My horse will refuse and pitch in toward the fence on occasion particularly toward the end of the session what should I do?

A horse that refuses and ducks in toward the fence — stopping and swinging his body sideways into the jump rather than stopping straight or running out to the side — is exhibiting a specific and informative refusal pattern, and the detail that it occurs particularly toward the end of the session points strongly toward fatigue as a primary contributor. Fatigue-related refusals at the end of jumping sessions are among the most common and most consistently mishandled problems in jumping training, because the instinctive response — pushing harder, jumping more fences, correcting the refusal firmly and continuing — is precisely the wrong approach when fatigue is the cause. A horse refusing because he is genuinely tired needs the session ended and his fitness developed more systematically so that he can sustain the physical demands of jumping for longer periods. Riding a fatigued horse harder after a refusal is training the refusal, not correcting it. The ducking-in pattern deserves specific attention. A horse that is stronger and more balanced to one side may jump straight when fresh but begin drifting and eventually ducking in toward the weaker side as fatigue reduces his ability to maintain straightness and balance. Identifying and working on the horse's weaker direction through flatwork and gymnastic jumping on that rein addresses the asymmetry that fatigue exposes. Physical evaluation is important for any horse developing a new pattern of refusals. A horse that was previously jumping willingly may be experiencing early hind limb soreness, back discomfort, or another physical issue that fatigue amplifies. Pain manageable when fresh becomes difficult to tolerate as fatigue reduces the horse's ability to compensate, and the refusal appears at the end of the session because that is when the combination of fatigue and pain first exceeds his threshold. The practical training response begins with shortening jumping sessions significantly — ending before fatigue appears rather than continuing until refusals confirm fatigue has arrived. A horse that ends every jumping session with a positive last fence is developing confidence and positive association with jumping. Quality of the final fence matters more than quantity of fences jumped, and it is worth finishing early and well rather than continuing until the session deteriorates.