Egon, I think "professional" trainers were around, even back then. And as now, and in any profession, some were better than others. Of course, I'm sure there were lots of do-it-yourselfers, just as there have been do-it-yourselfers as well as professional mechanics taking care of our transportation needs in more modern times. I can remember my Dad talking about one of his first jobs working for a horse trainer in the 1930s.