Trail Hounds
Originally, hound dogs were fell foxhounds. Over the years, selective breeding has been used to improve the speed of hounds used in the sport. The Hound Trailing Association has stated that foxhounds can no longer be accepted as participants in trails due to their relative lack of speed. However, foxhounds crossed with trail-hounds are acceptable as a way of improving the stamina of bloodlines. A foxhound trail-hound cross will take roughly three generations to regain the speed required to be competitive.
Retired hounds, hounds that interfere with other hounds in races and hounds that are naturally too slow to be competitive can be retrained as pets and rehoused.
Read more about this topic: Hound Trailing
Famous quotes containing the words trail and/or hounds:
“Perhaps of all our untamed quadrupeds, the fox has obtained the widest and most familiar reputation.... His recent tracks still give variety to a winter’s walk. I tread in the steps of the fox that has gone before me by some hours, or which perhaps I have started, with such a tip-toe of expectation as if I were on the trail of the Spirit itself which resides in the wood, and expected soon to catch it in its lair.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“‘Tis the white stag, Fame, we’re a-hunting,
Bid the world’s hounds come to horn!”
—Ezra Pound (1885–1972)