Can a horse bolt from different riding style??

[Olliepoppy]

Hi, new 13 year old mare purchased 2 weeks ago as a novice ride. Previously used for hacking (mainly alone) and home jumping. In the past has been shown in-hand. Rode on loose rein out hacking.

I tried her out and she was calm, steady, fairly unflappable in strong wind, past cows, tractors etc and rode nicely in an indoor school. Her previous owners stated she was always the same, no matter if you changed tack, went different routes, with or without other horses etc. Her rider had her in a Pelham but I tried her in a snaffle with no issues. Teeth had been checked 6 months ago, don't think back checked and saddle not professionally fitted.

First ride up and down farm track was to try out a saddle for fit. Asked for trot, well behaved, no problems, forward going 14.3hh who likes to be out and about.

Second ride up and down same farm track but ever so slightly further. Asked for trot, went straight into canter, brought back round easily.

Third ride - lesson with instructor in imaginary arena in stubble field. Walk ok, slowing/speeding up using seat. Trot - same thing attempted but got heavier/stronger in hands. Felt she was getting annoyed with the tight contact (came with French link eggbutt). Instructor insists on good contact. Asked instructor to have a go as I'm not so confident after a nasty fall a year ago. She got on, walked around a couple of times, asked for trot and said novice ride sort of bunny hopped on the spot then took off like a bat out of hell across the field. Instructor stayed on (not sure I would have!) and brought her back across to field. Was end of lesson time anyway so we walked back to yard with no problems.

Contacted previous owners who said she had NEVER bolted with them in the 6 months they had her. I am wondering whether the change in riding style could have confused her or if she objected to being 'held back'? Does anyone have any thoughts/experiences of this? I am concerned that my novice ride is not so novice!

 

[paddi22]

how good is your instructor? good contact isn't a tight contact and if they are teaching you that then i'd question their knowledge really.

Have you had her teeth checked by a good dentist? she could have a mouth issue that the contact triggered?

 

[KINDMARE]

i think she probably needs time to settle in firstly. im by no means an expert but i think that horses get used to the same person riding them. if someone new gets on and sits and rides differently it may put a different pressure on a different part of the saddle/back. This may cause 'behaviour' issues. thats why sometimes when you go to try a potential new horse out and it misbehaves and the owner says 'oh he's never done that before' (yes - i know some are liars) that sometimes its the truth.
just take things slowly and get to know each other. Definatly get saddle/back/teeth checked so you can rule out any pain.

 

[[59668]]

Eesh what a horrible situation

I guess I would ask, why did they have her in a Pelham when you tried her, and why had they sold her after only 6 months?

 

[Hipo]

Is there any reason the previous owners only had the horse for 6 months?
* cross posted*

 

[Olliepoppy]

how good is your instructor? good contact isn't a tight contact and if they are teaching you that then i'd question their knowledge really.

Have you had her teeth checked by a good dentist? she could have a mouth issue that the contact triggered?

I've always thought she was a good instructor! Am going to get teeth checked as soon as possible.

 

[Olliepoppy]

The reason for sale was rider moving away to college. She said she just preferred using a Pelham but she didn't really need one so was no problem to go into a snaffle.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Umm, I once had a so called 'good instructor' with lots of qualifications who couldn't ride one side of my late maxicob. She used too much leg on him, and it panicked him. She blamed the horse rather than her inflexible approach to him. He went much better for me (I soon stopped having her).

If your horse has been used to being ridden 'legs off' and with a long rein, then someone starts trying to organise her into an outline all at once, it could come as a shock and lead to an unsettled horse.

 

[Olliepoppy]

She was fab when I tried her out, wouldn't have bought her if I didn't believe she was what the owners said she was. I guess I could've been duped but would like to think not. The bolt just seemed an extreme action for no apparent reason that I could tell. I am going to try her in an indoor school tomorrow (safer!) - on a loose rein/very light contact - and see how she goes, will be telling my instructor to refrain from any outline work for now.

