-40- 



An interesting remark bearing on this subject was 

 made to me by a sailor who had been going very straight 

 on a big, bold- jumping horse. On my admiring his 

 horse's, and incidentally his own, performance, for I 

 love to see a brave man, he replied: "He is a splendid 

 jumper, and nearly jumps me off at some fences, for he 

 will snatch at the reins and nearly- pulls them out of 

 my hands just before he takes off". Nov/, they were a 

 very brave pair, the rider brave but ignorant, the 

 horse brave and knowledgeable. The sailor, no doubt, 

 had dealt him certain hard blows on the jaw when being 

 nearlv jumped off, so the old horse took steps to es- 

 tablish a good length of rein before he took off, in- 

 stead of refusing, as a less gallant one would have 

 done. 



I maintain, then, that the mild bit is a great pre- 

 ventive of refusals. For myself, I swear by snaffles, 

 and have practically ridden every horse I have ever owned 

 in them - thick, ringed snaffles, smooth if possible, and 

 if you must have a twist in them, and I found I often 

 needed it, let them still be thick and ringed. 



I know there is still a prejudice against them, but 

 they are much more common now than they were thirty 

 years ago. In those days, in looking round a big field 

 in the Midlands, I often failed to see any snaffle but 

 my own, and I was constantly asked why I used them - so 

 constantly that I fear my replies were often more curt 

 than explanatory, especially if I had failed to get a 

 start or if things had gone wrong with me. Of course, 

 in Ireland they have always been the favourite bit. 

 Ask the men who cross Ireland best if they can do it in 

 severe bits. 



When if comes to curing a horse of refusing, other 

 things besides bitting have to be thought of. Horses 

 have good memories, and if you buy a horse from a man 

 who has accepted defeat time after time, it may take 

 long to get these memories out of his head. 



If you want to cure a horse of refusing you must 

 never let him off. First give him a good deal of work 

 in the jumping ring, and punish him when he stops and 

 refuses. After the ring, ride him in schooling at 



