Refusers 289 



We cannot make a coward brave, whether he be 

 man or horse, but we can sometimes oblige him to 

 do what he fears by strongly impressing upon him 

 the evil consequences of resistance. A resolute rider 

 with a sharp pair of spurs will often make up a 

 horse's mind for him, but he can never cure him of 

 the tendency to refuse, for the simple reason that 

 the coward, from his very nature, will take the first 

 opportunity of finding the rider off his guard to 

 balk again, especially if the obstacle be at all formi- 

 dable. Working on foot, either with a light caves- 

 son, long reins, or the crupper leading-rein, may 

 improve this class of animal, as jumping without a 

 weight on his back inspires confidence in the per- 

 former, but I should strongly advise the owner to 

 sell him on the first opportunity. 



A refuser from any of the causes we are now 

 discussing, who " runs out " when going at a fence, 

 generally does so on one particular side. This can 

 sometimes be stopped by showing him the whip on 

 that side, or by a course of bending the neck to the 

 other, the side which he stiffens to oppose you: in 

 fact, using lateral flexions (see page 259). 



Horses that refuse from vice come under an 