 

[paddi22]

Your instructors actions would raise a few red flags with me. I can't see how an 'imaginery arena in a stubble field' is a suitable place to have someone on a new horse learning about contact? The surface is wonky and horse could have been trying to balance itself on your hands a bit. Ground could have been stony or deep and horse could have been struggling and more on the forehand and felt heavier. If the horse has associated stubble fields with galloping and fun in the past, then it is difficult to get them into 'work mode' especially with a new rider. A horse will usually feel heavier in the hands in a stubble field as it's probably gone up a few gears with excitement. Chances are you were probably nervous (cause of your previous fall) and were probably tense in your hands and the horse reacted. It really is not a great idea for a lesson working on contact!

From reading as a stranger, it seems like you really had no issues until your instructor tried to do the stubble field contact work. I'd be giving the horse the benefit of the doubt if it was me, and I'd be side eyeing my instructor.

 

[Sparemare]

Mare was only with previous owner six months, and she had never bolted with them? Hmm.

 

[paddi22]

mares can be funny though. Some really can react strongly to different riders if they don't like them. I have one mare and if someone with a hot seat jumped up on her in a field and took up a very hard contact, she'd quickly show them who was boss.

 

[paddi22]

how long did the bolt go on for op? was ait a blind panic bolt, or just a horse running through the reins and towing the rider off until they got control again? how long did it take instructor to stop them?

Some horses do anticipate a gallop as well in a stubble field if the rider takes the reins up. My eventer is a git for doing a bouncy plunge thing and wanting to go - and he would run off with a rider given the chance, but it's not a bolt. If someone with a hot seat took up a strong contact in a stubblefield on some horses, I'd imagine they might get this reaction.

 

[Olliepoppy]

Your instructors actions would raise a few red flags with me. I can't see how an 'imaginery arena in a stubble field' is a suitable place to have someone on a new horse learning about contact? The surface is wonky and horse could have been trying to balance itself on your hands a bit. Ground could have been stony or deep and horse could have been struggling and more on the forehand and felt heavier. If the horse has associated stubble fields with galloping and fun in the past, then it is difficult to get them into 'work mode' especially with a new rider. A horse will usually feel heavier in the hands in a stubble field as it's probably gone up a few gears with excitement. Chances are you were probably nervous (cause of your previous fall) and were probably tense in your hands and the horse reacted. It really is not a great idea for a lesson working on contact!

From reading as a stranger, it seems like you really had no issues until your instructor tried to do the stubble field contact work. I'd be giving the horse the benefit of the doubt if it was me, and I'd be side eyeing my instructor.

Sigh.. it's not easy to know what/who is right.. All advice I have been given so far is to give the mare back but I feel as she's only been with me a couple of weeks it's not fair to put all the blame on her without giving her fair chance to settle and to get to know her properly. She is a dream to handle on the ground and in every other respect has been exactly as described. Maybe a steep learning for curve for me and my instructor!!

 

[paddi22]

it was the instructor that she reacted badly to, not you. it sounds like she hasn't put a foot wrong with you.

How experienced is your instructor - there are honestly some instructors that do more harm than good. And it's easier for them to make the horse look bad around a yard, rather than them. So honestly don't listen to people. You had no issue hacking the horse previously, it didn't feel spooky, and you happily had breaks coming back from canter. Two weeks is no time at all to settle a horse in as well.

 

[Olliepoppy]

My instructor is an experienced, fearless rider - used to strong, challenging horses. Her teaching experience isn't as long as her riding experience. To my relatively inexperienced eye this mare appears to be very sensitive. When ridden she walks/trots from the lightest aid and if working in a round pen or loose in the schooling field she requires very little action from me to get her to move. Maybe the instructor is too heavy handed for her. I, on the other hand, am always being accused of being too soft! The mare does take a wee bit to stop as she seems to really enjoy going and I wonder if this is why a Pelham was used previously. Perhaps I should ditch the instructor for a while, believe in myself a bit more and just get to know this girl!

 

[Olliepoppy]

how long did the bolt go on for op? was ait a blind panic bolt, or just a horse running through the reins and towing the rider off until they got control again? how long did it take instructor to stop them?

Some horses do anticipate a gallop as well in a stubble field if the rider takes the reins up. My eventer is a git for doing a bouncy plunge thing and wanting to go - and he would run off with a rider given the chance, but it's not a bolt. If someone with a hot seat took up a strong contact in a stubblefield on some horses, I'd imagine they might get this reaction.

