THE L. S. D. OF THE TURF. 67 



breeding is a business that is at least self-support- 

 ing, and sometimes, as in the case of Hermit, im- 

 mensely profitable ; nor shall foals be considered. 

 It will be about correct to consider half of the 

 10,000 as being in racing trim, horses ranging 

 from two years of age to six, and 5,000 at ^156 

 per annum for board and lodging — including 

 various extras, in some of the stables — represents 

 a total sum of ^^780,000. 



In addition to the amount paid for board and 

 lodging, the expenses attendant on the entering 

 of a race-horse for the different events in which 

 its owner may desire to see it run, are very heavy. 

 These vary exceedingly. Some proprietors 

 are in the habit of entering their animals in 

 from half-a-dozen to twenty races, the forfeits in 

 which for non-runners range from perhaps five 

 to twenty-five pounds. It is not an easy matter 

 to fix upon a figure that may be taken fairly as 

 representative of these forfeits ; but if ten pounds 

 per horse be fixed upon for the whole 5,000, 

 it will be much within, certainly not over the 

 niark. A sum of ^50,000 would thus be added 

 to the account of outlays. 



The travelling expenses of trainers and stable 

 attendants when in charge of horses, and the fees 

 paid to the boys who ride them, form an im- 

 portant item in the cost of a racing stud. Many 

 horses in the course of a season will be taken to 

 eight or ten meetings, some of which are situated 

 a few hundred miles from the training quarters 

 of the horses. The only mode by which an 

 illustrative sum can be arrived at, is by adopting 

 an average ; some horses will cost over a hundred 

 pounds a year for railway travelling and other 



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