Made in 1938, “Bit and Bridle” shows the horse loving world of Aiken, South Carolina, horse capitol of the South, where the finest thoroughbred horses are trained including hunting horses, steeplechase racers and harness racers. Here in the deep South of America, the entire community is active in breeding, raising and racing horses. Children are shown learning to ride cross-country and jumping at an early age, including the 3-year-old son of steeplechase racer Tommy Hitchcock at 2:20. Steeplechase horses are seen being trained at the 3:30 mark, and at 4:50 a formal fox hunt is seen. This is a “drag hunt” with scent being pulled behind a wagon to simulate the presence of a fox. At 7:00, harness race horse training is seen.
Aiken is now home to the Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum which was established in 1977 as a tribute to the famous flat racing and steeplechase Thoroughbred horses that trained there. The museum was a project of the local Jaycees, aided by Thoroughbred horse racing expert Whitney Tower, horse racing editor for Sports Illustrated and Vice President of the National Racing Museum and Chair of its Hall of Fame.
The museum is located on the grounds of Hopelands Gardens, the former home of Charles Oliver Iselin and Hope Goddard Iselin that is now owned by the City of Aiken. The museum occupies the Iselins’ former carriage house and stables. The Hall of Fame commemorates 40 Eclipse Award-winning horses that trained in Aiken; the museum also includes a variety of other exhibits.
Founded in 1835, the city of Aiken was named after William Aiken, the president of the South Carolina Railroad.
Thomas Hitchcock (November 23, 1860 – September 29, 1941) was one of the leading American polo players during the latter part of the 19th century and a Hall of Fame horse trainer and owner known as the father of American steeplechase horse racing. Thomas Hitchcock and his wife spent virtually every winter at their 3,000-acre (12 km2) estate in Aiken, South Carolina where in 1892 he founded the Palmetto Golf Club. At that time, the city served as a winter playground for many of the country’s wealthiest families such the Vanderbilts and the Whitneys. The Hitchcocks built a steeplechase training track on their Aiken property and trained young thoroughbred horses imported from England. Fond of fox hunting, they also established the Aiken Hounds and in 1916 received official recognition from the Masters of Foxhounds Association of North America. As an owner and trainer of racehorses, in 1895 Thomas Hitchcock began a career that would last for 47 years until his death in 1941. In flat racing his colt Salvidere earned American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt honors. However, he had even greater success in steeplechasing. He was the owner or trainer of a number of top horses including the Hall of Fame gelding Good and Plenty with whom he won the 1906 American Grand National.
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