Refusers 287 



6. Want of heart in the horse if the fence is big. 



7. Seeing other horses refuse in front of him. 



8. Lameness either in front or behind, or a 

 strained back. 



9. Sore back. 



10. Badly-fitting saddle. 



11. Ill-fitting or too severe a bridle. 



12. Sickened by too much jumping. 



13. Vice. 



14. Finding that he has miscalculated his distance 

 and has to take off too soon or too late; the horse 

 often prefers to refuse if he can, rather than fall 

 (see page 279). 



I have seen horses refuse from all these causes: 

 let us, in so far as is practicable, discuss the reme- 

 dies, eliminating those refusers who require attention 

 from a veterinary surgeon, and also those who be- 

 long to such callous masters as will not study their 

 horse's comfort in the matter of his furniture. 



Horses have such retentive memories that only if 

 victory is certain is a pitched battle to be thought of, 

 and even then it is bad policy. I do not wish by this 

 to imply that corrective punishment is not sometimes 



