Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-29
RAISING FOX HUNTERS
BREEDING OF YOUNG HORSES
DOWN IN VIRGINIA.
Grown to Be Large Industry in the
Past Several Years-Some
Green Colts.

"'The foX-hunting season is on in Viz
elnia and the winter sport promises to be
especially good" said s. G.. Kramer of War
renton at the Raleigh today. You know
we raise lots of hunters in our section, and
To watch their evolution from birth is really
an interesting study.
Go in the spring to any section from
which any of the noted hunters come and
you will on the roads many a mare
hauling loads of corn and wood with
young foal trotting beside the wagon. He
is Cunning of course all young ami
mails are. but if you have a trained eye
you will see more than that-the fine muz-
zle, the short back, the well-built legs, and
the quality that indicates his kingly breed
ing The mare is rough she is often
pulled out of shape by hard work, but her
points good.
"Go back the following winter and you
will see the same colt, big and awk-
ward, with a coat that more resembles a
collie dog than the horse to which We are
accustomed, standing unprotected in a bit
ter wind, feeding with the cattle on fod-
der tossed from wagon into the snow.
SO he grows to a three year-old. weathering
winters blasts and summers heat, and is
then hardy. gentle, intelligent youngster.
IF the owner be sporting farmer the
colt is taken out fox hunting. On the
rough hilsides and wooded mountain slopes
where hounds follow the willy red fox. the
clever at his jumps. But this kind of edu-
cation seldom makes a finished hunter.
The farmers rarely ride fast at their
fences, often dismounting and leading their
horses over high places.
Progress of Development
''The colts best hope is to be bought
by some regular hunting man. He is then
given better care, gets his daily exercise,
has his long coat clipped and in a few
months from an awkward, rough, heavy
animal, is transformed into sleek, grace
full, proud young creature.
but after all three-year-old is a baby.
Few hunting men will handle horse be-
foe he is four. and little is expected of
him until he is five
"One can readily see that the price of
good hunter must of necessity be high. 1t
costs, say, $50 to bring him to the end of
his first year, and $50 each for the next
two years. Then when kept in condition,
shod, fed oats and clipped and blanketed,
with the attention required from his groom,
etc, it will cost probably S15 year to
keep him. This is allowing for his being
pastured only in summer
'These are the prices in Virginia and In
the north it would cost double that price.
1T costs, therefore. about 500 to bring
allowing nothing for possible accident, dis
ease or death. Young foals are often
kicked by other horses and killed, gored by
steers, choked on Seeding apples, die of
hundred ways that spoil their sale
The man who trains a hunter gives two
Years of his time to the work. He risks
his life and limbs, and at any time during
that period the colt may go wrong, be i'll
jured and made useless for life.
One can easily realize that it is use,
schooled hunter under $500; heavyweight
can seldom be got for under 81 900 while
5000 is not considered high price.
Accomplishments Expected.
Many horses can jump, but more than
this is necessary. Many horse that can
with ease clear the bars at six feet or
more could not go half that number of
miles over hunting country in which the
highest timber measured less than five feet.
And the reason of this is that it requires
good breeding for a horse TO be able TO
both gallop and stay, as well as negotiate
his fences cleyerly. One often hears hunt
astonishing the public by his brilliant feats
in the show ring as "a dog"-the worst
term of opprobrium
"A hunter, first of all, must be we'll bred
he should be good leaper, and it is neces-
sary he should be able to gallop and to
these qualities add nice manners, great
staying powers, turn of speed, good
particularly is this desirable in
lady's hunter, hold heart and intelligence,
and you have the perfect specimen.
Color matters little, though a gray is
undesirable, unless one means going hard,
AS it is too conspicuous. But with
scarlet coat In the first flight it is very
smart. Sorrels have gone out. What used
to be known by this name is now chest
nut Do not call mans horse sorrel
unless you wish to insult him. Roans are
usually stout and tough, but they are
often coarse, as well, and no hunting man
would touch hunter who is cursed with
dun-colored coat
After all, though good hunter will
not in all instances carry a man well
across country, for something remains to
the rider. The best horse in the world
can be spoiled by bad handling. and the
bOldest made faint-hearted, by having
coward on his back. There is an electric
sympathy between horse and rider, and
you cannot expect him TO go well unless
you are willing to do so. If you are
afraid, don't hunt. But if you want to
enjoy the best sport in the world, get a
good Virginia hunter, join good hunt
club. and in galloping across country when
YOU come to a fence, in the words of a
noted English sportsman. throw your heart
over and ride after it,