To me it appeared to be a blind panic bolt as she just took off after a couple of bunny hops, but it could've been towing off I suppose. It looked very dramatic with mud flying everywhere and the horse bouncing through puddles! I would say she went 250-300 yards before coming under control.

 

[Sparemare]

Was she on sales livery when you bought her or did you buy her direct from the previous owners?

 

[Olliepoppy]

Was she on sales livery when you bought her or did you buy her direct from the previous owners?

I got her direct from the previous owners

 

[Ambers Echo]

I usually ride with very long reins and a very light contact. My instructor got on Amber to show me what he wanted - and took much firmer hold. She objected pretty strongly to it and at one point looked like she was going to completely lose it - not something she has ever done with me. So yes some do react differently to different riding styles. Amber was having more of a tantrum though than bolting. She was clearly annoyed rather than frightened.

It's early days and I'd give the mare the benefit of the doubt for now... but with a red warning flag in your mind as I'd also take what the owners say with a pinch of salt. They presumably knew they were going to college 6 months ago when they bought her!? I once had a pony who was fantastic 95% of the time but utterly unpredictable and would just bolt/buck/rear out of nowhere. I made every excuse under the sun for him but he was basically just not a safe pony. He was sold to me as a novice ride too. Which he was until he wasn't!

 

[Goldenstar]

TBH I have seen horses in new homes do all sorts of biazzre thinks I rode C several times before I bought him ,then kept him at livery at his old home for several weeks riding him every day and taking him away to clinics the first morning I got on him at home he reared and span round when I got on him ,pretty extreme reaction never did it again .
On your horse OP that Pelham tells you something .

 

[Olliepoppy]

Amber's echo - there's definitely red flags in mind! I thought the same about the college reason, guess time will tell..

 

[Olliepoppy]

TBH I have seen horses in new homes do all sorts of biazzre thinks I rode C several times before I bought him ,then kept him at livery at his old home for several weeks riding him every day and taking him away to clinics the first morning I got on him at home he reared and span round when I got on him ,pretty extreme reaction never did it again .
On your horse OP that Pelham tells you something .

Bizarre how she wasn't strong at all when I rode her though..

 

[GirlFriday]

Horse to enjoy and/or bring on for the summer; see how the grades are (go to college near or far away...); seems perfectly plausible (doesn't mean it is true, but it could be); teenager with plenty of 'fashionable' tack with a pelham likewise!

Horse fine with you but not instructor - try different instructor...

 

[planete]

Yes, definitely. I had to ditch a few instructors who thought grabbing hold of my arab or arab crosses' mouths was a good idea.

 

[ycbm]

Mud flying and puddles in a stubble field? Where your instructor insists on trying to teach you a stronger contact than you or the pony are used to, and then gets on and picks a fight?

I'm with the others who say dump the trainer. They may be used to riding difficult horses so much that they actually like the battle and unconsciously create it.

 

[Olliepoppy]

Thanks all for your views, sound thoughts and opinions. Brave pants on today to try her again, but not in a stubble!

 

[scats]

Two things that stand out to me- previous owner rode in a Pelham and they only had her 6 months. There may be totally reasonable explanations for both of these, but given that we don't know the people and are just going by the info you have given, this rings slight alarm bells for me.

I would probably spend a few weeks just you and the horse in an enclosed space, getting to know one another. Ride her like you rode her when you went to try- same level of contact etc. You should get a pretty good idea soon whether there is an issue with this horse or if the instructor and stubble field combination was just a bit much too soon.

 

[Olliepoppy]

Thanks scats, good advice, am taking her to an indoor school this afternoon so will see how we get on!

 

[Meowy Catkin]

She pulled up after 250 - 300 yards. That's not a bolt. So I think that should put your mind at rest, she didn't bolt, she bogged off with a rider who rode her in a manner that she wasn't used to and objected to. The environment was not conducive to a successful schooling session anyway.

The way I read the description, the horse was pretty much set up to fail from the start. My first rule when training horses is to set them up to succeed, make it easy for them to do the right thing.

I would also get a different instructor and I would be tempted to put her back in the pelham to see if she's happier in that, they aren't the work of the devil and they do suit some horses very well. I had a pony on loan years ago who went sweetly in a kimblewick, he was much, much happier in that than a jointed snaffle.