Future for a bolter?

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pipparry00

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Please can any of you give me a little advise regarding the furture of my horse. He is a 7year old 15.1hh TBxConnermara. I've had him for 18mths now and in that time he has bolted numerous times with me, with disasterous results; 2 broken collarbones, bruised spleen and now a broken back. When he bolts he goes flat out, completly dead to the voice, my hands everything, nothing stops him until we crash through the outdoor arena post and rail fencing - hence the broken bones!
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I have had his back checked by vet and chiropractor, the physio has checked him - all fine, I've had his teeth done, his saddle refitted, reiki hands on therapy and given him a 6week holiday. I then brought him back into work with my qualified instructor with lunging & longreining to work/trot work. We thought we had cracked it, he was going in a lovely outline, really using himself, soft and supple - he was being ridden approx 5x per wk, schooling, hacking and lunging. Then a couple of weeks ago he suddenly bolted again - through the arena fence, me with a broken back, him quietly munching grass by the side of me!

He can be the perfect gentleman the rest of the time, enjoying fuss and cuddles, however after a couple of weeks box rest from a minor injury he double barreled me and broke my collarbone while leading him out for a 5 min walk.

I can't ride for at least 6mths and I don't know what to do with him. (I don't want to ever ride him again) BUT what do I do with him?? I can't keep him as a 'pet' and I'm reluctant to sell him incase this behaviour continues and he injures more riders. I have contacted my vet and a number of rescue centres who are full and have advised me, that having had everything checked there is nothing more I can do and should consider putting him to sleep as he is a dangerous horse who has no self-preservation with no consistancy to trigger these bolts. (I have been riding for over 25years, of which 10years were working in horseracing, so I used to consider myself a competent rider, especially at spped - however I'm even questioning this now!
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Any advice would be greatfully received........
 
you poor thing
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*hugs*

I really can't offer you much advice, I'm no expert but I agree that you shouldn't ride him again
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Can he be a companion at a rescue home or something?

Sorry just re read that rescue homes near you are full. There has to be somewhere!
 
Oh how awful
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I'm so sorry you've had to suffer this, I really feel for you. Big hug.

Do you have any idea what sets him off? Does he spook? Or just shoot off? You mentioned that he's done it twice in the arena, does he ever do it out hacking?

Aside from all the checks you've had, perhaps try to have a good think if there's anything that sets him off, be it maybe a bird that suddenly shot up or a child screaming or whatever. I think once you'd found the cause, you'll have a better idea of how to deal with it.

I'm sorry this probably isn't much help but I agree that selling would be difficult given his issues, you wouldn't want him to be passed from pillar to post
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Have you had blood tests/maybe his eyesight checked?

It seems a shame with such a young horse and I definitely wouldnt be selling him. Perhaps loan him as a companion if you can find a suitable home; otherwise PTS would be the only option.
 
I'm sorry to be harsh but i'd have him shot before he kills someone. If you have all the checks done I don 't see any other way. If you find him a companion home he could be passed on and some one else may end up trying to ride him.
 
Poor you! This sounds like a real nightmare. I hope you have a full and speedy recovery from your injuries and to be honest I think you should have this horse pts. It sounds as if he is a real danger to any rider. Is he insured?
 
Poor you, lots of hugs and hopefully you will have a fairly pain free recovery and its not as long as predicted.

What do you ride him in?
Do you know what sets him off?
Does he do it in the school in the same place?
When he bolts i take it he locks against you?
 
Oh dear I am so sorry! feel your pain! my left femur was snapped in half plus extra bits when my horse bolted with me and my legs got caught on a tree!!! really painful but I think a broken back is a lot worse. I agree don't get back on him esp as it is not going to do your nerves any good! And I bet your a fab rider so don't knock yourself down like that. Some horses just don't like to be ridden and he may just be one of those.

I worked with a horse that had a no self preservation attitude and ran away with me a couple of times ending up charging through fences, getting electric fences caught round her legs. She was a nightmare but wasn't mine and the lady who owned her eventually left the yard. If it was me and I know this is really harsh but with current climate you can't sell him or loan him and you can't give him to a shelter as they are all full all over the country I would either take him back to Ireland (which he should like as he is a conny) and chuck him on a mountain somewhere with other horses (could also do this in wales or new forest) and forget about him !! or *gets ready to run* put him down! I know this is really really harsh BUT he has already damaged you too much and next time it could b worse! You could send him to parelli trainer or natural horsemanship but as i am not a fan or follower of these i wouldn't have the faintest idea if it would work. I only say the PTS because of the current climate and it being very expensive to keep a horse that you don't want to ride and can be unpredictable to handle.

sorry I can't be more help but if he was mine these would be the things I would be thinking about. You have also got to think about his future life and what he might come up against when you make your decision!
 
oh my goodness, what a catalogue of injuries. It is not just that he is dangerous to ride, but if he double barelled you when out for a walk, he is getting dangerous to handle. What does your instructor have to say about it?
 
