bolting

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harrihjc

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A friend of mine has been riding a 5yr old 14hh (ish) cob belonging to a friend of hers, and after yet another incident I am really thinking the horse is dangerous! When out hacking it suddenly bolts, bucking and it's impossible for them to stop it or stay on. Thios has happened at least 3 times in the last month, twice in the last 3 days. On Saturday for no apparent reason it just took off, bucked off the lady riding (in her 60's) and galloped over a mile through a field of corn on the cob, out of it and along the main road where someone caught it. I've seen the field and walked along the track looking for the stirrups, and cannot understand how a horse could carry on through that unless it had some serious mental problem. It was like a wall, so thick and higher than me!

Now part of me agrees that this horse is dangerous and should not be ridden on the roads, but what on earth can you do with a horse like that? He hasn't had his back, saddle or teeth checked, which I'd be inclined to do, but would that excuse this sort of behaviour?! I was also a little bewildered at why a horse that is so strong and bolts was ridden in a snaffle with no nose band...Personally, I'd check for any physical problems and discomfort then do some serious schooling with this pony, but even then I don't think I'd have the guts to take it out! What would you do/suggest??
 
sounds definately like it is in pain somewhere - get vet, get dentist out and a back person out - true bolting is caused by immense fear - which can be caused by immense pain - horses dont bolt for no reason. however make sure the horse isnt just galloping off with rider - big difference between this and bolting
 
I agree....check for any heath problems before addressing tack...this is one big liabilty case waiting to happen,I would then take it back to ground roots, once any health issues had been sorted.....this cob is to dangerous to be hacked out, and should not be with it's current way of going!
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If hes bucking at the same time, he is not bolting.

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Agree - I would say, with the bucking, he is 'runing away' from something. Bolting is a bit different.
 
The only immediate question that springs to mind (apart from is it in pain which has already been posed) is, is the pony getting enough work..at 5 it is still in a learning phase and needs regular consistent work.
 
I haven't ridden the horse or seen it's behaviour, so don't know how much exercise it is getting or what feed, and my first thought is that it needs checking by a vet! One one occasion it bucked then took off in trot and could not be stopped, then bucked again and threw the rider on the main road by the airport, another time it just galloped off along the road, and on saturday it spun round, bucked, then took off across the field. The rider lost her stirrup in the buck and eventually lost her balance as the horse galloped through the field of corn on the cob. The bucking to me makes me think it's in pain and then bolting after it that he's running away from the pain, however he only ever does it going towards home, and when he's been out on his own. It was bought as a quiet hack for a lady to ride out on her own (not suitable in the first place IMO but people will do these things), I can see the accidents waiting to happen with this horse, but also feel sorry for it that it may be written off as a danger without having a proper chance
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I agree this isn't a bolter. By now it is probably too much for the owner so needs a rider that will be able to cope with some challenges and an awful lot of work. I would be tempted to go back a step, concentrate on schooling and keep the hacks short and away from open fields for a while
 
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Can we please not use the term bolting. The horse is not bolting.
He is simply trying to, and succeeding, in taking the mick out of someone who is obviously overhorsed.

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Maybe Im ignorant, but what is your definition of bolting them???? As I always thought it was uncontrolable running/galloping... which it seems this horse IS doing but of course I have been known to be wrong!!!
 
I dnt know that I would call it bolting either, I wouldnt think 'trotting' and not stopping could be determined a bolter..

As far as the running away once he's lost his rider - well I wouldnt call that bolting either, although Im no expert.

I see bolting as GALLOPING with rider and being dangerously unstoppable.
 
A bolter does not do things such as 'trot off', 'spin round' or 'buck'. They simply take off, with no steering and don't stop. Very few horses are actual 'bolters', probably only about 3 out of 100's I have ridden.
To label a bolter, is putting a death sentence on a horse - they can not be sorted out.
This horse is not a bolter, it is a youngster. All it needs is to be checked out and a decent rider that won't take any crap.
 
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I dnt know that I would call it bolting either, I wouldnt think 'trotting' and not stopping could be determined a bolter..

