Bolting... is it me?!

[iberianfr]

Hi everyone,

I have been riding for majority of my life and this is the first time I’m encountering this issue. I have been riding two 5 year old iberian horses and they both bolt off with me after spooking on numerous occasions.

Now, I have ridden young and anxious horses before but none of them ever bolted with me but I’m still considering WHY they are doing this?

One of them is very anxious over everything so I thought it’s just his thing, the other one has started doing it only recently when he was fine before.

Is it possible that somehow I’m making them bolt? As I mentioned before I have ridden very different horses in my life and none of them have done it. I think the only change I in my riding has been positive; I’m now paying more attention to proper schooling rather than just going on trail rides. Is there something I can be possibly doing that makes them get stressed with me?

 

[poiuytrewq]

Bolting is running blind. Are they bolting or p’ing off with you?
If they are bolting you need to stop riding them for your own and other peoples safety

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Iberians can be very sensitive. Mine picks up on everything in my body. He is also a bit spooky but taking off is the last thing on his agenda. How do you handle it when they spook or look at something?

 

[shortstuff99]

What is your style of riding? Are you a purely from the seat rider or are you using a lot of hand?

 

[be positive]

If they were really bolting on numerous occasions you would not be getting back on, they are spooking and taking off which is very different to a true bolt, I have had numerous horses do or try to do this but have never had one bolt with me fortunately.

Spanish horses can be sharp and very sensitive but they are also very trainable so you really need to look at what you are doing which is either making them more anxious and spooky or allowing them to get up speed before you have managed to react to whatever sets them off, being a bit more proactive keeping them relaxed but with their minds in work mode with you almost micromanaging everything they do for a while may help but it needs to be done in a positive and constructive way so you are not hanging on waiting for trouble, a few lessons with a sympathetic trainer may be helpful.

 

[ycbm]

Since one has only just started it, I'm guessing it's you. I could make my PRE dart forward or spin and run a few steps really easily, she is hotter than a hot thing. They are, if mine is anything to go by, extremely sensitive animals who you ride with your mind more than your body.
.

 

[iberianfr]

Bolting is running blind. Are they bolting or p’ing off with you?
If they are bolting you need to stop riding them for your own and other peoples safety

Well, it looks like they are scared rather than excited. It happened a couple of times after very little things such as tiny noise in the bushes or horse tripping over his leg. It seems like they are constantly on the edge mentally and once something tiny they don’t like happens, they just take off.

 

[iberianfr]

Iberians can be very sensitive. Mine picks up on everything in my body. He is also a bit spooky but taking off is the last thing on his agenda. How do you handle it when they spook or look at something?

I always try to get them back on the bit and keep the inside bend with both my hand and my inside leg so that they are focused on going forward and listening to me but they do spook anyway. It happened to me a couple of times that they spooked a little bit and then I just turned them into a small circle and they stopped but the recent bolts are impossible to turn into a circle cause then they turn into bronking so I just sit through them and wait until the horse calms down.

 

[iberianfr]

What is your style of riding? Are you a purely from the seat rider or are you using a lot of hand?

I do use hands which is mainly half halts as they both currently carry their heads very much in the air rather than getting on the bit so I need to use both my hands and legs to get them collected.

 

[iberianfr]

If they were really bolting on numerous occasions you would not be getting back on, they are spooking and taking off which is very different to a true bolt, I have had numerous horses do or try to do this but have never had one bolt with me fortunately.

Spanish horses can be sharp and very sensitive but they are also very trainable so you really need to look at what you are doing which is either making them more anxious and spooky or allowing them to get up speed before you have managed to react to whatever sets them off, being a bit more proactive keeping them relaxed but with their minds in work mode with you almost micromanaging everything they do for a while may help but it needs to be done in a positive and constructive way so you are not hanging on waiting for trouble, a few lessons with a sympathetic trainer may be helpful.

I do have a trainer but somehow every time he comes over they don’t do it! I don’t know if it’s because they find a presence of another person talking to them and me in the arena reassuring or maybe it’s because I do haha. He told me the same thing you did - I’m not sure if maybe I’m not quick or firm enough to catch them sometimes before they do bolt.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I'm not sure if mine is a mind reader or if I'm just a bit slow ?