Hi, sorry to hear about your injuries and they don't come much more serious than a broken back. I've got a horse that bolts totally out of the rider's control but she at least looks out for herself and respects the arena fence as a boundary and stays within it.

She's got to have some time off due to lameness but after it if the behavior problem is still there she's going to be a brood mare, if she were a gelding she would be pts. Like yourself she's caused me too many injuries including back fractures.

Its a heart-breaking situation and its easy to take the way they keep hurting you personally, but really there's just something wrong with this horse to make it do what its doing, whether in its brain or its body.

I think there very rarely is a future for a habitual true bolter, especially a gelding. Just pts IMO and then at least you're likely to get a future yourself.
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It sounds like you have done everything you can to help him.
Friends had similar episodes with their horse, one moment it would be absolutely fine the next it would go mental bolting or throwing itself over. There were no consistent trigger factors. He was lovely apart from these 'fits' an absolute gentleman and a lovely looking horse, they did everything they could to find a solution but nothing worked.
They reached the difficult decision of pts after exhausting every other possibility. He was too unpredictable and dangerous to ride and they like you (quite rightly IMO) were not prepared to take the risk of passing the problem on. The Vet performed an autopsy after and horse turned out to have a brain tumour.
It sounds like you have done your best at the cost of your own health and safety, sought out help and advice and are coming to the end of the line with this pony.
Had the incidence been limited to being under saddle you could perhaps have tried to find him a companion home, but doesn't sound like that is the case.
I really feel for you but unfortunately not every problem has a happy outcome. You are obviously experienced and have had good advice from others used to dealing with rescue horses who often have problems. I think you should follow your instincts and trust your judgment. If you can honestly say there is nothing more you, or anyone else could try I can't see you have any choice but to pts.
Hugs
 
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I'm sorry to be harsh but i'd have him shot before he kills someone. If you have all the checks done I don 't see any other way. If you find him a companion home he could be passed on and some one else may end up trying to ride him.

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I'm afraid I have to agree totally with this. Please seriously consider having him destroyed. It would be irresponsible of you to sell him on tbh and someone (other than you)could get seriously hurt.

(((hugs))) not a nice situation to be in. x
 
Thank you all so much for your rapid responses - its a terrible thought to have to consider having him PTS. He's ridden in a snaffle with a flash noseband. No spurs or whip. He has bolted with me on bridle ways and in another arena, this time indoors - my friend said it looked like we were doing the 'wall of death'!! When he stops he isn't even blowing or shaking as a normal frightend horse would be, he just has a shake and walks calmly around nibbling a the grass at the edge of the arena.

I not sure if he would be any good as a companion horse, he is too spooky at the best of times. I worry someone would be tempted to get on and 'just give him a go', especially as he's young and sound.

We had him blood tested to see if he had any raging hormones, but again that came back negative.

My instructor advised me to try the rescue centres, but her gut instinct after seeing him 'full flight' and me put yet again into an ambulance, was to have him PTS.

I'm lucky that we have 2 arenas at my livery yard, so we tried him both - bolted in both, the last accident was a lovely calm Monday morning, no wind, all the horses had been turned out, there was no-one else in the yard banging about, just me and my instructor.

I'm at my wits end - he is insured, but I thought insurance companies only pay out if he has to be PTS due to injury/ill health.
 
what a shame. it really sounds like you've exhausted all possibilities with him and it only leaves you with one option. yes the insurance payout, or lack of it, will be a bit of a b*gger but you can't put a price on your life.

((((hugs)))) whatever you decide.
 
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I not sure if he would be any good as a companion horse, he is too spooky at the best of times. I worry someone would be tempted to get on and 'just give him a go', especially as he's young and sound.





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Ok, I can understand this. What an awful situation to be in
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I'd have him PTS if you don't think he'll be good as a companion - he could kill someone, or himself horrifically so maybe you should just have it done quietly.

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Poor guy
 
I don't really know much about insurance, but could you not claim loss of use if he is too dangerous to be ridden and he's insured as a ridden horse. I'd imagine you'd need vet's back up but it sounds as if you would get it. If a horse did this to me or anyone I cared for, to be honest, I wouldn't give it stable room and neither would I risk anyone else's welfare. Accidents can happen, we all know that, but this is something else.
 
I have no advice, but what a sad situation for you.

I wish you all the best and applaud you for taking responsibility for him.
 
This is your hobby, your pleasure and shouldnt result in you being hospitalised or not wanting to ride your horse.

I think your only sensible option is to PTS. You have given this horse the time and care that any owner taking him on knowing his problems would give him and it hasnt worked. There really isnt much hope of him going to a sanctuary or charity home - most are now only taking extreme rescue cases and certainly wouldnt want a youngster who could, in theory, be with them for the next 20 years. Morally you couldnt sell him on not disclosing his bolting and Im sure you couldnt face the thought that he may do this with a new rider.

im really sorry but PTS seems your only option, please dont make this horse a millstone round your neck for the next how ever many years. Life is too short and you have been very lucky so far.

