The horse of pure descent is distinguished among us by the thinness of its lips and of the interior cartilage of the nose, by the dilation of its nostrils, by the leanness of the flesh encircling the veins of the head, by the graceful manner the neck is attached, by the softness of its coat, its mane, and the hairs of its tail, by its breadth of chest, the largeness of its joints, and the leanness of the extremities. According, however, to the traditions of our ancestors the thoroughbred is still better known by its moral characteristics than its physical peculiarities. The outward signs will enable you to guess at the race, but it is by the moral qualities alone you will receive full confirmation of the extreme care displayed in coupling the sires and dams, and of the pains taken to prohibit all misalliances. Thoroughbred horses have no vice. A horse is the most beautiful of all animals, but his moral qualities, as we think, must correspond with his physical, or he will be regarded as degenerate. The Arabs are so convinced of this that if a horse, or a mare, have given indisputable proof of extraordinary speed, of remarkable endurance of hunger and thirst, of rare intelligence, or of grateful affection for the hand that feeds them, they will make every imaginable sacrifice to get their progeny, under the persuasion that the points by which they were themselves distinguished will reappear in their offspring. We allow, then, that a horse is really noble when in addition to a fine configuration, he unites courage with fire, and bears himself proudly in midst of battle and danger. Such a horse will love his master, and as a rule will suffer no other person to mount him. He will not yield to the wants of nature so long as his master is on his back. He will refuse to touch what another horse has left. He will take pleasure in troubling with his feet whatever limpid water he may meet with. By the senses of hearing, of sight, and of smell, as well as by his address and intelligence, he will know how to save his master from the thousand accidents that may befall him in war or at the chase. Finally, sharing the emotions of pain or pleasure experienced by his rider, he will aid him in the combat by combating also, and every where without hesitation will make common cause with him (_ikatel-ma-Rakebhou_). Such are the tokens which evidence purity of race.