The Greyhound - A Treatise On The Art Of Breeding, Rearing, And Training Greyhounds For Public Running - Their Diseases And Treatment

Stonehenge

Description

This vintage book contains a thorough and timeless guide to breeding Greyhounds for racing purposes. It is written by the master of sporting literature, John Hartley Walsh. A comprehensive treatise on the subject, this book covers everything one needs to know for successful greyhound management, including information on subjects ranging from rearing and training, to diseases and treatment. As useful today as it was when first published, this antiquarian handbook is a must-have for modern greyhound breeders, and would make for a worthy addition to collections of allied literature. Michael John Hartley Walsh was an officer in the British Army, a surgeon, and the Chief Scout for the United Kingdom from 1982 to 1988. Many antiquarian texts such as this are increasingly scarce and expensive, and it is with this in mind that we are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition. It comes complete with a specially commissioned new biography of the author.

Sujets

• Greyhound racing

Informations

• Publié par: Read Books Ltd.
• Date de parution: 06 août 2020
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781528762533
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

THE GREYHOUND.
A TREATISE ON THE ART OF
BREEDING, REARING, AND TRAINING GREYHOUNDS
FOR PUBLIC RUNNING:
THEIR DISEASES AND TREATMENT .
CONTAINING ALSO THE
NATIONAL RULES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF COURSING MEETINGS AND FOR THE DECISION OF COURSES:
ALSO, IN AN APPENDIX .
AN EXTENDED LIST OF PEDIGREES.
BY
STONEHENGE.
With Illustrations.
NEW EDITION.
Copyright 2013 Read Books Ltd.
This book is copyright and may not be reproduced or copied in any way without the express permission of the publisher in writing
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
John Henry Walsh
John Henry Walsh was born on 21 October 1810, in Hackney, London. He is best known as a sports writer, under the pseudonym of Stonehenge . Walsh spent his early education at a nearby private school, before training at the Royal College of Surgeons, passing his examinations in 1831. Soon after Walsh became a fellow of the college, by examination in 1844. He worked in the medical profession for several years, but moved to London in 1852 in order to pursue his love of sports. Walsh had always kept greyhounds and entered them at coursing meetings, becoming especially adept in the management of dogs. Reportedly, few veterinary practitioners could compete with his knowledge of canine diseases. He was also fond of shooting, and, owing to the bursting of his gun, lost a portion of his left hand. In 1853, Walsh, or Stonehenge brought out his first book; The Greyhound, on the Art of Breeding, Rearing, and Training Greyhounds for public Running, their Diseases and Treatment . This treatise was based on articles he had written in Bell s Life , and, it remains the standard textbook on the subject. Walsh followed up on this books tremendous success with the Manual of British Rural Sports (1856), which went through sixteen editions up to 1886 and thereafter encompassed articles on special subjects furnished by other writers. In the same year as the Manual was published, Walsh became involved with The Field magazine, and accepted the editorship in 1857. He was instrumental in organising the various trials of guns and rifles which The Field conducted; most notably a key participator in the controversy as to the merits of breech-loaders and muzzle-loaders, as well as the respective merits of Schultze and black powder. Aside from these endeavours, Walsh was also a founding member of the All England Lawn Tennis Club , and was on the committee of the Kennel Club . He also played Chess to a good level, and served on the committees of several chess clubs too. Walsh s private life was mired by tragedy however. He was married three times in his life, first in August 1833 to Margaret Stevenson, who died nine months later, secondly to Susan Emily Malden, in 1835, who died eight months later, and thirdly, in 1852 to Louisa Parker, who outlived her husband. Walsh died at 43 Montserrat Road, Putney, Surrey, on 12 February 1888. He is buried at Putney Vale Cemetery at Putney Common.
PREFACE
TO
THE THIRD EDITION.

