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 douarWhen it is empty,And will preserve us from the combat,On the day when the muzzles of the guns touch each other.
He will fill the douarWhen it is empty,And will preserve us from the combat,On the day when the muzzles of the guns touch each other.
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 standheat. 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 kouskoussou arrives when he is gone,And he finds the dispute as soon as he arrives.
The kouskoussou arrives when he is gone,And he finds the dispute as soon as he arrives.
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 onesefeur el ihoudy, "the Jew's yellow." It is a colour that brings ill luck.
The iron grayAnd the Jew's yellow,If his rider returns from the fightCut off my hand.
The iron grayAnd the Jew's yellow,If his rider returns from the fightCut off my hand.
The iron gray
And the Jew's yellow,
If his rider returns from the fight
Cut off my hand.
The Roan; this is calledmeghedeur-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 writerAnd the foot of the horseman.
The hand of the writerAnd the foot of the horseman.
The hand of the writerAnd the foot of the horseman.
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.
The horse with the white hind-feet,His master will never be ruined.
The horse with the white hind-feet,His master will never be ruined.
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 hundreddourosfor 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 whiteTufts, of which twenty eight are generally considered as being of neither good nor bad omen, while to the remaining twelve a certain influenceis 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.
The tufts of good omen are:
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 hazamemultiplies 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 thewithers 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.
REMARKS BY THE EMIR ABD-EL-KADER.
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;—theyboth 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. Totwelve 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."