As far as the running away once he's lost his rider - well I wouldnt call that bolting either, although Im no expert.

I see bolting as GALLOPING with rider and being dangerously unstoppable.

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Didnt she say it gallops through a corn cob field????? with rider still attached???? before dumping the rider and then running off onto a road????

I see this as bolting..........
 
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A bolter does not do things such as 'trot off', 'spin round' or 'buck'. They simply take off, with no steering and don't stop. Very few horses are actual 'bolters', probably only about 3 out of 100's I have ridden.
To label a bolter, is putting a death sentence on a horse - they can not be sorted out.
This horse is not a bolter, it is a youngster. All it needs is to be checked out and a decent rider that won't take any crap.

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Erm surely a bolter could do all of the trotting bucking etc aswell as taking off uncontroleably at a gallop!!

I aslo dont agree that all bolters need to be PTS and cant be sorted as Im sure every situation is very different. Also a possibility that this couls be a youngster and a bolter. I think you are probably right in saying it just needs more confident rider though!
 
the rider fell off half way through the field, it didn't take off afer dumping her, it was galloping with a very experienced rider on and was completely unstoppable. Sorry if I used the wrong term, I agree that I wouldn't class trotting off as bolting, but didn't realise that there was more to the term than out of the blue taking off with deviation of course.
 
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I think you are deluded and sincerely hope you never come across a proper nutjob.
Bolters do not do anything else, they have no brain and no self preservation.

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ERm just because I have a differing opinion to you does not make me deluded or wrong for that matter.... how dare you think that you are better then me, just because my opinion differs to yours. You know nothing about the horses I have worked with or my experience so please be a bit more tactful when calling people things such as deluded

... as you can see from H&F's above post the horse DID take off with rider aboard... not AFTER she had fallen off
 
vicijp, if you read my post I am not labelling a difficult youngster as a nutjob, I said I think it needs to see a vet to rule out physical discomfort and that it needs schooling, I was merely asking advice on what I considered was a bolting horse as I'm concerned for both horse and riders!
 
I dint say you shouldnt say what you liked (it is a forum after all) just to maybe have a bit more tact if someone happens to have a fractionatly different opion to yours!

Bolting by discription is a horse "taking off" at speed uncontroleably.... surely?
 
its only you labelling a bolter as a nutjob by the sounds of it !!
all she wanted was some advice not a whats the difference between bolting and taking off !!!
shes concerned for the horse and said it needs help !!!
 
I'm not arguing that a horse can't buck when at flat out gallop, it bucked BEFORE, the rider stayed on but lost stirrup, the horse galloped and was unstoppable through almost a mile of over 5ft high corn on the cob, the rider eventually came off, the horse then galloped along the main road until it got home. I'm not asking for a definition, I used the term I thought was correct and asked ADVICE on how it could be helped, I certainly don't think the horse should be put down or sent to Ashford market as has been suggested by people around here!
 
yes i know what a bolter is as thats what an ex loan horse of mine was like !!
he went from a stand still to flat out across the yard dragging friend with it his eyes had glazed over and you could see there was nothing in his head as my dad said when he was running rite at him he was wild eyed !!
 
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A bolter does not do things such as 'trot off', 'spin round' or 'buck'. They simply take off, with no steering and don't stop.
To label a bolter, is putting a death sentence on a horse - they can not be sorted out.

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I totally agree with vicijp here!
A pony we had bolted with my eldest & it is something I hope never to witness again, as she ran at a speed I would never have thought possible for her size & build & had no regard even for her own safety, she just ran! She was totally zoned out & remained so for some time after she stopped.
She was seriously strange anyway & the very next day was given to a trustworthy friend who wanted her for a specific purpose & we both signed an agrreement to say she would never again be ridden in a wide open space by anybody & would be pts if she could no longer keep her.
(She still has her today & the pony is now genuinely happy in her very sheltered & controlled lifestyle but she was seriously lucky I happened to have a friend who could take her on like that!)
 
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