Someone once rode my PRE, put their leg on him and he went forward (not crazy or anything) and she was then startled by him. Because he went forward off of the leg...like a horse is supposed to. So are they really bolting or moving forward in a manner proportionate to your aids? If you even begin to clench, squeeze, or otherwise change anything in your body they feel it. You really have to be aware of your body. I cannot emphasize this enough. Really be aware of what you are doing.

That and you've got to give the nervous energy a place to go. If I'm on one that is being a rushing looky little devil, I'll go into some lateral work exercises. Shifts the focus, keeps the body moving and working, but helps engage and loosen things up. Circles can work, but not always.

Make sure you're not thinking about what they could spook at or preparing for a spook that hasn't happened yet. Yes, you can be proactive, but don't create the spook, if you know what I mean. Having your trainer there might reassure you and therefore your riding is a bit more relaxed and as a result the horses are too.

I thought I somewhat knew how to ride ...and then I started riding Iberians ? I've learned so much.

 

[shortstuff99]

I do use hands which is mainly half halts as they both currently carry their heads very much in the air rather than getting on the bit so I need to use both my hands and legs to get them collected.

I would use a lot less hand then you think you need, I wonder if you are putting them too much between hand and leg and making them feel 'trapped' so escaping by speeding up.

I would just use your seat aids for collection.

 

[Abby-Lou]

Turn horses head into your knee & stand in opposite stirrup for balance & Both hands on one reign to pull head around. It disengages the hind so they can't bolt forwards. Its scary the first time you do it but it bloody works ! I had an Irish draught with similar issues was ready to bail out as galloped across two farmers fields heading towards a cross roads after a spook. I tried for a year getting help and I learnt a lot but made the decision the horse was not right for me and I have never looked back. Just be very careful and get help.

 

[iberianfr]

I'm not sure if mine is a mind reader or if I'm just a bit slow ?

Someone once rode my PRE, put their leg on him and he went forward (not crazy or anything) and she was then startled by him. Because he went forward off of the leg...like a horse is supposed to. So are they really bolting or moving forward in a manner proportionate to your aids? If you even begin to clench, squeeze, or otherwise change anything in your body they feel it. You really have to be aware of your body. I cannot emphasize this enough. Really be aware of what you are doing.

That and you've got to give the nervous energy a place to go. If I'm on one that is being a rushing looky little devil, I'll go into some lateral work exercises. Shifts the focus, keeps the body moving and working, but helps engage and loosen things up. Circles can work, but not always.

Make sure you're not thinking about what they could spook at or preparing for a spook that hasn't happened yet. Yes, you can be proactive, but don't create the spook, if you know what I mean. Having your trainer there might reassure you and therefore your riding is a bit more relaxed and as a result the horses are too.

I thought I somewhat knew how to ride ...and then I started riding Iberians ? I've learned so much.

I try to be very sensitive and soft with my aids especially legs as I know they both are very sensitive horses - one time I rode one of them like I used to ride my previous horse and asked for a canter very firmly and he bucked every time I did that to let me know he doesn't appreciate the sudden request. Since then I realized he literally only needs me to sit and give him the tiniest aid possible and he'll go immediately. I definitely don't push them very hard as they both also go forward very easily.

It is possible that some of it is my nervous energy now - however both of them started bolting when I didn't know they were doing it and therefore didn't expect it and wasn't nervous...

I agree that some of it has to do with the breed being quite hot - but I've ridden sports horses in the past that in theory are meant to be much more 'crazy' and nothing like that was happening to me!

 

[iberianfr]

I would use a lot less hand then you think you need, I wonder if you are putting them too much between hand and leg and making them feel 'trapped' so escaping by speeding up.

I would just use your seat aids for collection.

Might be another question to my trainer but how do I use my seat only to get the horse on the bit? He can collect from behind but if he still keeps his head bent to the outside and high high up he might still have very little focus and spook even more easily. Essentially if I don't do the half halts I can lose my contact easily

 

[planete]

I had to learn to hack with minimal contact and very little leg on my Lipi/Arab instead of micro managing him which was winding him up dangerously; it does require a certain leap of faith but when the horse feels he is not being deprived of the ability to react naturally he becomes much more likely to make rational decisions I found. Lowering the tension in my own body as well so that I could be relaxed enough to feel any subtle changes in my horse's body ratcheted both our reactions down too.

