gutted my horse bolted today and I'm so disappointed

he fact that you say he is bolting after a fence makes me think he isn't so much bolting as bu99ering off and evading your stop/slow down aids. In which case I'd be thinking schooling plus considering your tack, bit, noseband and martingale. As well as back, teeth and saddle checks.

Once you are sure there is no pain anywhere, I'd examine what he does when he refuses to stop. Does he stick his head in the air, or down, or set his neck, or cross his jaw. Most of these things can be assisted with the right tack to make sure you aren't completely without brakes. You can also school him to respond better to downward transitions and to know that jumping doesn't mean "go flat out" and that "faster" doesn't mean "flat out until you run out of steam". I'd think about trying to train him to the voice too, lots of horses than get fast and start to ignore the aids respond well to being trained to respond to "aaaaaand wooooooaahhhhh".

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very good tips above and i agree with them all... will cost you but worth it

also i was thinking its good to change what you do when out hacking, dont always canter/gallop in the same places its good to change it up. For examply my old loan mare would always try and bugger off in the same places but she got the hint in the end.

I dont think smacking him would have helped hes obviously got an issue with something / or not happy about something so i would suggest getting him a good MOT.. also try Supercalm check out their website all natual products for almost every issue/situation. If he is just doing it for the sake of it and theres hopefully nothing physically wrong with him it may help chill his brain and help him deal with different situations. I have used it on my mare for seperate issues to yourself and do rate it so might be worth a gander?

And fianally welldone for staying on, i had a nasty experience with an ill mannered 17h wb afew years ago, would just bolt into jumps, you couldnt pull him as he would just go faster, ended up us both falling as he didnt slow for the corner! :( not a nice feeling so good on you having the b@lls to stay on!!! :)
 
You poor thing!

Have not read all the replies but good advice on the ones I have- get everything checked first of all, teeth, back, saddle and bridle (anything could be pinching even long hairs etc) even his feet and legs.

If its a case of he's taking the choice to *iss off its schooling and tack. Some may say be wary of too much tack but if its for safety its needed- you could have both been hurt.

The main thing I wanted to say was I used to loan a horse and used to hack him out with others-sometimes a group of us or just with 1 other. One day after a fast canter we were all pulling up when he decided to go off again, overtook all of the others in flat out gallop and I could not stop him, he eventually stopped himself half way down a hill :\ I've no idea why he did this and looked into everything, BUT... thankfully he never did it again even in thesame area after a canter, so it was just one of those (terrifying) things- hope your experience was too. The only other thing this horse did which wasn't good was rear up vertical and jumped on his back legs 3 times :o that was awful but was because we were riding in a field and the other horse left us (only in walk mind).

Good luck, I'd also suggest getting 1-1 help or advice from someone you trust and who knows your boy :)
 
Quartz said:
No he wasn't scared he just took off using his strength against me. He knew what he was doing ( I think!!!)
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OP your experience sounds horrendous and I'm not surprised your confidence is knocked. You do need to get to the bottom of this. So glad you survived though, you and him!

With regard to possible pain though, a sudden jab of pain SOMEWHERE can have this effect, how was he when he pulled up? Mine used to bolt (and I mean bolt, and I don't use the word lightly, but I would most definitely use it for what you describe here) and when I first had him, it was in terror. Then when he got his feet under the table and relaxed, he knew he was big and strong and would occasionally use it as his way of giving me the bird, so to speak.

In the former cases, he'd pull up shaking and scared, still worried, heart beating HARD. Then in the minutes after, the adrenaline would leave him and he'd feel very flat, almost depressed. In the latter, he'd pull up, put his head down for a good long but SOFT snort, and jog about feeling pleased with himself.

I just wondered, what was your guy like when he pulled up finally? Could give you a clue.

I do wonder with the other things you describe whether something is hurting somewhere and it's that.

As for stronger bits, and the one rein stop, forget it. My lad ran through everything and anything I put in his mouth. And if you don't get it in right at the start, attempting a "one rein stop" on a truly bolting horse at full stretch would be utterly ineffective at best, suicide for the pair of you at worst.

Best of luck OP and please update, I will follow with interest. Bolting is vile. The true extent of the danger tends to really catch up with you afterwards. xxx
 
skewby said:
OP your experience sounds horrendous and I'm not surprised your confidence is knocked. You do need to get to the bottom of this. So glad you survived though, you and him!

