The Arabian Art of Taming and Training Wild and Vicious Horses | Page 2

presented
himself to the Pacha, and asked what he would give the man who
should make him master of Jabal's mare? "I will fill his horse's
nose-bag with gold," replied Hassad. The result of this interview having
gone abroad; Jabal became more watchful than ever, and always
secured his mare at night with an iron chain, one end of which was
fastened to her hind fetlock, whilst the other, after passing through the
tent cloth, was attached to a picket driven in the ground under the felt
that served himself and wife for a bed. But one midnight, Gafar crept
silently into the tent, and succeeded in loosening the chain. Just before
starting off with his prize, he caught up Jabal's lance, and poking him
with the butt end, cried out: "I am Gafar! I have stolen your noble mare,
and will give you notice in time." This warning was in accordance with
the customs of the Desert; for to rob a hostile tribe is considered an
honorable exploit, and the man who accomplishes it is desirous of all
the glory that may flow from the deed. Poor Jabal, when he heard the
words, rushed out of the tent and gave the alarm, then mounting his
brother's mare, accompanied by some of his tribe, he pursued the
robber for four hours. The brother's mare was of the same stock as
Jabal's but was not equal to her; nevertheless, he outstripped those of
all the other pursuers, and was even on the point of overtaking the
robber, when Jabal shouted to him: "Pinch her right ear and give her a
touch of the heel." Gafar did so, and away went the mare like lightning,
speedily rendering further pursuit hopeless. The pinch in the ear and
the touch with the heel were the secret signs by which Jabal had been
used to urge his mare to her utmost speed. Jabal's companions were
amazed and indignant at his strange conduct. "O thou father of a
jackass!" they cried, "thou hast helped the thief to rob thee of thy
jewel." But he silenced their upbraidings by saying: "I would rather
lose her than sully her reputation. Would you have me suffer it to be
said among the tribes that another mare had proved fleeter than mine? I
have at least this comfort left me, that I can say she never met with her
match."

Different countries have their different modes of horsemanship, but
amongst all of them its first practice was carried on in but a rude and
indifferent way, being hardly a stepping stone to the comfort and
delight gained from the use of the horse at the present day. The
polished Greeks as well as the ruder nations of Northern Africa, for a
long while rode without either saddle or bridle, guiding their horses,
with the voice or the hand, or with a light switch with which they
touched the animal on the side of the face to make him turn in the
opposite direction. They urged him forward by a touch of the heel, and
stopped him by catching him by the muzzle. Bridles and bits were at
length introduced, but many centuries elapsed before anything that
could be called a saddle was used. Instead of these, cloths, single or
padded, and skins of wild beasts, often richly adorned, were placed
beneath the rider, but always without stirrups; and it is given as an
extraordinary fact, that the Romans even in the times when luxury was
carried to excess amongst them, never desired so simple an expedient
for assisting the horseman to mount, to lessen his fatigue and aid him in
sitting more securely in his saddle. Ancient sculptors prove that the
horsemen of almost every country were accustomed to mount their
horses from the right side of the animal, that they might the better grasp
the mane, which hangs on that side, a practice universally changed in
modern times. The ancients generally leaped on their horse's backs,
though they sometimes carried a spear, with a loop or projection about
two feet from the bottom which served them as a step. In Greece and
Rome, the local magistracy were bound to see that blocks for mounting
(what the Scotch call _loupin_-on-stanes) were placed along the road at
convenient distances. The great, however, thought it more dignified to
mount their horses by stepping on the bent backs of their servants or
slaves, and many who could not command such costly help used to
carry a light ladder about with them. The first distinct notice that we
have of the use of the saddle occurs in the edict of the Emperor
Theodosias, (A.D. 385) from which we also learn that it was usual for
those who hired post-horses, to provide their own saddle, and