CHAPTER XVI. 



BALKING. 



There miSt be some good reason, Count, why 

 many horses, excellent in every other respect, are so 

 given to balking. 



"Ah, madam, a balking horse is a difficult subject 

 to deal with, for he represents the obstinacy of 

 ignorance." 



In what way? 



" I have found that in almost all cases the habit 

 comes from not seeing an object perfectly — as in 

 man, the horse often inherits or is born with imper- 

 fect sight. Very many are near-sighted, others are 

 far-sighted, and those with normal sight are really 

 the exception." 



Is this simple fact usually known by horse- 

 owners? 



" If known, much less attention is paid to it than 

 should be. The sight of each horse should be tested, 

 especially when they shy, swerve, scare easily, balk, 

 or appear in any way, from no definable cause, 

 unruly. A horse which shies at everything along 

 the road will almost invariably be found to have 

 short sight." 



But wha;t will help this defect? 

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