Bolting

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amzy

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What should you do when your horse bolts and won't stop because something scarey is coming up behind? This happened to me today on a quiet road/lane (thank goodness) and I could do nothing but pray while my pony galloped flat out round bends and down a slight hill until he decided he was far enough away to slow down and I managed to turn him into a high hedge and jump off quick. It took us half an hour to get up that road with all the usual napping and only 5 minutes to get back, LOL. I do find him strong in the neck/mouth when he decides to resist, being a typical cob, but that has really frightened me now. The object behind was a shetland and trap, which he obviously didn't see but just heard coming round the bend behind us.
 
that sounds pretty scarey, but what about turning round and facing the problem so he could see what the sound was? I've no experience of this so just a thought.
 
You have to keep calm, and not panic yourself. The horse that i share is bad in big traffic and will bolt forward/side...anywhere really lol! i talk to him all the time. and try and keep as calm as possible. i know this doesnt help much! sorry! just know how you feel!
 
I've only been bolted with once and it was similar to what you explain - and is no fun at all.

has he done it alot? If not, he may never do it again so you have to try and forget about it. My old horse had never bolted and did just once - never did it again.....
 
He's done it once before when a jogger came up behind but he didn't run so far then. I did keep calm and did a 'give and take' with the reins while saying Whoa in a steady sort of voice but that had no effect. I couldn't turn him to see the 'object' until he had stopped as it took us both by surprise and then we were off!
 
Well thats better than I would of done..when my mare did a runner there was no 'whoa' in a steady voice...I was just shouting STOP at the top of my voice!
 
I used to loan a horse who would bolt of down roads....the one time i managed to turn him to the problem he started to rear and walk back....the best thing i find is to simply....stay calm...

The moment you start to panic the horse has the chance to take a greater advantage.....The best thing to do is sit deep in your saddle...hold on...give and take with your reins and stay calm.

Also...reasure him with your voce...let him know its all allright

This is just what i do when this sort of thing happens....Many people manage things differently
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Hope this helps
 
What bit do you have in the horse? My mare is nappy and bolts on roads and I find a full cheek type bit great for this. I literally just turn her into the hedge! I then get off, stroke her and tell her how good she is, the big scary thing goes past and then I get back on. I am not saying to go for a stonger or weaker bit, but maybe the cheek pieces will help.
If a differant bit is not an option, all you can do is sit tight, keep your legs long and your heels down, giving and taking and talking to him. If he is prone to bolting like this this take a neck strap (Stirrup leather around their neck or a martingale). I never use mine but I like to know its there and it makes me feel more confident, like a comfort device?
If this also fails.. hack with a horse that you can use as a blockade. Maybe your horse just isn't confident on his own and another horse there will give him that confidence?
Ok, brainstorm over, I hope some of this is of use to you!!
Izzi
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Blind panic bolting like you're describing is extremely dangerous because they aren't thinking about where they are going and can come a cropper. I've actually pulled horses over when they are doing this because being on the floor is the preferable option. It sounds like your horse doesn't have much confidence so work on that in general introducing spooky things where it's safe to do so. I agree with Izzi, if you get caught out try to turn into a hedge if you can. Also try turning the neck so the horses muzzle is by your knee nothing can p*ss off like that. If it is safe to do so pushing the horse forwards rather than fighting it can help, get into a field and force him to keep going they soon lose enthusiasm for this trick if they think it'll result in galloping till they're knacked.
 
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I find a full cheek type bit great for this.

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Totally agree with this - my boy can be a bit nappy and the full cheek bit has stopped him spinning completely.....
 
Thanks for your reply. It was blind panic as normally he's very laid back and not really scared of anything, apart from ducks and chickens. He is very nappy though when on his own, mainly when going up the road that we went along today. He's far happier in a busy village than in the middle of nowhere, where he becomes edgy. It probably is a confidence issue and I think I'll stick to busier places from now on so nothing 'comes from nowhere' and scares him.
 
