first hack on new horse and he bolts off :-(

italylyns

italylyns

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Hi all,

Just looking for your opinions on today really!!

I only picked up my new boy yesterday, he is full ID so not your slender type but middle weight, 16hh and just turned 6.

he is a real chilled out chap with a lovely temperament so i thought sod it i would go for a little stroll this morning as he was so chilled.

A little darling for most of the ride, hardly spooking at all ( i was expecting alot as he has done hardly anything with previous owner!!) but towards the end of the ride he was a bit cheeky and not listening so i tapped him with the crop on the neck and he just went!!!!

He went from a trot to a canter to a very fast canter (never a full gallop!) but i tried all the moves, turning him in circles, even aiming him for hedges, fences etc thinking he would stop but he would just swerve sideways and keep going.I did lose my stirrup and i am sure in the process of trying to get it back he thought i was kicking him on lol

He did eventually slow but after a couple of rounds of our local bridle track and then just carried on home as if nothing had happened.
He is ridden in a hanging cheek snaffle.


What do you think...just first day nerves, all new etc or have i bought a nutter!!!!
 
Could it be that he isn't used to being tapped on the neck? I used to ride a crop/whip shy horse who'd bugger off if you used one on him.
 
Sounds like he just ran off with you rather than bolting (bolting means he would have gone through anything that was in the way as opposed to go round) - and if you were losing stirrups, out of balance and accidentally kicking him, then he clearly used that as an excuse to bugger off with you. I think he was rude rather than anything else - go out with someone else next time and if you need to smack him, try in the school rather than out in the open! I had a horse that you could NOT touch with a stick - fortunately I used it once on a lesson and had the disappearing round the school three times reaction. From then on a sharp kick worked far better!

He will be fine I am sure - take things more slowly perhaps?
 
If you bought a horse knowing he hasn't done allot with his previous owner you need to expect a few things that will need working on. You also need to learn how each other tick which will take time.

You now know that a slap with a crop will make him charge off...either work on that or don't do it again!!!
 
I had a similar thing with mine buggered off to home more in excitement.He never ever did it again! Yes i lost stirrups etc etc

Well I think you have learned what a tap with a whip will do.

I think its all a learning curve for you both ie What pushes his buttons!

It took me a year to learn about my horse and I was suprised it took so long to get to know him.

They all have their quirks and I think just keep trying and enjoy. Perhaps do some schooling whilst you are out too ie half halts etc and as he is so young keep him listening to you.

Worth having some lessons as well to keep his mind on the ball.

Good luck he is still very young too.
 
Sounds like a complete lack of planning and preparation, you will have some work to do to build some trust with this horse, and thats your job.

Glad you're ok though.
 
mY horse did this with me too the first hack after i bought him, I was out with a friend and we had had a few trots, I thught we should try a canter up a hill and as my horse was being a bit lazy I used quite a strong aid to ask for this, so horse set off in flat out gallop, up the hill, down the other side, up the next one towards a road! We were next to a stubble field so I steered him into this and basically ploughed him into a hedge to get him to stop (i know not ideal but nothing else was working!) I blamed myself this time but he did subsequently bolt with me several times after that whilst hacking, once extremely dangerously down a main road with cars either side of us. So whilst I agree it is probably just a young horse finding his feet, maybe yours just doesn't like being tapped on the neck/hasn't had it done before, be carefull! With my horse it was a real problem that took me quite a few months to overcome. We worked it out through lots of schooling, teaching him to listen to me rather than just panic and being carefull when hacking, taking things slowly, learning to trust him etc. He's now great and though he can sometimes get strong I know him and so know which buttons to press or not press now! I would give your horse the benefit of the doubt for now, he is young and probably meant nothing by it, he is in a new home and it will take him awhile to settle in. It does sound like it's probably just him being a baby so I would treat him as one for a bit, don't expect too much of him and hopefully this won't happen again.
 
Pale Rider said:
Sounds like a complete lack of planning and preparation, you will have some work to do to build some trust with this horse, and thats your job.
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I totally understand that we still have to get to know each other and build each others trust. Lack of planning /preparation seems a bit harsh but taken on board none the less!

