86 THE RACING WORLD 



Turf have been bred by their owners ; and this is, 

 I think, because the youngsters have generally been 

 brought up in a more natural and less artificial 

 manner than those destined to be submitted to 

 public auction, though at the same time it must 

 be noted that the owners who breed for their own 

 racing are, as a rule, wealthy men, who own the 

 best mares and mate them with the highest-class 

 sires ; and it should be remembered that it is seldom 

 that a high-class mare comes into the market, 

 except at the death of the owner. In my small 

 way I have been fairly successful as a breeder, and 

 I hold strong ideas that young horses (of course 

 having the best of crushed oats and hay) should 

 have much more liberty than they usually enjoy 

 under present conditions. Mine have had a shed 

 or box to shelter or sleep in, but have been out in 

 all weathers ; one, indeed, actually preferred — and 

 her preference was duly respected, in the belief 

 that she knew best what was good for her — to 

 sleep under a big hedge, even in deep snow, 

 notwithstanding that she had a good box to retire 

 to. This filly was never trained till three years 

 old, and won several races. My friends, I must 

 admit, tell me that my methods are too extreme ; 

 some, indeed, are almost horrified ; but I can only 

 say that I have found these methods successful. 



