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 



