450 RIDING DIFFICULT HORSES. 



the end of the long reins. The abuse of the curb at 

 fences is the cause of, I think, half the falls, and more 

 than half of the refusals which we see in the hunting 

 field. In Ireland, where the large majority of our 

 hunters come from, the snaffle is the bit used in 

 breaking and hunting, as it is in steeple-chasing ; and 

 although our Irish neighbours find the curb has its 

 advantages, we must admit that they keep it in its 

 proper place and do not allow it to usurp the snaffle 

 when riding over fences. The sportsmen of Tippe- 

 rary, Kildare, Cork and other parts of Ireland, who 

 have to negotiate immense banks, would ridicule the 

 idea of riding at such obstacles on the curb, because 

 no sane person would think of checking a horse in 

 such a manner ; and the solid " cope and dash " stone 

 walls of Galway also require to be taken by an 

 animal whose mouth is not interfered with. Here 

 in England we see these Irish hunters frequently 

 ridden at fences on the curb, and the poor brutes, in 

 order to save their mouths and keep on their legs, 

 throw up their heads and give a half buck over the 

 obstacle, landing on all fours, and then get a cut with 

 the whip for having jumped badly ! This is how 

 many refusers are made. Another recipe for making 

 a refuser is to pretend to ride hard at a fence and, at 

 the last moment, turn the animal's head from it, and 

 then loudly rate and ''lambaste" him for refusing! 

 Still another method is to " funk" the obstacle when 

 it is too late, and check the horse with the curb after 

 he has made his spring, which will cause him to crash 



