72 The Course, the Camp, the Chase 



to wind up its affairs, and many were the theories to 

 account for its non-success, but after that little experience 

 at Fairfield, I think the cause might be summed up in 

 one word — " mismanagement." 



There is often much discussion as to whether racing 

 injures mares for breeding or not, and much can be said on 

 both sides. Many famous breeders have held that it does 

 so, while others, equally famous, hold the contrary opinion. 

 Undoubtedly a prolonged course of training and racing must 

 be injurious, for, as was pointed out at the end of the last 

 century by the celebrated breeder. Sir Charles Monck, just 

 when the fillies should be growing and maturing their 

 internal organs, every effort is made to subordinate all 

 other considerations to the excessive development of their 

 muscles. The late Sir Tatton Sykes was firmly convinced 

 of the injury resulting from overwork, but he carried it rather 

 to the other extreme, for in his day many mares at Sledmere, 

 even eight or nine years old, had never had a bridle on in 

 their lives. His plan was to keep troops of young horses 

 together in very large pastures, and the stallions had each 

 a good-sized paddock, in which they could exercise them- 

 selves at all times, in all weathers, with a shed to retire 

 into for shelter, whenever they liked. Certainly in this 

 practice he was very sound. One of the finest sights I 

 ever saw was at Sledmere, when a troop of three-year- 

 olds — there were more than sixty of them — were taken 

 down a lane to a field, the man in front leading one with a 

 halter, and the others following behind. When the gate 

 was opened, the moment they got through they thundered 

 along at the top of their speed, sometime wheeling, and 

 again galloping on, very much like the gyrations of a flock 

 of starlings in the autumn. With manes and tails flying, 



