150 THE BREEDS OF LIVE-STOCK 



more. The Hunter has been developed in Ireland as the 

 result of a demand for horses with Thoroughbred or saddle 

 conformation, that were able to carry much more weight 

 than the pure-bred Thoroughbred. Ireland, therefore, 

 may be said to be the home of the Hunter, or where this 

 type of horse has been bred for so many years that it has 

 long since been classed as a distinct breed, and recognized 

 as such at all the fairs and horse-shows in Great Britain. 



180. History. The breeding of Hunters in America 

 has hardly progressed far enough in any one section of the 

 country to distinguish such animals as " pure-bred." How- 

 ever, a great many animals are yearly bred in this country 

 for the special purpose of producing Hunters. The method 

 of breeding is the same as originally adopted in Ireland, 

 namely, the use of Thoroughbred stallions on native or 

 grade mares. The breeders of Hunters are usually able 

 to produce, even in the first cross, saddle conformation, 

 and at the same time to have transmitted to such a cross 

 sufficient of the courage, intelligence and staying qualities 

 of the Thoroughbred to make the first cross (half-blood) a 

 most satisfactory animal for cross-country riding to hounds. 

 The fact that those half-, three-quarter- and seven-eighth- 

 blood horses make such satisfactory Hunters is probably 

 the reason why, in this country, there has been no general 

 movement in any one section to continue special breeding. 

 However, a great many clean-bred horses are favored by 

 many persons for cross-country work. This special line 

 of breeding has not been followed long enough for the breed 

 to become fixed. In fact, the demand for such horses has 

 always exceeded the supply in America to such an extent 

 that the type has never had an opportunity to become 

 thoroughly established. Nevertheless, there has been a 

 National Steeple Chase and Hunt Association organized 