I do think maybe he was just being cheeky and where i was unbalanced etc he made the most of it. Am hacking out with a stable friend tomorrow so lesson learnt and wont be doing that again lol
 
Hi,

Doesn't sound like you've brought a nutter - I'd put this one down as a learning curve. My pony was a little nervy when I first got him (taken him a while to settle in) - he was 14 and had been broken for about three/four years - so pretty green really.

We had a whip moment :rolleyes: - I now leave the whip at home - besides, he doesn't need it 99% of the time.

Your chap is still young and you're a new partnership - i'm sure with a little work/time you'll both learn each others style. If your whip is an ornament for most of your ride and you find you're carrying it out of habit rather than needing it then leave it at home.

If you're worried about him tanking off again and not stopping then aim him at a steep hill and let me get it out his system - he's soon learn that's far too much hard work (I had this problem - (boyo's previous owner was 13 and liked to go fast - she seemed to let him get away with being naughty) - went from walk, very fast trot to gallop :eek:) - after a few hills he steadied down and we began to work better whilst out and on the flat.

He now has four normal paces - only three months work off and on.

Stick with it - keep us updated with your progress - sounds like you've made a good buy IMOH - I'm sure with a little training he'll be a changed horse :D
 
italylyns said:
I totally understand that we still have to get to know each other and build each others trust. Lack of planning /preparation seems a bit harsh but taken on board none the less!

I do think maybe he was just being cheeky and where i was unbalanced etc he made the most of it. Am hacking out with a stable friend tomorrow so lesson learnt and wont be doing that again lol
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Sorry if I sounded harsh, just how I see things.

Horses arn't cheeky, they make decisions for themselves if they have no leadership.

If I were you I'd get him listening on the ground first, so he's doing what you suggest. I don't mean mindless lunging either, no use at all that.

If you go out with another horse, you are hiding behind them, your horse will take more notice of it than you, so thats not much help.

It's just a matter of sorting things out between you, if you don't things soon escalate. These threads are full of stories like that. You just need to have a plan of how you want the horse to be and how you will achieve it.
 
lol Well I consider myself very experienced. Riding/owning horses since 11 and now 38!
Having ridden/owned horses of all ages.

I totally agree too, i just thought i would share and see peoples views.

I have only had him a day so we have no understanding of each other yet at all and that is a phase i very much look forward to!

We have alot of learning and growing to do together thats why i bought a youngster!

I am sure our next hack will be fab ;-)
 
I would give him a week to settle in and build a bond with you - and would also just walk out gently to start with so he gets to know the area, and try and ride minus the whip ?

Good luck :)
 
I've been riding whip free for two weeks now, and won't go back to using one, either in the school or hacking - it was just habit for me too. Find my hands are much more relaxed now.

Do let us know how you get on :)
 
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You said go he went.
Using a whip on a strange horse is best done in the school as you get to know them so you gauge their reactions.
I am glad you are fine put it behind you and take things gently and get to know each other .
 
italylyns said:
lol Well I consider myself very experienced. Riding/owning horses since 11 and now 38!
Having ridden/owned horses of all ages.

I totally agree too, i just thought i would share and see peoples views.

I have only had him a day so we have no understanding of each other yet at all and that is a phase i very much look forward to!

We have alot of learning and growing to do together thats why i bought a youngster!

I am sure our next hack will be fab ;-)
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sadly your thread title and question of if you've bought a nutter after 1 day of ownership doesn't shout of an experienced owner. Horse didn't really bolt did he? he tanked off and you couldn't stop him rather than him being in full flight:( it is usually inexperienced people who label a horse after 1 day and think anything more than a trot is a full bolt!!
perhaps some school work to get to know him better might be a good idea, and leave the whip in the tack room;)
 
OP he was probably just testing the waters. I would give him some time to settle into his new enviroment, do lots of walking in hand and bonding.


Have fun with him :)
 
This has happened with my share horse a couple of times, definitely testing me! she is actually a lot more strong in company so I prefer to go alone but I always know she will stop if there are people/dogs/road ahead so that's some comfort! I suggest more school work, I would be really nervous taking a new horse out on road without getting to know them first, but we can all get complacent on a sunny day when the horse seems chilled out! Good luck with it xx
 
Like someone else said, he may just not used to being tapped. There used to be a pony one the yard who wasn't bothered by much. You could pony-kick him all day long...but if you hit him (even a tap) with a whip and he'd be off.
I hope you can work it out :) good luck with your new horsey!
 
