Bedouin Tribes of the Euphrates Vol 2 - The Search For Mecca

nr. XXVIII.] Early Training and Education. 261
them for this, but at the same time it interferes
with their growth, and prevents them from developing
the full powers of strength and speed they
might otherwise acquire. The colt, as soon as it is
born, and this may be at any time of the year (for
the Bedouins have no prejudice in favour of early
foaling), is fastened, by a cord tied either round
the neck or round the hind leg
above the hock, to
a, tent-rope, and kept thus close to the tent all
day, its dam going out the while to pasture.
The little creature by this early treatment becomes
extraordinarily tame, suffering itself to be handled
at once and played with by the children. It is
fed, as soon as
it can be made to drink, on camel's
milk, which the Bedouins pretend will give it the
endurance of that beast ; and, at any rate by the
end of the month, it is weaned altogether from
the mare. The real reason of this can hardly be
the good of the foal, but the necessity of makinguse
of the mare for riding. The Bedouins allow
at most a month before and a month after foaling
for rest. The colt then has not the advantage we
think so essential to proper growth, of running
with its mother during its first season. It continues,
however, quite tame, and, as soon as it is a
year old, is mounted a little l)y the children, and
later on by any boy who is a light weight. The
Bedouins declare that, unless
a colt has done really
hard Avork before he is three years old, he will
never be fit to do it afterwards ;
so in the course