3 i2 STEEPLE-CHASING. 



as it has been pointed out, there must be stands and perhaps 

 unfortunately, but the fact remains betting-rings, if race-goers 

 are to be attracted. The object that should be kept in view, 

 therefore, is to make the courses as natural as possible. Ploughed 

 fields, ridge and furrow, are not to be had ; but, instead of 

 fences of a regulation pattern, the sort of fences that are to be 

 met with in what is generally understood as a good but stiffish 

 hunting country should be introduced. 



There might well be an open brook at Aldershot, for in- 

 stance, one is, or lately was, crossed in every steeple-chase, and 

 there is no reason why this, an ordinary obstacle in the hunting- 

 field, should be excluded from the course which is supposed 

 to represent a hunting-field as closely as possible. A double, 

 again, is a fair hunting-jump ; posts and rails form a special 

 test of a horse's powers ; and banks, as nearly as possible re- 

 sembling the banks a man is likely to find before him in certain 

 parts of the country, should not be omitted. Such a jump would 

 be bad for cripples, but courses are made for sound horses. 



Here would be a course which would really test the clever- 

 ness of horse and rider. It would fulfil the professed object of 

 the sport to find out the best and speediest horse across a fair 

 hunting country. 



What is to be said against such a course as that here pro- 

 posed ? It would be a little more difficult to cross, and there- 

 fore the cast-offs from the flat which have learnt to gallop and 

 jump courses of the regulation pattern would find their occu - 

 pation gone ; but surely this would be no disadvantage to the 

 better interests of steeple -chasing the hurdles would still be 

 left to them, if there be any real reason (we hold a strong 

 opinion that there is not) why they should be retained in 

 training-stables instead of fulfilling a more suitable destiny 

 between the shafts of a cab, or possibly as hacks or hunters. 



The proposed course would not be more dangerous ; it 

 would, on the contrary, be very much less so, particularly as a 

 better class of horses, more expert at the game, would gradually 

 come to take part in the contests. It would cost clerks of 



