bolting advise...

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lunarlove

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Hi, Im after some advise on how people might go about dealing with this behaviour on the ground, He's 16 so should know better but basically, he is great to bring in from the field but when it comes to going out he will get so far then just bolt and no matter what I do I cant hold on to him he just goes and I can only catch him if he is cornered, else he'd be gone. It isnt always in the same place and Im not sure what is triggering it but he always does it through the gateway once Ive caught him and got him as far as the paddock but the initial take off isnt gate related. Ive tried the leadrope round the nose and control halters and he isnt fussed, Im reluctant to use a chiffney as he doesnt go up and i really think he would still go and then he would be charging about with a chiffney in, obviously Id use a slip rope just in case but I dont really want him to get any pain association from turning out as hes been heavily beaten throughout his early life. Any tips, pointers would be greatly appriciated for this very frustrated and sore handed mum!!:)
 
If he has plenty of turnout, it could just be a habit. My friend's big 17 hander does this not nasty, just habit....The lead rope through the mouth stops him, a chifney is too small for him xx
 
He lives out currently and is in light work, hacking and schooling and sometimes will just come in for a brush but did it previously whilst in heavier work and seems after doing some research into his past he apparently has always been bolshy and hard to manage on the groud. He has hay twice daily and half a scoop leisure mix and a scoop chaff twice daily. When I first got him he was an angel, just changed completely when i moved him to a new yard and he was turned out with a mare, he turned really bolshy, almost riggy and has got worse over the years. We parted company for a while and in this time Ive been led to believe that he was terrible to turn out to the point where the lady that had him would just open his stable door and let him go straight to his paddock (not very helpful), Im just stumped as to why he behaves like this and what I can do to try to cure it, if at all!!
 
PerfectPony said:
If he has plenty of turnout, it could just be a habit. My friend's big 17 hander does this not nasty, just habit....The lead rope through the mouth stops him, a chifney is too small for him xx
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Yup, mine is never nasty, I think it could be habit too, just a pain in the butt habit!! might try the leadrope thing, many thanks :)
 
You must use the halter at the field release, as he could catch the bit in his mouth and panic.
But I would have a bridle on him to take him up the field: just the bit and headpiece so it comes off quick.
Use a lunge rein or a long rope once you are happy he is not going to get in any trouble, my boy used to take off occasionally [always when someone watching!] I had a very short rope slipped thru his halter so if he got away he could not trip, but that meant holding him quite close.
Its sort of difficult to advise not being there.
 
I once looked after a headstrong young hafflinger who would do this. Same problem - his owner had ignored the habit and instead opened stable door and let him run to the field gate. I basically started to make him stop every couple of steps. He would sometimes get a treat, sometimes not. It kept his attention on me. Literally every two steps, stop, reward then move on again. At the slightest hint he was going to go I would turn round sharpish and march him back to the stable, leave him for 5 minutes then start over. He would get away sometimes but Gradually we got closer and closer to the field without him tanking off until finally I could get him to the field, turn him then release. It was purely a very bad habit he'd formed. Once broken he never did it again.
 
PStarfish said:
I once looked after a headstrong young hafflinger who would do this. Same problem - his owner had ignored the habit and instead opened stable door and let him run to the field gate. I basically started to make him stop every couple of steps. He would sometimes get a treat, sometimes not. It kept his attention on me. Literally every two steps, stop, reward then move on again. At the slightest hint he was going to go I would turn round sharpish and march him back to the stable, leave him for 5 minutes then start over. He would get away sometimes but Gradually we got closer and closer to the field without him tanking off until finally I could get him to the field, turn him then release. It was purely a very bad habit he'd formed. Once broken he never did it again.
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Excellent advice, which I would combine with an overhaul of his diet and the use of a rope halter.
 
Our pony started doing this earlier this year, have no idea why as had previously always been a gentleman to turn out. He would just charge into the field as soon as we got near enough and it became a habit. He is very food orientated so just used to cut up a couple of carrots and would treat him on the way to the field then a treat once in the field and another as I turned him towards the gate and take the headcollar off, then he would just turn and walk away, we did this for a few weeks and now no longer need to use treats and he has remembered his manners again thank god!
 
Leadrope with a thin chain weaved under the headcollar so it is next to his chin. When he goes to pee off give it a good old yank. He will learn to respect the chain.
 
Thanks for all your tips, unfortunately food does not work at all once he's set to go he's not at all bothered but will try the stopping and returning thing, just so long as I can catch it in time. He's a big 16.3 lad so once he's set to go that's that. Def gunna persevere with it though,thanks guys :)
 
Are you passing any electric fencing on your way ? I have had this happen to me out riding next to electric fencing the horse totally lost the plot & have seen it before in another yard horse wouldn't pass through yard gate, as soon as electric was switched off horse was fine, just a random thought !
 
I used to work somewhere where a horse done this. He was a huge ex police horse so no one was going to try and stop him... hence why he got in the habit of doing it! It wasn't nasty, but you could see the cheeky glint in his eye, you knew he was thinking about it and off he would go. He was easy enough to catch after, he just done it for fun.

Nothing worked, we tried all the usual, rope over nose/through mouth, leading in a bridle etc, but for years he had been allowed to be aware of his size and strength and knew full well that if he wanted to go, he could! The staff eventually started feeding him treats while he was being led to stop him running off, he was loving it! So if anyone led him and wasn't feeding him, off he went :)

Bet he never behaved like that while he was a police horse, silly woman taking him on after he retired, not only did she not have a clue in general, but his size intimidated her so she just let him do what he wanted. Sigh.
 
My horse started doing this when a mare started going out in the next field. Could it be more an attachment issue to the other horse/horses he's turned out with?i moved the mare and peace was resumed and he was back to being mr placid to lead again just a thought
 
I had this problem with my boy but in reverse, it started when I was pregnant and every time I tried to bring him in he would rear, strike out and try and bolt off. Leading him out - he was an angel.

Because my confidence all but disappeared because of this, I got the help of an equine behaviourist and we started to build the trust between us slowly using a target stick and food rewards and we started out with leading exercises in the school. She also helped me to pick up on the little things that he would do beforehand so I could try and nip it in the bud before it began. The same approach might help you.

I always lead him in wearing a hat, gloves and use a long line so that I can get out of the way without having to let go of him, he has become a lot better since, but will occasionally plant himself and try his luck.

It does become a habit with them when they know they will get their own way and it takes time to resolve.

Using gadgets and restraints to try and stop him doing it won't solve the problem, it will only mask it at best. I tried using a dually on mine initially and it actually made the situation worse.
 
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