Bolted with then dumped-sore and nervous!

kinnygirl1

kinnygirl1

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Hi all

So today another first for me and stanley - not a good one though. Something spooked him in the school and he took off with me. Really could not stop him and pretty sure he threw in a buck which landed me on the floor though I cant really remember those last few seconds too well!

I got back on and walked trotted and cantered very cautiously round the school then took him in. He looked pretty stressed out by the experience too. I am now nursing a sore back and a headache, and for the first time since I have had him really not looking forward to getting on for the next time:( I am not the most confident of riders and confidence is shaken. All his spooks up to now have really just been little jumps more than anything! Anyone got any confidence restoring tips?

Thanks for reading x

PS gonna get teeth and back checked too though I do think this was caused by a major spook.
 
So feel for you - I was bolted with in a school and dumped a few years ago on my friends horse. Took quite a while to get my nerve back but it did and it will with you so keep positive. Yes you are doing all the right things, teeth and back being checked. Just go back to basics for a few weeks, nothing too demanding. Hope you feel better soon :0)
 
Thanks Dougal. Will be defo taking things slow. Was a bit of a shock as stanley was bought for his steady temprement. It's wierd cos at the time I just got straight back on but now I have had time to reflect on the incident my nerve has really gone!
 
Could you have a lesson the next time that you ride him?

Don't dwell on it or why it happened etc. Put it down as a one off and try to forget it. If you keep worrying about it, thats when you're likely to have more problems. Thats why it would be better to have help for the next time that you ride..

All horses can have their little moments now and again. It doesn't mean that they always will do it. Just think of it as a little blip.x
 
I know exactly how you feel! Don't be ashamed to have someone walk around the school with you for the first couple of rides, or even clip you onto a lunge or lead rein, a few hour sessions like that and your confidence will creep back!!

As awful as it might sound, the best thing anyone ever did for me after I had a fall after a bolt was get me to walk and trot on the lunge with no stirrups/reins because your body is forced to relax to help you move with the horse and stay on, as opposed to being rigid and nervous clamping with your calves and pulling with your hands! Your horse will appreciate it too and my usually very very fast trotting horse did a lovely slow extended trot because my legs/arms weren't there to get in the way!

Good luck, as I said I know exactly how you're feeling xx
 
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kinnygirl1 said:
It's wierd cos at the time I just got straight back on but now I have had time to reflect on the incident my nerve has really gone!
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Just like me - after the bolt I carried on with the hack but then got to the yard, untacked, turned out then got into my car and cried for about half an hour! hehe xx
 
Thanks Honey and Sophie think I will get one of my lovely friends to hold my hand when I next get on if I can arrange it. Just wanted to make most of the lovely weather and spend some quality time together.

Sophie, I actually laughed about it to one of the girls on the yard at the time but now seem to be reliving every moment in a kind of horror movie way! Funny how that can happen innit?
 
Can't really add much more to the previous suggestions - only sympathise with you. Been there done that, and, exactly the same, laughed it off at the time, hopped straight back on and made the ginger b*ll*cks do some work... then got off, drove home and promptly burst into tears from the shock of it. I was actually going away for a week the day it happened, so I couldn't get back on at all for ages (and it was during spring grass time and no-one rode him whilst i was gone, just to compound my worry!) So I was properly nervous by the time I got back... so we did some gentle groundwork for a couple of days to get my confidence in him back up, then just took it handy with a couple of hacks that we new well before we went back in the school again.

Good luck, take it steady and remember, as said before, it was probably a one-off thing. Your horse sounds a really good sort and sounds like it upset him aswell, so don't start dwelling on it :) xx
 
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Thanks Trish - kind of helps knowing others have been though it too.

He is a good sort though only a baby (just 5, but no one who sees him can believe it) and we have really bonded in the last few months as I had a breakdown and he was my reason for getting up in the morning. I went back to work today and my ride this aft was supposed to be a wind down! Ha ha - life is ironic sometimes eh?
 
Happened to me in the school, nearly 5 years ago now... i broke my back and never rode him again.
Confidence wise I went back to my RS, and rode ponies - no less spooky, much less far to fall and eventually bought one of them for myself, and we are now out doing xc and all sorts (when back pain allows lolx)
I feel for you, this nervousness and pain does go away, but it takes time xxx
 
Put on a neck strap (old stirrup leather works fine) next time you ride, sit down deep, hold on to it with one or both hands whenever you feel insecure and remember - they can't really bolt in a school; where are they going to go?
 
Aw -Pepsi! I feel for you too!

He is only just 15hh so not too far to fall but hit the ground hard all the same! I hope the nervousness does go away eventually, cos there is only him I want to ride really xxxx
 
i would suggest you lunge him for 15 to 20 mins before you ride him next time, so he has done some work first. or better still book a couple of lessons with a good instructer who will be there to support and encourage you to ask and get more. generally a 5 yr old needs to be ridden by a confidant rider, or a rider with someone on the floor instilling confidence. Good luck, i am sure you will be fine, keep the thumb screws on him and lots of transitions and keep him concentrating on you and the next command,. circles are good too..If he continues to be uppity cut his grub right back and get some help! nip this in the bud now!! best of luck again.
 
Cortez said:
Put on a neck strap (old stirrup leather works fine) next time you ride, sit down deep, hold on to it with one or both hands whenever you feel insecure and remember - they can't really bolt in a school; where are they going to go?
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Good idea! I have a martingale that I never use but that might do it. It was almost the more scary cos it was in the school cos he was flying round the corners like a motorbike and I felt sure we would both end up on our sides. I just had no control at all, which was eye opener!
 
ofcourseyoucan said:
i would suggest you lunge him for 15 to 20 mins before you ride him next time, so he has done some work first. or better still book a couple of lessons with a good instructer who will be there to support and encourage you to ask and get more. generally a 5 yr old needs to be ridden by a confidant rider, or a rider with someone on the floor instilling confidence. Good luck, i am sure you will be fine, keep the thumb screws on him and lots of transitions and keep him concentrating on you and the next command,. circles are good too..If he continues to be uppity cut his grub right back and get some help! nip this in the bud now!! best of luck again.
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Thank you - yes it was always a consideration that he was too young for me, but his temprement really doesn't live up to his age and my confidence has grown and grown up to now. Done things on him I never thought I could do. My instructor is very good so will see if I can get her to help me. As you say I want this nipped in the bud!! x
 
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