The Horses of the Sahara 21

The Horses of the Sahara 21

The tuft that is between the two ears, _nekhlet el aâdar_, "the tuft of

the head stall": such a horse is swift in the race.

 

The tuft that grows on the lateral surface of the neck, _sebâa enneby_,

"the finger of the Prophet": the owner will die like a good Mussulman in

his bed.

 

The tuft of the Sultan, _nekhlet essoultan_. It runs along the whole

length of the neck, following the tracheal artery: love, riches, and

prosperity. The horse that bear this offers up three prayers every day:

 

"Allah grant that my master may look upon me as the most precious

possession he has in the world!"

 

"May Allah give unto him a happy lot, so that mine may benefit by it!"

 

"May Allah grant unto him the happiness of dying a martyr upon my back!"

 

The tuft on the chest, _zeradya_, fills the tent with plunder.

 

The tuft where the saddle-girths pass, _nekhlet el hazame_ multiplies

the flocks.

 

The tuft on the flank, _nekhlet eshebour_, "the tuft of the spurs." If

it is turned towards the back, it preserves the rider from misadventure

in war: if it is turned towards the belly, it is a sign of riches for

its master.

 

The following white tufts bring misfortune:

 

_Netahyat_, a tuft over the eyebrows: the master will die, shot through

the head.

 

_Nekhlet el nâash_, the coffin tuft, grows close to the withers and goes

down towards the shoulder. The rider will not fail to perish on the back

of such a horse.

 

_Neddabyat_, the mourners; a tuft on the cheek; debts, tears, ruin.

 

_Nekhlet el khriana_, the thieves' tuft. It is close to the fetlock

joint, and night and morning it prays: "O Allah! grant that I may be

stolen, or that my master may die!"

 

The tuft by the side of the tail announces trouble, misery, and famine.

 

The tuft on the inner part of the thigh: women, children, flocks, all

will disappear.

 

Such is the classification generally adopted. It is not, however,

absolute, for it varies according to localities, each tribe increasing

or diminishing the number of its lucky and unlucky tufts. It will be

seen that I have alluded only to the principal coats without entering

upon the gradation of shades, which would have carried me too far

astray. Making every allowance for prejudice and superstition, it is

clear that the Arabs are fond of dark and decided colours, while they

look upon light and faded colours, as well as white spots upon the head,

carcase, and limbs, if broad or long, as signs of weakness and

degeneracy of race. Every Arab has his own favourite coat. Some like

black horses and others gray, while others again affect bays or

chestnuts. Their preferences and antipathies are usually based on family

associations. With such a coat their ancestors achieved a brilliant

success—with such another they encountered a grievous calamity. They

will thus often refuse a good horse, without giving any other reason

than "It is not my colour."

 

 

REMARKS BY THE EMIR ABD-EL-KADER.

 

The horse the most esteemed is a black one with a star on his forehead

and white spots on his feet. Then comes the blood-bay, and after that

the dark chestnut. Horses of other coats are placed on the same line

with the exception of the piebald, with which the Arabs will have

nothing to do.

 

The Prophet has said: "If thou wouldst go to the war, purchase a horse

with a star on the forehead and stockings on all his legs with the

exception of the right forefoot."

 

A horse with white feet, his off foreleg being alone of the colour of

his coat, resembles a man who carries himself gracefully in walking,

with the sleeve of his cloak floating in the air.

 

The Prophet has said: "If I were to gather together in one spot all the

horses of the Arabs, and make them race against one another, it is the

chestnut that would outstrip the rest."

 

According to the traditions of our Lord Mohammed the black horse is

superior in the beauty of its mould and in its moral qualities, but the

chestnut in fleetness. The Arabs have a saying: "If thou hast a

chestnut, bring him along. If thou hast only a sorry chestnut, still

bring him."

 

In a spacious arena constructed for races, cast thy eyes over the

assemblage of noble coursers.

 

Thou wilt see the one who, arriving the first at the goal, has removed

his master's anxieties.

 

Then the second who followed close at hand;—they both reached the goal

without slackening their speed.

 

Every horse of noble race fascinates the eyes and rivets the gaze of the

enthusiastic spectator.

 

One of a rose colour, whose coat resembles the red tints which the

setting sun leaves on the horizon.

 

Another of a white colour, like to a shooting star hurled against the

evil genii.

 

A third, a blood-bay, of incomparable beauty and tall stature, in whom

may be recognized traces of his paternal and maternal uncles, famous in

the annals of racing.

 

There may also be seen a bright bay with a skin like gold.

 

And then a chestnut that pleases the eye with its shining mane.

 

Or another, black as night, adorned only with a white star on the

forehead, that shines like the first light of dawn. Oh! blessed is the

horse with white stars and stockings!

 

The Prophet abhorred a horse that has white marks on all its legs. The

horse with a white mark that does not come down to the tip of the upper

lip, accompanied by a stocking on the off forefoot, bears upon him the

signs of the most evil omen. Thus, whosoever sees him prays to Allah to

avert from himself the calamity announced by this animal. He is like the

"hour poison."[50]

 

The fleetest of horses is the chestnut; the most enduring, the bay; the

most spirited, the black; the most blessed, one with a white forehead.

 

The Arabs distinguish forty knots or tufts in a horse. Of these, twenty

eight are without any significance in their eyes, and are of neither

good nor bad omen. To twelve of them alone do they ascribe an influence

allowed by tradition and confirmed, as they think, by personal

observation.

 

"Horses are eagles mounted by riders tall as a lance; they arrive,

cleaving the air like a falcon swooping on its quarry."

 

 

 

 

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