BREEDERS AND BREEDING 91 



would come right was justified and it won races. 

 It is said that Ormonde was much such another 

 as this when a few days old, incredible as the fact 

 will appear to many. Truly, young racehorses are 

 born in all shapes, and the manner in which they 

 alter is marvellous. If, on the contrary, our breeder 

 finds an extra good foal with a bright eye and good 

 carriage, he will be more than satisfied and bless 

 his luck. It is the uncertainty of breeding that 

 adds to its fascinations and allurements. Many 

 people consider that they can better judge what 

 sort of animal the foal may turn out during its 

 earliest days than during the next year or two of 

 its life, but this depends on the foal — and the judge. 

 To return to the question of a stud farm. As I 

 am writing in that most comfortable and charmingly 

 situated hostelry " The Swan" Hotel at Tenbury, 

 I look out upon beautiful grass land, sound and 

 well watered, bounded on one side by the lovely 

 river Teme and on the other by the Ludlow road, 

 and cannot help thinking that this would make a 

 perfect little stud farm ; indeed, I tried to take it 

 myself but could not do so. Success or failure 

 depends in no slight degree upon the nature and 

 situation of breeding paddocks, and, as already 

 remarked, I personally lay great stress upon the 

 quality of the water used for young blood stock. 



