The origin and influence of the thoroughbred horse . being they met, but alsoevery horse, in order that they might serve the Khan in thelife beyond the grave. When the emperor dies they kill allhis best horses in order that he may have the use of them inthe other world. This story at once recalls the Scythiancustoms at the funerals of their kings (p. 128). At the present day cattle and stock-breeding is practicallythe sole legitimate occupation of all Mongols, and the animal offirst importance is still the pony. He is the commonest of allpossessions, the every-day means of locomotion, and the
The origin and influence of the thoroughbred horse . being they met, but alsoevery horse, in order that they might serve the Khan in thelife beyond the grave. When the emperor dies they kill allhis best horses in order that he may have the use of them inthe other world. This story at once recalls the Scythiancustoms at the funerals of their kings (p. 128). At the present day cattle and stock-breeding is practicallythe sole legitimate occupation of all Mongols, and the animal offirst importance is still the pony. He is the commonest of allpossessions, the every-day means of locomotion, and the stapletopic of conversation. The Mongol who walks is indeed poor,for he must be friendless as well as moneyless. A man whodoes not own a pony is rarely refused the use of one from aneighbours, drove. From early childhood the Mongol acquires 1 Vol. I. p. 337 (Yules translation). ^ Voi. i. p. 241. Ill] AND HISTORIC TIMES 137 the habit of scrambling on the back of the nearest pony to coverany distance over a few yards. The ont-door life of both sexes. and of all ages is spent on horseback (Figs. 53, 55). A goodspecimen of the Mongol pony is perhaps the best of his size in the 138 THE HORSES OF PREHISTORIC [CH. world for general use. The head and shoulders will be too heavyfor elegance, the eyes none too full, the muzzle and crest coarse,and the manners too often objectionable, but the quarters, loins,and legs are good, the barrel deep and long, and there is nodeficiency of bone\ Reared on the open steppes, with little orno human care, they are accustomed to great extremes of weatherand thrive on the coarsest forage. For mounted infantry purposesin a wild country there is no more useful animal. The size andcharacter vary with the locality. The commonest colour is grey,chestnut follows, and then come bay and sorrel^ Stallions areselected animals, especially in North Mongolia, but the maresare not, and no special pains are taken anywhere to improve abreed. Along the China border the
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