The quote reflects on the authoritarian nature of a character who is described as a tyrant not because of the standards he set, but due to the overwhelming amount of work he required from those around him. This reveals a leadership style that prioritizes excessive demands over quality, creating a stressful work environment. The presence of thirty horses indicates a busy, perhaps chaotic, atmosphere where the head lad struggles to manage the load.
This portrayal emphasizes the challenges faced in a hierarchical setting, where the leaders exert pressure that can lead to burnout among subordinates. It highlights how a focus on quantity can undermine morale and quality of work, illustrating the negative effects of certain leadership approaches in a labor-intensive setting like a horse yard.