Causes of Balking 249 



OUTDOOR VICES, THEIR CAUSE AND HOW TO OVER- 

 COME THEM 



Balking. — This is a vice in which the horse re- 

 fuses to obey the commands of his master. It varies 

 in degree, sometimes the animal merely refusing to 

 go in a certain direction or along certain roads and 

 to pass certain objects ; sometimes refusing to go 

 to the right, to the left, forward or backward, and 

 at other times stopping, notwithstanding the driver's 

 energetic efforts to get him to go ; or he may lie down 

 and refuse to get up. 



The causes which excite the horse to balking are 

 manj^ and varied, chief of which are sore mouth, due 

 to a poorly fitting bit or bridle ; sore shoulders and 

 neck, due to dirty or improperly fitting collar, to 

 excessive weight on the collar or to backing ; sore 

 back, due to poorly fitting harness ; sore tail, due to 

 dirty or improperly fitting crupper ; overloading ; 

 exhaustion; and to discontent with the treatment of 

 the driver. 



As balking seems to be largely a nervous trouble, 

 it is useless to punish the horse; in fact, such treat- 

 ment only increases the difficulty. First of all we 

 must divert the animal's attention from his fixed 

 determination not to obey. In mild cases this can 

 be accomplished by quietly arranging the collar or 

 bridle, by giving a bite of grass, or by picking up one 

 front foot and gently tapping the shoe as if there were 



