Push one, really rev him up, and he'll fall on his face. A horse with some spunk can surmount almost anything - fear, cowardice, bad habits, laziness, and even soreness. But a horse can' t function if he has a breathing problem. No oxygen, no horse. Horse fans go to the paddock and note the leg bandages.
Bandages can have a demerit value, of course, when on the front legs.
But what the handicapper should be concerned about is a horse that can't breathe properly.