Why is racing over fences called steeplechasing?

The term actually originates in Britain and Ireland. The first races were run over open countryside, with horses clearing whatever obstacles were in their path. They were intended as a test of hunters - in fact, in the United Kingdom amateur steeplechase mounts still have to qualify by attending a certain number of hunt meets each year.

The races were generally run from one village to another - and riders would navigate by pointing their horse at the church steeple.