I wish you a speedy recovery and hope that you will be luckier with your next horse should you decide to get back in the saddle in the future.
 
the 'has a shake bit' after he has bolted asks questions. horses roll to 'self adjust' their back muscles etc, is this similar?

there are very few naughty horses. most are in pain.
even if its psychological, it normally stems from a physiological problem.

have you had him properly assessed for kissing spine (xray etc?) have his teeth been double checked? (its dark in there!)
have you had a master saddle fitter check his saddle, or a regular saddler?

there WILL be a reason, but whether you can find it or not is the problem.
good luck horses arent easy are they.
 
Have you eliminated every possible via the vets and absolutely certain that this is not a pain issue? Do you work him in the school in an outline, does he struggle to get his hinds underneath him?

This is important as I have one at the yard who acted the same, goes into one as if for fun. After equine vet visit and hospitalisation, he has spavin in both hocks. Scintigraphy will show up any hot spots and, when clutching at straws is worth a try for him.

You sound a very experienced owner and have tried to sort him. Have you questioned his feed and turnout routine and does he have a problem with feed intollerance?

Horses arn't born bad and IMHO their bad behaviour is 95% pain related. I am at present working my butt off to save a behaviourally bad horse and we are just starting to get somewhere.

I truely pray that you can find an answer for your poor man.

Hx
 
I appreciate the sentiments of your post, but frankly a person's life and health is worth much more than the life of a horse. As I said before accidents happen and everyone who rides accepts that risk, but a horse that you absolutely know is liable to do you serious damage - in my opinion, get rid. We are supposed to ride horses for pleasure!
 
I feel very sorry for you, but i know just where you are coming from, my horse is the same, but he bolted on the roads and one time we where heading for the M4 motorway, Hence he is not ridden anymore.

I could not get rid as i could not take the risk. I'm very lucky that i have my own land and the fact he is an absolute sweetheart on the ground, so he is now just a field ornament and has been for the past 10yrs, but if things changed and i was unable to keep him anymore and i could not find a charity to take him on, I'm afraid there would be no ifs or buts, i would have him put down, and please believe me i do not say this lightly.

You have a very hard decision to make, you sound a very level headed person so will do the right thing, even if it is the hardest choice. Myself i would never sell him as i could never live with myself if i did and he seriously hurt someone or even killed somebody.

Never question your riding it's not you. I too worked in horse racing so have sat on some nutters. I will be honest with you when ever i have to sit on my horse (before i gave up riding him) i would cry with fear.

My thoughts are with you.
 
If you have truly exhausted all pain issues, then I am a bit hard in that I would have him destroyed or unridden ever again, its simply not worth anyone, however, experienced putting themselves at risk.

YOu have given him chance after chance, had him checked etc, unpredictable bolters like this will unlikely come good unless it is something pain related, that you can find!!

Cut your losses, dont pass him on, there are enough horses out there truly there are, you have suffered enough injury from the sound of it. Its cruel to be kind and sane,,,,,sorry!!
 
I really do feel for you, it must be an absolutely awful position to be in but.... and I don't care if I get slated for this....

Is this really reason enough for anotherwise healthy horse to be destroyed????

He's obviously dangerous when ridden but surely, if he is healthy and happy in other ways, he has a right to life??? There must be another option here - he could happily live out the rest of his life in a field as a companion 24/7 somewhere and still be alive, for heavens sake?? I can't believe people are saying he should be destroyed!
 
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Horses arn't born bad and IMHO their bad behaviour is 95% pain related.

Hx

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Well my horse must of been one of the 5% then, because as a last result i went to an animal communicator (well 2 actually) and both told me the same thing, he thinks it's fun and wants his own way. I wasn't going to say anything as i know there are a few on here how think that kind of thing is a load of tripe. I do believe in it and we all have a right to our opinion, but both told me things that only me and my horse would know.
 
this souns familaira a friend used to have a connemara cross who she evented and he used to flip like this every so often nothing would stop him nd they didnt know what triggered it. in the end he jumped out over the indoor school gate and caught himself on it and landed on concrete. he had to be pts due to his injuries. when the autopsy was performed he had a brain tumour. when he waas good though he was lovely and evented but when he was bad he was awful.
 
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I don't really know much about insurance, but could you not claim loss of use if he is too dangerous to be ridden and he's insured as a ridden horse. I'd imagine you'd need vet's back up but it sounds as if you would get it.

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You can't claim LOU for a behavioral problem, no matter how severe. You can't even claim for vet's investigations looking for a source of pain causing a behavioral problem if this is the only symptom unless you are positive they will show up something concrete which then will be covered.

OP, if you are covered for vets fees and, even better LOU, you need your vet to spot some sort of physical symptom to justify a referral. If they can see something beyond a "naughty horse" it can't hurt to do some investigations, even if all they turn up is a case for LOU.
 
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