If you've only had the horse a day I would say it's too soon to label him a nutter. I have an ID and I find they are quite late to mature although will try their hardest for you.

My ID was 6 when I bought her, she was a very immature and insecure. When she wasn't sure what I was asking or got frightened by something she would run off.

Be patient, IDs will try their hearts out for you but like any horse, they have to learn to trust you.

If horse is a little insecure why not hack out with other people for a while until you get to know wach other better. A few schooling sessions/lessons wouldn't go a miss either if you can.

I'm sure you'll be fine after a bit more time.
 
Sounds 100% rider error to me.....

He's just arrived, why set yourselves up for a fall? You should be building things up steadily to give him.confidence. You need to give him every chance to succeed.

Surely better to start out with a steady schoooling session, or a slow hack with a calm companion. But not only did you decide to hack alone, you decided to canter in the open and to give him a smack on the neck...... Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me.

Why smack him on the neck anyway? What signal are you giving him? A bloody confusing one. If you want to send him forwards try a tap behind the leg or a kick. If you aren't happy to take one hand of the reins use a schooling whip.

Sorry but I don't think you have given the poor lad a chance.
 
Tiffany said:
If you've only had the horse a day I would say it's too soon to label him a nutter. I have an ID and I find they are quite late to mature although will try their hardest for you.

My ID was 6 when I bought her, she was a very immature and insecure. When she wasn't sure what I was asking or got frightened by something she would run off.

Be patient, IDs will try their hearts out for you but like any horse, they have to learn to trust you.

If horse is a little insecure why not hack out with other people for a while until you get to know wach other better. A few schooling sessions/lessons wouldn't go a miss either if you can.

I'm sure you'll be fine after a bit more time.
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100% agree. We have a 5yr old ID and he would poss have done the same. He's stick shy and, although quiet and sensible, hadn't had much life experience and takes confidence from him rider. A smack on the shoulder would have prob caused the same reaction, then bumping about and loosing stirrups would have made him panic.

Chalk it down as a lesson learnt but to be franlky honest taking out a horse, by himself on the first day you've had him home is really a very silly idea! You're damn lucky nothing worse happened!
 
Sorry I haven't read through all of the posts so I apologise if I am repeating anything but maybe he just doesn't like whips? He could have had a bad experience with them in the past? My boy won't let a whip near him at any price, I mean he is a VERY sharp pony anyway but I can't even carry a whip when on his back because he HATES them. If I had tapped him on the shoulder I doubt that either of us would still be here now!! Lets just say that we'd give them TB racehorses a run for their money and might have explored a neighbouring County or two!
So maybe see how he is with whips and if he doesn't like them then don't use them? There are other ways to sort a horse out when they are being cheeky other than the use of a whip! I mean I've managed to break in and bring on a hypersensitive youngster without one?
 
Horses do not 'test the water'. People on the other hand make mistakes. He is a young horse, in a strange place, ridden by somebody he does not know, the somebody uses a stick, and he has a mild panicky moment. Very lucky he is kind and not a really hot horse! Just put it down to experience, we all make mistakes and we mostly survive to learn from them.
 
My rule number one of whip is: never get yourself into what you can't get out of.

I don't care how many years someone has ridden, myself included, that is a tried and tested rule. I've been on over 2k horses, and counting, in my lifetime. And I used to gallop racehorses for most my life. So trust me on that one. As a matter of fact I fined very very few times I ever have a whip. I have legs and a slap with a rein can do fine.

Also I'm assuming this horse had no clue where he was on his new hack. On the way home he gets a slap and he just wants to get to something familiar like his new home. Your horse did not bolt. If you've ever experienced a bolt you will understand. And I really hope you never do. A bolting horse has no self preservation. He does not care if he kills himself thus you are in serious danger.

I would venture to say you are going to be a little iffy with him. And while you will be in company today, you still need to be giving your horse every bit of confidence he deserves. He is not a nutter. He is a young horse that you let down. I'm not trying to be overly harsh. Trust me, I'm the same to myself. Horses don't deserve me putting them in a situation in which they can fail.

Terri
 
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