Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-26

specified what kind of hackney il meant, for
they include almost any kind OF saddle horse.
With US the term is usually meant as applying
to the park hack-a half-brsd saddle horse OF
snowy make, perfect training and easy gait
They trot principally, but they cantor also and
some OF them are rapid runners.
Coming back to the hunters, they present .
most interesting field for study. genuine
afford saddle horse, but q saddle horse espe-
cially designed for following the hounds IL
luxury that only rich men can afford. The OBJ
ject sought in breeding and selecting hunters
is notspeed, but power, and This is why It so
seldom happens that thoroughbred horse 10 a
good hunter. He cannot carry heavy weight
and he has been trained to race and not to
hunt, for in hunting great speed is seldom used.
The pace is steady and the sport may occupy half
the day Yet hunters, and especially in England,
do other things than hunt. They are often put
in the tally-ho coach wheel horses. they are
used in the dog cart, and when they are no
longer 1T for the hunting field they some
times relegated to the pillow. They are dis
tinct class Of horses, but they are not. strictly
speaking, o distinct breed. Thus carriage
horse, upon being tested in the field will some
times show very desirable hunter quality and
then he will be taken away from the pole and
become afterward hunter. They do breed
hunters, it il true. but the result OF the breed
ing ID not always hunter, and in breeding Tor
something else q good hunter sometimes re-
sults
H r'Yn e. THE CHIEF CHARACTERISTICS
OF . good hunter may be briefly stated as
short back, deep girth, broad chest and
strong lega 1t is imperative that the horse
should have good wind. that he should not
stumble and that he shonld be tractable. The
latter quality, it is obvious, is necessary. be-
cause hunting itself is dangerous enough with
out having II added to by fractions, unman-
ageable animal which seems determined to
eulciCa a
A really heavy man-that is, one who rides
about 200 pounds, saddle and all-must have a
horse with all the qualities enumerated above
carried to high point and 1t has been truth
Iully said that such a man must be content to
follow the hounds on an animal similar to On
active cart horse.
1t may be said finally Of these three classes Of
horses, the hack, the cob and the hunter, that
while they are to large extent OF imported
stock there is no reason why they should be,
and if they are worth the trouble they can be
trained and developed of American breeds. The
kentucky hose, the northern roadster, the
Morgan horse, tee Virginia saddle horse and
the American thoroughbred contain in them
selection and breeding, produce horses for any
known use, except, perhaps the heavy dray.
and for this purpose there must be an infusion
OF the blood Of Percherons and Clydes.
THE DUMBLANE CLUB.
All these remarks about horses are appropri-
ate to the present season, but it is probable
that there are dozen Virginia saddle horses
used here to one hack or cob or English hunter,
and, in fact, as hunters some of the very best
are the large-sized Virginia horses. The hounds
may be expected to have a busy time soon. The
Dumblane Club, an institution for which the
horsemen OF the District owe sincere thanks to
Mr.. S. s. Rowland, who originated it, has one
Of the finest packs in this part of the world
and the drag can be laid over the most pic
tutesque runs. And here, too, a word can be
said in favor Of this system of hunting. 70
catch live fox is doubtless very much better
sport, but live foxes are scarce within five
miles of great city. Moreover, foxes run
where no horses on earth can follow. Then,
there is the barb-wire fence, which is SO much
used nowadays. and which is responsible
for the injury and Disagreement Of many
fine horse. When the anise seed bag il used
all these disagreeable circumstances are
avoided and there is certainty OF a good run,
difficult or easy, as you chose, and long or
short. The fox hunt is uncertain, requires a
great deal OF time and often ends in riding or
sitting in the saddle all day for nothing. In
more favorable country than that in our
neighborhood, where there are fewer barb
wire fences and rail- fences are more reasonable
in height, and where, too, foxes are more
numerous, fox hunting is practicable; but is is
not SO here. and the best thing is to pretend
there is fox. The hounds are real, the riding
is real, the run is genuine-the only thing
wanted Is brother Reynard.