N EARLY a quarter of a century has now elapsed since the first publication of the letters on the Greyhound which are collected in the following pages. During that time public Coursing has not only become widely popular in the United Kingdom, but has extended to our Australian Colonies, where a Waterloo Cup has been instituted of almost equal pretensions with that annually run for at Altcar. Our spirited descendants inhabiting that region are so imbued with the love of Coursing that they do not hesitate to give very long prices for greyhounds in this country, both for immediate use as runners, and also for stud purposes; but though the voyage from the antipodes is now greatly reduced in length by the opening of the Suez Canal, there is as yet little probability of an international trial of strength. With this exception, coursing the hare is still confined to Great Britain and Ireland. In the last-named division of the United Kingdom, owing to the liberal encouragement given to it by Lord Lurgan, this sport has made rapid strides in the last decade, and notably by the establishment of the Lurgan Meeting, which though not yet of equal interest with our Waterloo gathering, is only second to it. In Scotland, however, there has been a decided falling off-apparently from local and accidental causes, which are not likely to be of long continuance. On the whole, therefore it may be stated that Coursing is in a most prosperous condition and notably as prosecuted by the middle classes; though there is still a goodly array of noble lords in the list of coursers, including the chairman of the National Club, who follows the footsteps of his father in fostering a sport which is nowhere seen to better advantage than on his wide Altcar plains.
The portraits added to the present edition include the winners of six out of the ten Waterloo Cup victors, since 1864, as Lord Lurgan s celebrated dog, who of course figures among them, was three times successful, sharing that honour with Cerito. But since in her day, the competition was confined to thirty-two dogs, the palm must certainly on that account be ceded to the Irish representative, whose feats are not likely to be rivalled, at all events for many years to come. His thick, strong, and unracing-like conformation is well represented in the engraving, and indeed it may be said, that Mr. Baker has succeeded wonderfully well with all the four drawings which he has furnished to the third edition of this work.
I cannot conclude this preface without alluding to the assistance which has been afforded me in the revision of this edition by my collaborateur in this department of sport, the well-known Robin-Hood of the Field.
STONEHENGE.
T HE C EDARS . P UTNEY : November 1874.
PREFACE
TO
THE SECOND EDITION.

D URING the eleven years which have elapsed since the first edition of this book was published, my opportunities of investigating the subject of which it treats have been largely increased. On nearly every Coursing ground in England, Wales, and Scotland, I have seen the various breeds of greyhounds tried against each other, and have been enabled to judge of their merits, as well as of the treatment adopted in rearing and training them throughout the different Coursing districts. The experience thus gained has enabled me, I hope, to correct many errors, and to develop some truths; in doing which I have been compelled to rewrite several chapters, and to introduce new matter into all. Without laying myself open to the charge of vanity, I think I may take credit to myself for having assisted the young Courser in learning how to manage his kennel; but this has been amply repaid by the knowledge which has been as freely imparted to me by the veterans of the leash, who, I rejoice to say, are at all times ready to assist their less experienced brethren, either directly or through the press. This unselfish spirit has, nevertheless, been coupled with as keen a rivalry as ever, and it has not been either from carelessness or contempt that any secrets of the kennel hitherto unknown have been permitted to escape. In the chapters relating to the rearing and kennel management of the greyhound, however, there will not be found any great additions to the directions given in the first edition, the chief ones relating to training and the choice of sires and dams-upon which the views put forth by me twelve years ago have been somewhat modified-and I have consequently entirely rewritten the chapters referring to those departments.
In the diagnosis and treatment of the diseases of the dog, some valuable additions to the directions given in the last edition have been made in the present one; foremost among which may be mentioned the German discoveries in regard to the natural history of the worms infesting his body, and to their prevention or removal. The recent researches of K chenmeister and Von Siebold on this subject have been embodied, as far as is likely to be useful to the non-professional reader, and the most safe and trustworthy remedies suggested. There is still much to be learnt; but it is by gradual steps that any further progress is likely to be achieved, and these can only be gained by recording what is already known or surmised, as I have endeavoured to do.
It is a subject of great congratulation to myself and all admirers of Coursing, that, within the last ten years, the heavy betting which formerly attended it has almost entirely disappeared. With the exception of the Waterloo Cup, there is not a stake in the present day on which any considerable amount of gambling takes place, the investments being confined to such sums as can be well afforded by the owners of the dogs engaged and their friends. Partly as a consequence of this, and to some extent also from the careful supervision of the press, we no longer hear of the charges of fraud which used to be constantly made against the judges. That these officials do occasionally make mistakes is plain enough, but that they are caused by bribery is never supposed by the most suspicious. Contrasting this state of things with what used to occur meeting after meeting, and with the existing state of the turf, Coursers may well be satisfied with the progress of events in their own sport, and they may, I think, hug themselves with the conviction that it is conducted in as honest and sportsmanlike a manner as is consistent with human nature.
The formation of the National Coursing Club, and the new rules which have emanated from that body, have not a little aided in effecting this result. Having, in conjunction with the Earl of Sefton and Mr. C. Jardine, had the honour of drawing up those for the Decision of Courses, I may be naturally