What hunting style shift caused the need for smaller Beagles in Britain?

A shift toward game accessible to those who were hunting on foot.

The history of the Beagle is deeply connected to changes in hunting practices across Europe. Initially, the ancestral hounds, like the St. Hubert Hounds, were large and followed by hunters on horseback. However, as hunting preferences evolved to target game accessible to people traveling on foot, there was a distinct and necessary demand for smaller, sturdier dogs whose natural pace matched that of a walking person. This evolutionary pressure led directly to the development of the smaller scenting dogs that became the ancestors of the modern Beagle in Britain, contrasting sharply with the earlier, larger types.