FOX-HUNTING 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 truth 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 nearly, 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 



