INTRODUCTORY 9 



them ; but if the breeders of thoroughbreds do not 

 get rid of their surplus and useless stock, great 

 numbers of persons lose heavily. Who are in- 

 terested in supporting their side of the case ? Not 

 only the breeders themselves, but racing owners, 

 trainers, grooms, jockeys, stable-boys, bookmakers, 

 and sporting newspapers, not to mention vets, the 

 makers of racing gear, and the runners of the 

 ' tote.' All these from habit — they can't help it — 

 are more or less constantly preaching sermons on the 

 impeccability of the English thoroughbred. Indeed, 

 there are at present but few men in Australia, largely 

 interested in horses, whose interests are not more or 

 less bound up with the thoroughbred breeders, for 

 in this question breeders of heavy stock do not 

 count. If the general public or the farming breeders 

 should ever happen to think at all about the subject, 

 they think as they have been educated from their 

 youth up, having been taught to believe that the 

 thoroughbred is the final outcome of everything that 

 is wonderful in living matter. Beyond that they do 

 not think, because most of them have no interest in 

 thinking, and they have never heard anything to the 

 contrary to make them think. It is therefore no 

 wonder that very little has been heard about the 

 Arab in Australia, the Arab thoroughbred — for 

 thoroughbred he is, and he only : the wonder would 

 be to have heard much. 



It has often been said that ' the British public is a 

 fool.' 'Thirty-nine millions, mostly fools!' I do 