 

[iberianfr]

I had to learn to hack with minimal contact and very little leg on my Lipi/Arab instead of micro managing him which was winding him up dangerously; it does require a certain leap of faith but when the horse feels he is not being deprived of the ability to react naturally he becomes much more likely to make rational decisions I found. Lowering the tension in my own body as well so that I could be relaxed enough to feel any subtle changes in my horse's body ratcheted both our reactions down too.

Makes sense especially for an opinionated Arab Do you get him on the bit in schooling though? Or do you mainly hack?

 

[Brownmare]

Might be another question to my trainer but how do I use my seat only to get the horse on the bit? He can collect from behind but if he still keeps his head bent to the outside and high high up he might still have very little focus and spook even more easily. Essentially if I don't do the half halts I can lose my contact easily

I suspect this might be the root of your problem. "Getting the horse on the bit" is the result of correct movement from behind not the start of it! Concentrate on what the back end is doing (yours too ?) and the front end naturally falls into place. You may be surprised how quickly that happens once you get out of their faces, and by that I do not mean throw your reins away completely but your contact on the reins should be light, consistent and above all it should FOLLOW the horse's mouth not contain it.

 

[conniegirl]

Well, it looks like they are scared rather than excited. It happened a couple of times after very little things such as tiny noise in the bushes or horse tripping over his leg. It seems like they are constantly on the edge mentally and once something tiny they don’t like happens, they just take off.

If they were bolting they wouldnt stop and you wouldn’t be getting back on afterwards.
I had a bolter once, he bolted head first into a wall, fractured his skull and split his bottom lip open. He didnt even see the wall.
Same horse also bolted at a show, hit a fence, summersaulted, got back up, hit a second fence, summersaulted again, got back up and galloped for nearly a mile before he was stopped.

He was truely bolting, they go blind when bolting and don’t see fences/walls/cliff edges.

 

[iberianfr]

If they were bolting they wouldnt stop and you wouldn’t be getting back on afterwards.
I had a bolter once, he bolted head first into a wall, fractured his skull and split his bottom lip open. He didnt even see the wall.
Same horse also bolted at a show, hit a fence, summersaulted, got back up, hit a second fence, summersaulted again, got back up and galloped for nearly a mile before he was stopped.

He was truely bolting, they go blind when bolting and don’t see fences/walls/cliff edges.

Okay I guess in my definition bolting would be going off in full speed after spooking. It doesn't feel like taking off out of excitement and willingness to go as it usually doesn't have warning signs (e.g. skipping, trying to speed up into canter etc) and when it happens they usually get their bum in like scared dogs (I don't know how to describe it) and then take off suddenly.

 

[planete]

Makes sense especially for an opinionated Arab Do you get him on the bit in schooling though? Or do you mainly hack?

He is retired now but yes, he went on the bit any time he was asked and was schooled and hacked either bitless or with a straight bar curb bit with two sets of reins as he did not like jointed bits (small mouth big tongue). He was ridden mostly by his rider's body cues. I would not call him opinionated but rather intolerant of inconsistent or poor riding. He taught me one hell of a lot!

 

[dorsetladette]

I do have a trainer but somehow every time he comes over they don’t do it! I don’t know if it’s because they find a presence of another person talking to them and me in the arena reassuring or maybe it’s because I do haha. He told me the same thing you did - I’m not sure if maybe I’m not quick or firm enough to catch them sometimes before they do bolt.

This makes me think its you being more worried when you are riding alone. Try riding with a friend or someone on the ground and just chat to them. It could easily be that you are more relaxed when your instructor is there as you are concentrating on what he says rather than worrying about the possibility of your horse spooking. Like others have said I don't think these are proper bolts more spookiness probably exasperated by your apprehension and (understandable) nerves.

 

[Scotsbadboy]

I'd be inclined to think its you, perhaps not being sensitive enough or clear and quiet enough with them? I would also say once they have spooked the saddle is doing something which is scaring them even more?

