42 THE ARAB THE HORSE OF THE FUTURE 



hopelessly and helplessly used up before reaching 

 maturity ; that then they are sent to the stud, which is 

 flooded with speedy broken-down crocks and jades, 

 nervous and irritable in temper, their constitutions 

 impaired, and joints and ligaments strained and 

 injured by the severity of their early training.' 



Then he gives his final and deliberate opinion 

 that though at one time the effects of racing seem 

 to have been distinctly advantageous, yet now that 

 it has become a business it appears to have ceased to 

 be of use in that direction. Is it reasonable, in the 

 face of the evidence I have given in this chapter, to 

 crack up racing as tending to improve the thorough- 

 bred ? 



A few observations of ' Hotspur's ' in the Daily 

 Telegraph, on different dates, regarding different 

 meetings, may be taken as signs of the times : 



November 17, 1903: 'The runners . . . were 

 much of a muchness, and the fact that the winner 

 was entered to be sold for 50 sovereigns was a signi- 

 ficant commentary on the calibre of the opposition.' 



December 29, 1903: 'Generally speaking, how- 

 ever, the competitors were of poor class, and 

 extended comment would be useless.' 



December 30, 1903 : ' The character of the sport 

 was somewhat mediocre so far as the quality of the 

 actual competitors was concerned.' 



January 2, 1904 : 'Generally speaking, the char- 

 acter of the competitors was exceedingly moderate. 

 . . . The field was disappointing.' 



