13S 



sport in all its moods and tenses, and nearly all the scribes took a 

 fling at what they call the " open grave." 



The Earl of Howth contributed an article in Baihjs Magazine of 

 February, 1891, under the heading of "Steeplechase Reform," in which 

 he dealt with the subject in a form of question and answer. Thinking 

 his lordship was too hard upon our Irish National Hunt Steeplechase 

 Committee, and not being in accord with some of his ideas, I ventured a 

 reply in the following issue of Baily. My article in that magazine was 

 very condensed, but I replied at much greater length in the Irish 

 Sportsman of March 28, 1891. 



The letters are too long to reproduce in these pages, but I shall give 

 in substance, my reply to his lordship. 



Steeplechasing was once considered to be a means to an end J 

 viz., to stimulate men to improve the breed and stamina of hunters. 

 That end has long since been attained, for we have had for many 

 years as perfect hunters, well bred, and up to weight aa I conceive it 

 is possible to breed or make them. While this happy result may not be 

 attributable entirely to steeplechasing, no one can gainsay that it has 

 had a vast deal to do with it. I am of opinion, however, that having 

 gained its primary object, the grand old institution, like many others, 

 has been turned to very different and vastly inferior purposes. 



Thirty to forty years ago most Irish steeplechase horses were up to 

 at least 13st. with hounds ; and though the weights in handicaps were, 

 I think, lower than at present, the weights for age were often higher, 

 while the courses were seldom under three miles, and often longer. 

 Now we see wretched weeds not up to lOst. with harriers, and good for 

 nothing but what they are used for, running in some of our principal 

 steeplechases. These, by judicious "placing "and an occasional mount 

 given to " Mr. Armstrong," bring grist to their owner's mill, but seldom 

 do they " improve the breed or stamina of the horse," or exhibit the 

 latter quality in themselves. But if we go a bit farther back, to the 

 time when races were decided by the barbaric custom of heats, the 

 comparison between past and present 'chasing simply ends. 



The big natural courses of old days required careful and continued 

 schooling, and until a horse was a perfect fencer he dared not face the 

 old steeplechase course with any idea of getting safely over it. This 

 schooling, if a horse had an easy temper and was properly handled, 

 often qualified him as a " patent safety " with hounds. 



May I ask if the schooling requisite for many of our present steeple- 

 chasers to safely negotiate what I have, perhaps profanely, described 

 as " pretty little hedgerows," qualifies them as perfect hunters 1 



In my young days no horse was considered qualified for a hunters' 

 race till he carried his owner regularly and safely to hounds for at least 

 the greater part of one season, and of course we never rode horses till 

 they were over four years old, and seldom till they were five off. Now 

 a horse if seen a few times at a meet can get a certificate to run as 

 " a hunter " ! 