They aren't bolting. If they were bolting you would not be getting back on them!

 

[littleshetland]

PRE's do seem to be super sensitive, but very responsive. I'm certainly no expert on them, but I have had one now for 6 months (my first), and from what I can see, they are a bit different - curious mix of hot, but quite sensible. I was having a lesson in the arena, and suddenly noticed the sound of a helicopter - all of a sudden a huge Chinnook (big RAF one) flew over our heads...it was so low, it seemed like I could have reached up and touched it. Spanish boy went from 0 - 60 in a complete blind panic, and who can blame him! He did one circuit of the the arena, with me trying to sit quietly saying 'whoa, whoa' as calmly as possible. To my amazement he stopped, whinnied in terror (actually, it seemed like he burst into tears...i know, I know). But what amazed me, was he stopped - it really did feel like a proper bolt. I was so proud of him for actually hearing my voice and stopping, so it wasn't a 'proper' bolt....but it did feel like it.


ps. I hopped off, and spent a minute or two cuddling him, and he was fine. Took a couple of sessions after for him to fully relax in that arena again tho...

 

[iberianfr]

PRE's do seem to be super sensitive, but very responsive. I'm certainly no expert on them, but I have had one now for 6 months (my first), and from what I can see, they are a bit different - curious mix of hot, but quite sensible. I was having a lesson in the arena, and suddenly noticed the sound of a helicopter - all of a sudden a huge Chinnook (big RAF one) flew over our heads...it was so low, it seemed like I could have reached up and touched it. Spanish boy went from 0 - 60 in a complete blind panic, and who can blame him! He did one circuit of the the arena, with me trying to sit quietly saying 'whoa, whoa' as calmly as possible. To my amazement he stopped, whinnied in terror (actually, it seemed like he burst into tears...i know, I know). But what amazed me, was he stopped - it really did feel like a proper bolt. I was so proud of him for actually hearing my voice and stopping, so it wasn't a 'proper' bolt....but it did feel like it.


ps. I hopped off, and spent a minute or two cuddling him, and he was fine. Took a couple of sessions after for him to fully relax in that arena again tho...

For mine it takes as much as a rat running by... haha

 

[mariew]

Echo, a true bolt is terrifying, I have only witnessed it once and horse ended up on its back in a ditch. They're ping off with you. Sensitive horses are my favourites. You don't really need to use much more than your core and thoughts for half halts I am guessing you need an instructor who is used to this rather than one from the 'sock em in the gob and boot them up the ribs' school of training. But it's kind of impossible to tell without being there.

 

[littleshetland]

Also....just a thought...what feed are giving them?

 

[iberianfr]

Echo, a true bolt is terrifying, I have only witnessed it once and horse ended up on its back in a ditch. They're ping off with you. Sensitive horses are my favourites. You don't really need to use much more than your core and thoughts for half halts I am guessing you need an instructor who is used to this rather than one from the 'sock em in the gob and boot them up the ribs' school of training. But it's kind of impossible to tell without being there.

Possibly... my intructor told me to do half halts all the time. I was really sensitive with them because I used to ride soft mouthed horses but then he told me I'm not being firm enough and I started doing them a lot. But he didn't tell me it can spook the horses

 

[iberianfr]

Also....just a thought...what feed are giving them?

They're not mine so I actually don't know but they're fed what all other horses of this owner are fed and the rest of them are completely fine.

 

[9tails]

From what you're writing, it seems like your aids may be shouting rather than whispering. If the horses' normal way of going isn't in an outline, they are unlikely to have the muscle memory to stay in an outline for a long time. This leads to fatigue and discomfort. Then they will want to move away from that, if there's no give then they'll panic.

I would suggest short and sweet bits of outline, with soft contact rather than holding them in, the back end does the work so you need to power that up. Maybe a long stretchy trot on a 20m circle, gently gathering up the reins to find the sweet spot. Then let them stretch for a circuit or two before gathering them up again. You don't need to hold them together, they can do that themselves.

By the way, I really dislike the phrase "on the bit". It's not correct, a horse isn't going correctly if you're hanging onto the reins to get the curled up neck effect. That's only one quarter of the horse underneath you.