2IO PROFESSIONAL HARDSHIPS. 



One of the greatest of these hardships is changeabiHty 

 on the part of owners, some of the effects of which have 

 been glanced at in the course of our examination. 



In some respects there is no rriore thankless office than 

 that of a trainer. Few men get more roundly abused as a 

 body, or censured as individuals, by public opinion. Why 

 this should be I cannot undertake to say ; but that it is 

 so there is proof enough, and possibly it has its rise in 

 the disappointed hopes of foolish men. 



Nor does the evil end here. Public opinion reacts on 

 the wavering minds of owners ; and as a result of the 

 ignorance of the one and the caprice of the other, the 

 fidelity of the trainer is suspected, for no other cause than 

 because he has been unable to realise expectations baseless 

 as the fabric of a dream. The public are too impatient of 

 defeat. The exalted notion of their knowledge of the 

 horse they back, must make him win. If he do not, then 

 the trainer, and the trainer only, is to blame for incom- 

 petency ; or worse, for aiming to secure his own base ends. 



It is fortunately not so with all. There are many excellent 

 men, owners of horses and others who back them, that 

 are far above reproach. But others, and many, like rational- 

 ists, only believe what they see, whilst unhappily, their 

 vision is distorted by self-interest. Most men enjoy im- 

 munity from slander ; but the trainer only so long as suc- 

 cess attends his often thankless efforts. Should a change 

 come, his life is destroyed it may be said, for his means of 

 livelihood is taken from him. 



As to the origin of this changeability on the part of 

 employers, there are other causes than the idle talk of the 

 public ; for this, did it stand alone, might be treated with 

 indifference. But when friends will seek to make owners 



