The Magyar agár was bred for long distance racing: dispatching hare or deer shot by horseback riders in an open field or open stand of forest. Hungarians claim that the MA was expected to run along the hunters for distances of to per day. Through most of Hungarian history the Magyar agár was not restricted to the nobility, although the MA owned by the nobility were much bigger than the others. "Magyar Agárs owned by the peasants were known as Farm Agárs or simply as Hare Catchers. These smaller versions of the MA are now extinct."