There's not much you can do if a horse bolts TBH. No strength of bit will help if he really is bolting. Having been bolted with a several times on different horses, it is horrible! If you say he's happier in busy places then definately stick to those. There's no point putting yourself potentially in this situation again if its no problem just to change your routes.
 
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He is in a D ring snaffle which helps with the steering but perhaps I'll try the full cheek.

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A D ring won't help with steering like a full cheek will.....I think mine is a fulmer.....they can't ignore that when we're trying to pull into a hedge!
 
Please be very very careful when you go out again. i was bolted with once and it was a truely terrifying, out of control experience. The pony was completely out of control and heading for the main road - I tried to turn her head to my knee and she fell over on the tarmac, crushing me under her and badly breaking my arm.

I honestly dont think that anything can stop a bolting horse by strength, if they really want to go. Please be careful!
 
Agree on that one, turning is a good option but do be careful. I got bolted with years ago, the horse was totally out of it, I tried to aim her into the corner between fence and stable and the daft creature ran smack into her own stable door. I got pitched straight over, smacking into the wall and breaking my collarbone. So I'd recommend circling in an open space if possible!
 
That's what I thought, if I turned him on the narrow lane when galloping, he would have fallen over for sure and I'd probably be in hospital now. It was very scarey and I'm seriously considering giving up now as I don't have much luck with horses and I'm not enjoying riding like I should. I agree, I don't think it matters which bit they have if they are truely panicked, nothings going to stop them.
 
Oh try not to let it force you out though. I know it is truly terrifying, and to be honest I always have a slight dread in the back of my mind that it might happen again. Could you swap your horse for something steadier? I do understand how you're feeling, I was about 14 when I had my accident and it really knocked my confidence in the saddle. But I still wanted to be around horses so I took up driving for a while instead. I've been back in the saddle for the past 10 years though and ended up with my own ex-racer, which was probaly the best bolting-fear-cure ever! Don't let it get you down if possible x
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My mare bolted with me a couple of years ago. It was not her fault - we were overtaken by a couple of ponies that were bolting for home, my friend fell off and her horse went with them and I just could not hold mine and she went off as well and we did not stop until we reached our yard a mile down the track. There is no way I could have stopped her, her mouth was completely dead, and the track was narrow so I couldn't turn her. I just had to concentrate on staying on! She has never done it since but I will never trust her 100% again. I must admit if I ever feel at risk of her bolting I tend to jump off and try and reassure her from the ground ( i know this is bad horsemanship but I can't afford to fall off and get hurt these days - too many other responsibilities).
 
LeneHorse
I know how you feel .My horse was spooking and spinning going out of the yard today because of a parked tractor. I perseverd with her because it was by the muckheap. When it was time to come back if she had done the same, it was by a six foot ditch. Self preservation kicked in and I got off and led her to the tractor and let her eat some grass by it and then led her in. No fuss whatsoever. Dont think it was bad horsemanship. Just did not want to have a battle and possible end up in ditch injured.
 
I am sorry to have no actual suggestion to this except for maybe trying a change of bit as mention. I have had my horse for 13 years and he would never bolt but he did spin adn trya nd run away a few months ago because of an approaching tractor with a black wrapped silage bale on the front. However, i just let him sort his legs and balance out first as we were on the road and pulled him up fairly slowly so as to avoid him slipping. I still trust him as he'd never done it before and only got about 20 yards down the road (he;' not one for running too fast for too long!).

However, the thought of being on a bolting horse is something i would not relish I have known 2 horses killed due to bolting. Fortunately neither of the riders were hurt but one horse collided with a car as it ran out of a bridleway that crossed a main road the other did a similar thing and collided with a caravan, not nice at all.

You definitely need to be confident you do have the correct 'brakes' although i guess in reality if a horse is terrified and bolts there's not a lot you can do. We were always told years ago to cross the reins over the neck so that the horse was pulling against it's own weight and not you, this supposedly does help slow them but thankfully I've not had to out it into practice yet.
 
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