The breeds of jacks. The several breeds of jacks vary in conformation and size, though the differences are not so marked as in horses. The variations in jacks are brought about by the same condition as in the horse. The Andalusian jack is of medium size, with excellent bone, possessing much substance; the Maltese jack is of small size, with rather fine bone and perhaps too much general refinement; the Catalonian jack is of large size, possessing unusual style, beauty and action; the Majorca jack is the largest, standing a hand higher than the Catalonian, but the animal is sluggish in action; the Italian jack is the smallest, though well proportioned and possessing good quality; while the Poitou jack is of medium size, possessing large bone of much substance. TABLE GIVING NAME, NATIVE COUNTRY, HEIGHT, USE AND COLOR OF THE BREEDS OF JACKS Mule and hinny. The mule is not a true breed, as often considered, but is a hybrid, as is the hinny. The mule is the product of a cross between a jack and a mare, while the hinny results from crossing a stallion and a jennet. Being hybrids, both the mule and the hinny are sterile and will not breed, though several cases are on record of mare mules getting in foal and producing to a stallion. While the mule has been known many centuries, and is a very useful animal, the hinny is seldom seen and plays no part in economic industry. Breed study necessary. The horse breeder should have a knowledge of the early development and peculiarities of the breeds of horses. He should know that Percheron improvement was due to an infusion of Arabian blood and that until recently this breed was small and not a heavy horse, hence the bone of the Percheron horse is to be carefully observed. The breeder should know that the Clydesdale has a rather short rear rib, with a tendency to ranginess of body; that the Shire has a tendency to straight shoulders, straight pasterns and flat feet; and that the Suffolk is often criticized for lack of quality in his feet. The horse breeder must be aware of all such peculiarities in order that he may guard against them in selecting breeding stock. CHAPTER VII THE ARABIAN HORSE Although the Arabian horse played an important part in the formation of practically all modern breeds of horses, it is only recently that an organization has been formed for its promotion. This breed performed its part in the development of the horse, because of merit. The native home of the Arab horse.-Arabia is the native home of the Arabian horse. This is a vast country some 1,500 miles long and from 400 to 1,000 wide, lying east of the Red Sea, with the northern boundary not far from the east end of the Mediterranean Sea. Though large, its chief characteristic is the barrenness and aridity of its soil. The inhabitants, called Bedouins, are of two classes, the agriculturist and the warrior. The former is, of course, the more domestic, while the latter is migratory, having no occupation other than war, and keeps at least one mare always saddled so that he may spring on her back at the slightest alarm. While there are several groups of these desert Bedouin tribes, the most powerful are the Shammar race of Mesopotamia, in the north and to the east of the Euphrates, and the Anezah in the south. Turkey, Persia and parts of northern Africa, notably the Sahara region, also possess many Arabian horses. These countries and others are often collectively spoken of as the "Orient" (the East) and their horses as "Oriental horses." The origin of the Arabian horse.-The early history of the Arab horse is obscure. Youatt states that as late as the seventh century the Arabs had few horses and those of little value. Major Upton and Lady Anne Blunt, who lived among the Bedouins for months, Blunt with the Shammar and Upton with the Anezah, and spoke their language, give what is accepted to be more definite and satisfactory information on the subject. They trace the origin back to the time of Ishmael, whom they say probably was contemporary with Isaac. According to the tradition, Ishmael inherited a valuable horse from the Kuhl race of very remote antiquity. The Anezah tribes who, by common consent of all the Bedouins, are the most wealthy, the most powerful, and have the best horses, descended in a direct line from Ishmael through Sheik Salaman, four generations removed from Ishmael. Salaman lived about 1635 B. C., and owned five famous mares called "Al-Khamseh" (the five). The blood of the Kuhl race has been preserved in these mares and from this ancestry has come the purest and best Arab horses. Families of Arab horses.-According to Upton there are five great families of Arabian horses descending from foundation stock tracing to the five Al-Khamseh mares. The names are as follows: I. Keheilet Ajuz and descendants. From Keheilet Ajuz comes the most distinguished Arabian blood. According to tradition, this family descended from a mare that gave birth to a filly colt when on a long and rapid journey, her master being pursued by an enemy. He left the colt where foaled and continued his journey, reaching his own camp after much difficulty. To the great surprise of all, the young filly came in also a few hours later, having followed the dam. The foal was placed in charge of an old woman, who raised her, hence the name Keheilet Ajuz ("the mare of the old woman"), Ajuz meaning woman and Keheilet |