whole time to pleasure； but much the larger number are men in
business； who work hard and are obliged to make their sports
accommodate themselves to their more serious occupations。 Once or
twice a week they can get off for an afternoon's ride across country；
and they then wish to be absolutely certain of having their run； and
of having it at the appointed time； and the only way to insure this is
to have a drag…hunt。 It is not the lack of foxes that has made the
sport so commonly take the form of riding to drag…hounds； but rather
the fact that the majority of those who keep it up are hard…working
business men who wish to make the most out of every moment of the
little time they can spare from their regular occupations。 A single
ride across country； or an afternoon at polo； will yield more
exercise； fun； and excitement than can be got out of a week's decorous
and dull riding in the park； and many young fellows have waked up to
this fact。
At one time I did a good deal of hunting with the Meadowbrook hounds；
in the northern part of Long Island。 There were plenty of foxes around
us； both red and gray； but partly for the reasons given above； and
partly because the covers were so large and so nearly continuous； they
were not often hunted； although an effort was always made to have one
run every week or so after a wild fox； in order to give a chance for
the hounds to be properly worked and to prevent the runs from becoming
a mere succession of steeple…chases。 The sport was mainly drag…
hunting； and was most exciting； as the fences were high and the pace
fast。 The Long Island country needs a peculiar style of horse； the
first requisite being that he shall be a very good and high timber
jumper。 Quite a number of crack English and Irish hunters have at
different times been imported； and some of them have turned out pretty
well； but when they first come over they are utterly unable to cross
our country； blundering badly at the high timber。 Few of them have
done as well as the American horses。 I have hunted half a dozen times
in England； with Pytchely； Essex； and North Warwickshire； and it seems
to me probable that English thoroughbreds； in a grass country； and
over the peculiar kinds of obstacles they have on the other side of
the water； would gallop away from a field of our Long Island horses；
for they have speed and bottom； and are great weight carriers。 But on
our own ground； where the cross…country riding is more like leaping a
succession of five or six…bar gates than anything else； they do not as
a rule； in spite of the enormous prices paid for them； show themselves
equal to the native stock。 The highest recorded jump； seven feet two
inches； was made by the American horse Filemaker； which I saw ridden
in the very front by Mr。 H。 L。 Herbert； in the hunt at Sagamore Hill；
about to be described。
When I was a member of the Meadowbrook hunt； most of the meets were
held within a dozen miles or so of the kennels； at Farmingdale；
Woodbury； Wheatly； Locust Valley； Syosset； or near any one of twenty
other queer； quaint old Long Island hamlets。 They were almost always
held in the afternoon； the business men who had come down from the
city jogging over behind the hounds to the appointed place； where they
were met by the men who had ridden over direct from their country…
houses。 If the meet was an important one； there might be a crowd of
onlookers in every kind of trap； from a four…in…hand drag to a spider…
wheeled buggy drawn by a pair of long…tailed trotters； the money value
of which many times surpassed that of the two best hunters in the
whole field。 Now and then a breakfast would be given the hunt at some
country…house； when the whole day was devoted to the sport； perhaps
after wild foxes in the morning； with a drag in the afternoon。
After one meet； at Sagamore Hill； I had the curiosity to go on foot
over the course we had taken； measuring the jumps； for it is very
difficult to form a good estimate of a fence's height when in the
field； and five feet of timber seems a much easier thing to take when
sitting around the fire after dinner than it does when actually faced
while the hounds are running。 On the particular hunt in question we
ran about ten miles； at a rattling pace； with only two checks；
crossing somewhat more than sixty fences； most of them post…and…rails；
stiff as steel； the others being of the kind called 〃Virginia〃 or
snake； and not more than ten or a dozen in the whole lot under four
feet in height。 The highest measured five feet and half an inch； two
others were four feet eleven； and nearly a third of the number
averaged about four and a half。 There were also several rather awkward
doubles。 When the hounds were cast off some forty riders were present；
but the first fence was a savage one； and stopped all who did not mean
genuine hard going。 Twenty…six horses crossed it； one of them ridden
by a lady。 A mile or so farther on； before there had been a chance for
much tailing； we came to a five…bar gate； out of a roada jump of
just four feet five inches from the take…off。 Up to this； of course；
we went one at a time； at a trot or hand…gallop； and twenty…five
horses cleared it in succession without a single refusal and with but
one mistake。 Owing to the severity of the pace； combined with the
average height of the timber （although no one fence was of
phenomenally noteworthy proportions）； a good many falls took place；
resulting in an unusually large percentage of accidents。 The master
partly dislocated one knee； another man broke two ribs； and another
the present writerbroke his arm。 However； almost all of us managed
to struggle through to the end in time to see the death。
On this occasion I owed my broken arm to the fact that my horse； a
solemn animal originally taken out of a buggy； though a very clever
fencer； was too coarse to gallop alongside the blooded beasts against
which he was pitted。 But he was so easy in his gaits； and so quiet；
being ridden with only a snaffle； that there was no difficulty in
following to the end of the run。 I had divers adventures on this
horse。 Once I tried a pair of so…called 〃safety〃 stirrups； which
speedily fell out； and I had to ride through the run without any； at
the cost of several tumbles。 Much the best hunter I ever owned was a
sorrel horse named Sagamore。 He was from Geneseo； was fast； a
remarkably good jumper； of great endurance； as quick on his feet as a
cat； and with a dauntless heart。 He never gave me a fall； and
generally enabled me to see all the run。
It would be very unfair to think the sport especially dangerous on
account of the occasional accidents that happen。 A man who is fond of
riding； but who sets a good deal of value； either for the sake of
himself； his family； or his business； upon his neck and limbs； can
hunt with much safety if he gets a quiet horse； a safe fencer； and
does not try to stay in the front rank。 Most accidents occur to men on
green or wild horses； or else to those who keep in front only at the
expense of pumping their mounts； and a fall with a done…out beast is
always peculiarly disagreeable。 Most falls； however； do no harm
whatever to either horse or rider； and after they have picked
themselves up and shaken themselves； the couple ought to be able to go
on just as well as ever。 Of course a man who wishes to keep in the
first flight must expect to face a certain number of tumbles； but even
he will probably not be hurt at all； and he can avoid many a mishap by
easing up his horse whenever he canthat is； by always taking a gap
when possible； going at the lowest panel of every fence； and not
calling on his animal for all there is in him unless it cannot
possibly be avoided。 It must be remembered that hard riding is a very
different thing from good riding； though a good rider to hounds must
also at times ride hard。
Cross…country riding in the rough is not a difficult thing to learn；
always provided the would…be learner is gifted with or has acquired a
fairly stout heart； for a constitutionally timid person is out of
place in the hunting field。 A really finished cross…country rider； a
man who combines hand and seat； heart and head； is of course rare； the
standard is too high for most of us to hope to reach。 But it is
comparatively easy to acquire a light hand and a capacity to sit
fairly well down in the saddle； and when a man has once got these； he
will find no especial difficulty in following the hounds on a trained
hunter。
Fox…hunting is a great sport； but it is as foolish to make a fetish of
it as it is to decry it。 The fox is hunted merely because there is no
larger game to follow。 As long as wolves； deer； or antelope remain in
the land； and in a country where hounds and horsemen can work； no one
could think of following the fox。 It is pursued because the bigger
beasts of the chase have been killed out。 In England it has reached
its present prominence only within two centuries； nobody followed the
fox while the stag and the boar were common。 At the present day； on
Exmoor； where the wild stag is still found； its chase ranks ahead of
that of the fox。 It is not really the hunting proper which is the
point of fox…hunting。 It is