536 
Hunting in moderation, as indulged 
in in this country, is a rational amuse- 
ment and recreation. In England this 
ancient sport has lost none of its pres- 
tige, for it is not uncommon for a man 
to hunt from four to six days a week. 
It even assumes the proportions of pro- 
fessionalism, and a man conditions and 
trains himself the same as horse and 
hound. We are too apt to forget the 
fundamental principles of hunting and 
riding in our greedy desire to become 
past masters in the art. For instance, 
how very few of us ever become judges 
of pace? how few of us fully realize 
the great importance of giving the sub- 
ject any thought? and yet to one who 
desires to be known as a first flight 
man, one that can live in front, it is 
absolutely necessary. 
When a youngster, my idea of a 
horse was very similar to the average 
Kentuckian’s idéa of the different 
brands of whisky—“all good, but some 
better than others.” Unfortunately, 
notwithstanding my love for the horse, 
close personal contact with certain 
specimens has caused me to change my 
views very materially. This change of 
sentiment may have been brought about 
by the fact that I have owned consider- 
ably more than my share of the really 
bad (vicious) ones. It got to be quite 
a saying at the thoroughbred training 
tracks in Kentucky, if a horse was a 
bolter, confirmed runaway, or too rat- 
tle-brained to stand training, “Sell him 
to Colonel Williams for a cross-country 
horse.” I have probably bought dozens 
of such. Among the lot some turned 
out very well indeed, and only one, 
“Hickory. eat.’ 1 tailedy te. subdue 
enough to at least enter to hounds. 
‘Il Have had more experience with 
thoroughbred horses as hunters than 
any other breed, and while for several 
years I considered them par excellence 
the best horse for hunting, I have 
changed my mind, and now consider 
the half or three-quarters bred thor- 
oughbred the best strain. The nervous 
system of a thoroughbred is too sensi- 
RECREATION » 
tive. They have too much imagination 
and it responds entirely too freely when 
they draw upon it. We all know how 
unreliable they are when it comes to 
temperament and disposition. In the 
words of the Southern darky: “That’s 
what makes me ’spize a hoss.” 
Different riders demand horses es- 
pecially adapted by nature, disposition, 
size and conformation to their own 
peculiarities, therefore in selecting a 
hunter I would advise above all things, 
give preference to suitability. Then I 
would consider disposition ; next, breed- 
ing; and lastly, looks. While no ani- 
mal is more susceptible to approbation 
and flattery than a horse, I am one of 
the few that believe horses as a rule 
are possessed of a low order of intelli- 
gence, have absolutely no courage, and 
naturally are the greatest fools. Al- 
ways nervous and apprehensive, they 
never call reason to their assistance. 
The noble traits of character possessed 
by horses sounds well and looks well 
upon paper, but— 
Nerve is one of the most essential 
things in riding to hounds. Loss of 
nerve causes nine-tenths of the acci- 
dents in the field, and though the horse 
may not possess a very high order of 
intelligence, he quickly finds you out 
and never fails to take advantage of his 
knowledge; thus the horse frequently 
knows the rider better than the rider 
knows the horse. If the rider is cour- 
ageous he immediately recognizes it 
and the knowledge but adds to his own 
courage. 
In the selection of a hunter, if a 
kicker or a stumbler or a plunger, by 
all means choose the former. A horse 
may kick or throw you off, and as the 
old darky said about being blown up on 
a train, “Dar you is’; but if he stumbles 
and falls with you, it is as he said about 
being blown up on a steamer, “Whar 
is you?’ While risk and danger in- 
curred are factors that add to the 
attractiveness. of the sport, take my 
advice and do not seek them through 
the means of a stumbling horse, 

