ElleJS
Well-Known Member
Ok have a little dilemma with a 13.2 pony on my yard at the moment. Opinions would be brill as at a bit of a loss of what to do. Its long to give you the whole story!
He is a stunning 13.2 Irish sports pony, came over from Ireland a few years ago and sold on to current owners last year.
The girl who owns him rode him all summer with no problems apart from his occasional strongness which was sorted by a nathe butterfly flip, he won chase me charlies up to 3ft6, dressage, every local show he went to he never came home without a trophy or prize, fantastic pony, hunted for the first time last year and was foot perfect. He has a 100% honest safe temp on the floor you could trust him with the smallest child. He was for sale at the end of the season but the buyer dropped out as didn't come up with the £ and so he has stayed on the yard since. He could be a seriously good jumping pony.
Now the problem! He has always been a bit strong, although not into jumps (he breaks into trot if you let him!) or if horses canter off without him kind of way, he is VERY laid back but he just sits on the bit and gets faster and faster. We have him in a nathe butterflip all year and has been fab as he is soft in his mouth. His back/teeth/etc... are in tip top condition...
Since 8 weeks ago he has developed a very strange habit. He will be going extremely well and calmly and then for no reason bolt uncontrollably. And I mean uncontroble, you cannot stop him as he is running in blind fear for no reason. He then stops and carries on as normal. He doesn't look right in his face when we ride him, his ears aren't back and he is in no obvious pain but just not happy so of course you go thru the old teeth back etc check list and all is ok.
I have been riding him and he tried to bolt with me but I have managed to stop him before it got too bad, however using ALL my strength i had to put both hands on the bridle to stop him galloping thru the school fence out of control. Scary stuff. I have ridden some very strong event horses but have never experienced a bolter till this 13.2 and jeees its scary!
I thought I had cracked it as prevented 5 bolting episodes before they happened by grabbing the left rein and spinning him around, this worked for a while and he stopped trying to bolt with me.
(The young girl rider has had to bail out off him when he bolted last and obviously lost her confidence, he has even had a girl who rides out for me off. so he perhaps thought he could get away with it) So at first we thought he was being naughty.
Today was the last straw as I did come off when my saddle slipped when he bolted off after we all thought I had sorted him. He bolted again for NO reason. Now he isn't being naughty- I just have that feeling as he is relaxed and chilled one minute then the next in fear. If he wanted me off surely he would buck/rear/nap. He is going REALLY well on the flat and then WHAM he bolts.
Thinking I had cracked it I am now at a loss as can't risk myself anymore coming off and the owner is to lovely and hated the thought of him damaging anyone!
What has happened to this wonderful pony? Out of the blue?
Could he have a problem in his eye that could cause this random bolt out of fear? He was supposed to be for sale as he was going so well back last year but obviously we can't sell him but the owner needs to get rid of him now.
One idea would be get vet to check him and then if OK turn him out on to Dr Green for 3 months or so and see if he just needed a break.
Or do we sell him to a dealer explaining all this to see if they could fix it? He could be worth a fair bit if he didn't do this!
We really don't know as it is so weird what he does. If it was naughtyness it would be easy but he is just running in fear one minute and then a saint the next. I have jumped courses of showjumps and he is fantastic and so calm, so he isn't being fizzy.
Argh!! We all want to do whats best for this pony...
Thank you for reading this far! And thank you if you can give any advice!
He is a stunning 13.2 Irish sports pony, came over from Ireland a few years ago and sold on to current owners last year.
The girl who owns him rode him all summer with no problems apart from his occasional strongness which was sorted by a nathe butterfly flip, he won chase me charlies up to 3ft6, dressage, every local show he went to he never came home without a trophy or prize, fantastic pony, hunted for the first time last year and was foot perfect. He has a 100% honest safe temp on the floor you could trust him with the smallest child. He was for sale at the end of the season but the buyer dropped out as didn't come up with the £ and so he has stayed on the yard since. He could be a seriously good jumping pony.
Now the problem! He has always been a bit strong, although not into jumps (he breaks into trot if you let him!) or if horses canter off without him kind of way, he is VERY laid back but he just sits on the bit and gets faster and faster. We have him in a nathe butterflip all year and has been fab as he is soft in his mouth. His back/teeth/etc... are in tip top condition...
Since 8 weeks ago he has developed a very strange habit. He will be going extremely well and calmly and then for no reason bolt uncontrollably. And I mean uncontroble, you cannot stop him as he is running in blind fear for no reason. He then stops and carries on as normal. He doesn't look right in his face when we ride him, his ears aren't back and he is in no obvious pain but just not happy so of course you go thru the old teeth back etc check list and all is ok.
I have been riding him and he tried to bolt with me but I have managed to stop him before it got too bad, however using ALL my strength i had to put both hands on the bridle to stop him galloping thru the school fence out of control. Scary stuff. I have ridden some very strong event horses but have never experienced a bolter till this 13.2 and jeees its scary!
I thought I had cracked it as prevented 5 bolting episodes before they happened by grabbing the left rein and spinning him around, this worked for a while and he stopped trying to bolt with me.
(The young girl rider has had to bail out off him when he bolted last and obviously lost her confidence, he has even had a girl who rides out for me off. so he perhaps thought he could get away with it) So at first we thought he was being naughty.
Today was the last straw as I did come off when my saddle slipped when he bolted off after we all thought I had sorted him. He bolted again for NO reason. Now he isn't being naughty- I just have that feeling as he is relaxed and chilled one minute then the next in fear. If he wanted me off surely he would buck/rear/nap. He is going REALLY well on the flat and then WHAM he bolts.
Thinking I had cracked it I am now at a loss as can't risk myself anymore coming off and the owner is to lovely and hated the thought of him damaging anyone!
What has happened to this wonderful pony? Out of the blue?
Could he have a problem in his eye that could cause this random bolt out of fear? He was supposed to be for sale as he was going so well back last year but obviously we can't sell him but the owner needs to get rid of him now.
One idea would be get vet to check him and then if OK turn him out on to Dr Green for 3 months or so and see if he just needed a break.
Or do we sell him to a dealer explaining all this to see if they could fix it? He could be worth a fair bit if he didn't do this!
We really don't know as it is so weird what he does. If it was naughtyness it would be easy but he is just running in fear one minute and then a saint the next. I have jumped courses of showjumps and he is fantastic and so calm, so he isn't being fizzy.
Argh!! We all want to do whats best for this pony...
Thank you for reading this far! And thank you if you can give any advice!