prejudices of the Arabs on the

subject of white spots are summed up in the following little story:

 

"An Arab had a blood mare. There was a dispute beforehand as to what her

foal would be. So when she was on the point of foaling he invited all

his friends to be present. The head first of all came in sight—it bore a

star. The Arab rejoiced. His horse would one day, outstrip the dawn, for

he had the mark on his forehead. Next appeared the near forefoot, when

the owner in ecstasy demanded one hundred _douros_ for the foal. The off

forefoot then showed itself with a stocking, and the price was reduced

to fifty douros. After that came the near hindfoot. It also had a

stocking, and the Arab overjoyed, swore that he would not part with his

foal for the whole world. But lo! the fourth foot presents itself

likewise with a stocking, when the dweller in the Sahara cast the animal

out, in his fury, on the refuse-heap, unable to bring himself to keep

such a brute."

 

A horse has forty white _Tufts_, of which twenty eight are generally

considered as being of neither good nor bad omen, while to the remaining

twelve a certain influence is attributed. It is agreed on all hands to

regard six of these as augmenting riches and bringing good fortune, and the other six as causing ruin and adversity.