FOX-HUXTING IN^ VIRGINIA. 527 



greatest, the most enlightened, and the most progressive 

 nation of the modern world, to wit, the United States of 

 America, No argument need be advanced in support of 

 such a proposition; the tnith of it appears to be self-evi- 

 dent upon the mere statement of the case. 



I take it no well-informed person will question the 

 national value and importance of the preservation, the 

 extension, and the development of superior horsemanship 

 as a national characteristic of our people. This will carry 

 with it the preservation, the development, the improvement 

 of that fountain-source of all excellence and greatness in 

 horse-flesh, that is to say, the English race-horse. If we 

 are to have Fox-hunting as our national sport, we must 

 have an American-bred hunting-horse. No horse can be 

 bred fit to ride to hounds without large recourse to the 

 blood of the race-horse. No horseman will deny that. 



It has been said by one of the greatest of English writ- 

 ers on the horse, that the very best hunters in England 

 were very nearlj% though not quite, thorough-bred. This 

 is equally true of the greatest of American trotters. The 

 two-minute trotter will be common enough after awhile, 

 and will be nearly, but not quite, thorough-bred. It will 

 be, practically, the race-horse slightly modified in breeding, 

 handled, trained, and selected for a different way of going. 

 This statement is liable to paralyze certain people with 

 astonishment, not unmingled with scorn. Nevertheless, 

 what is writ is writ. 



The hunting-horse fit for the American Fox-chase will 

 have to be nearly, though not quite, thorough-bred, but 

 not a trotting-horse. Rather a running and jumping horse, 

 bred, selected (for temper, especially), handled, and trained 

 for the hunting-field — not a race-horse, bred, selected, 

 trained, and handled for the turf. Doubtless a skilled 

 horseman, versed in the science of heredity, and himself a 

 practiced rider to hounds, may select as the foundation of 

 a breeding-stud strictly thorough-bred horses, and produce 

 from them unequaled hunters. We are not to believe there 

 is anything lacking to the blood of the thorough-bred 



