120 Lovers of the Horse 



FOX HUNTING IN CANADA 



THE eyes of tlic world .iie directed to the North Aiuerieiin Continent as the (great- 

 est hiiiitiii^r (h)inain of tiie glolje. Its magnificent forests, stretching from tlie 

 pine forests of Maine to the vast wooded region of tlie Paget Sound country, 

 and its jjreat hikes, reacliino: from the Moliawk \'alk'v to Hudson Bav. teem with animal 

 and finny hfe. Mucli has heeii written, antl deservedly. al)out the moose, caribou, and 

 deer hunting, as well as duck and chicken shooting, to l)e found all over this region 

 and the Noi-tliwest TiMritories, which deliglit the heai't of the sportsman, hut little 

 has been said about the |»rince of sports, fox hunting. 



It is not Ix'cause of its recent introduction, for since tlie year IS-iCi the coverts of 

 America have rung to the horn of the huntsman and echoed to the whimper and the 

 giving tongue of the hounds It has been truly called the "'sport of kings."" and cer- 

 tainly the accessories of the royal pastime are of most elegant and aristocratic char- 

 acter. 'I"he hunter of game, and the fishernuui. assume their corduroys and weather- 

 stained <rarments with their rod and <rmi. which habiliments seem best suited for these 

 avocations, while the nienihcrs of the hunt find the gay "|)iuk"" coat and velvet cap. 

 the bags and shining tops, their ideal costumes, and. indeed, the meet breakfasts demand 

 a certain elegance in all their ap|)()intmcuts. from Ihc carefully k(>pt hounds to th(> glossy, 

 lii<:h-bred outlines of the hunter. 



I'ldikc many other kinds of siiort. which can be cari'ied on in small ])arties of 

 twos and threes, fox hunting is rem.irkable for its essentially social chai-actei'. and 

 while the pursuit of the l)ig ganu\ and even fishing except luider restrictions, are mainly 

 for the masculine element alone, hunting tlie fox is as ardently followed by women 

 as bv men ( )ne reason for this uiav be that a woman is fully conscioiis that her neat, 

 well-fitting habit, the color induced b\ the exercise, and the grace of her horsemanshij) 

 enhance her i)eautv even more than the attire of the ballroom 



The huntiuii season trenerallv be<rins in Sentcmber and lasts anywhere from two 

 to three months according to the locality, while |ire\iou> to Ihc regular meets there is 

 considerable cul) huiding and general prc|)aralory work done in order to get the hounds 

 into conrhtion. Scune of these early morning rnn> in late suinuier are rc|)lctc with i-njoy- 

 ment, being marked with incidents iu)t usually found In the regidar hunts Not iu- 

 fre<|Uently one, two and sometimes three runs and a kill or two are the icsult of a day's 

 hunting. This is a great strain on the staying (jualities of both hoises and hounds, 

 and in eonsec|uence the keenest lior>einen rc(|iiire to keep in their stai)le several good 

 hunters to meet the (hunands of the season The huntsman and the whip have always 

 to be well mounted, and it can readily be seen that nolhing but a horse of excellent 

 f|uality and breeding can cany a man from eight to Ihiileeii hours, over Iwcnty-fivc or 

 fifty jumps in a stift" hunting country, wilhont snflicieni res! and care. 



The adventure, exhilaration, good-fellowship and the manliness of fox hunting 

 without doubt place it at the to|) of all |iastimes. The friendly enudation for the brush, 

 the rush at the fences, admiration of your horse as he clears the water-jump or ditch, 