With regard to possible pain though, a sudden jab of pain SOMEWHERE can have this effect, how was he when he pulled up? Mine used to bolt (and I mean bolt, and I don't use the word lightly, but I would most definitely use it for what you describe here) and when I first had him, it was in terror. Then when he got his feet under the table and relaxed, he knew he was big and strong and would occasionally use it as his way of giving me the bird, so to speak.

In the former cases, he'd pull up shaking and scared, still worried, heart beating HARD. Then in the minutes after, the adrenaline would leave him and he'd feel very flat, almost depressed. In the latter, he'd pull up, put his head down for a good long but SOFT snort, and jog about feeling pleased with himself.

I just wondered, what was your guy like when he pulled up finally? Could give you a clue.

I do wonder with the other things you describe whether something is hurting somewhere and it's that.

As for stronger bits, and the one rein stop, forget it. My lad ran through everything and anything I put in his mouth. And if you don't get it in right at the start, attempting a "one rein stop" on a truly bolting horse at full stretch would be utterly ineffective at best, suicide for the pair of you at worst.

Best of luck OP and please update, I will follow with interest. Bolting is vile. The true extent of the danger tends to really catch up with you afterwards. xxx
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When he pulled up it was like he did an emergency stop, I flew forwards but not off. And then it was like nothing had happened, just a bit of snorting and heaving breathing for a couple of secs but he just stood there, still as anything. I got off, as was a bit shock up and had a few cross words to say face to face. Then I led him for a bit, calm as anything, then I got back on and walked him home.
I hate that I can't stop replaying it over and over, I know I couldn't have doen anything differently though, I had no choice in what was happening. But when I think back and remember actually crossing a T junction where cars come passed (not all the time luckily) I just think what could have happened.
The oestopath is coming out next week to check him over, so will see what she says. Will also ask her opinion on my saddle (not sure if she will be able to help on that score though).
 
You may not know this but what were his ears doing at the time? Were they back or forward or neither?

As for getting confidence back try and ride in a place you feel safe and just take baby steps I honestly think being bolted with is the most frightening experience involving horses so well done for staying on and I hope you get it sorted soon :)
 
Kokopelli said:
You may not know this but what were his ears doing at the time? Were they back or forward or neither?

As for getting confidence back try and ride in a place you feel safe and just take baby steps I honestly think being bolted with is the most frightening experience involving horses so well done for staying on and I hope you get it sorted soon :)
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I think his ears were back. For some reason I have that in my head, when I was trying to stop they were definately back. When we stopped think they were forwards as he was completely calm.
 
I'd give him a kick in the ribs TBH difficult to do but it's not what he will be expecting and I've had success with this technique on several occasions... If you are in an area where it is dangerous to do this then I would suggest pulling one rein (hard and sharp) then the other - never both together. If you are somewhere safe the other technique I've tried with success is pushing them on faster and not letting them stop when they want to... if you do this everytime, they soon learn that bolting causes you to be very very tired.

I know some of these techniques may be seen as extreme but this is dangerous behaviour and could get both of you killed..

BnB
 
Thanks for that clarification Quartz. Sounds like something's up to me, not a bad horse. Honestly, if they have pain somewhere and it's sudden, this is what you get. They're not stupid, really does sound like he went absolutely blind and in panic with you. As he hasn't done this before, it has to be physical (I later discovered mine went like the blitz as he was already nervous as hell, then some fool man discovered that if you "wave the whip between his ears he goes like the clappers". Go figure). But sounds like you have a nice horse and SOMETHING or other is jabbing him somehow, I personally wouldn't get on until you have all your checks done. Also don't just rely on "back person" as in my experience they have had greater or lesser training and experience. if you get no joy there I honestly would get vet and explain it to them. Good luck chick and keep in touch xxx
 
skewby said:
Thanks for that clarification Quartz. Sounds like something's up to me, not a bad horse. Honestly, if they have pain somewhere and it's sudden, this is what you get. They're not stupid, really does sound like he went absolutely blind and in panic with you. As he hasn't done this before, it has to be physical (I later discovered mine went like the blitz as he was already nervous as hell, then some fool man discovered that if you "wave the whip between his ears he goes like the clappers". Go figure). But sounds like you have a nice horse and SOMETHING or other is jabbing him somehow, I personally wouldn't get on until you have all your checks done. Also don't just rely on "back person" as in my experience they have had greater or lesser training and experience. if you get no joy there I honestly would get vet and explain it to them. Good luck chick and keep in touch xxx
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Thanks for those comments, I think that whats so upsetting that it was so out of the blue he has never bucked before on a hack or bolted and he did both. Once the back lady has been I will also get the vet out. Really really hoping they come up with something.
 
Quartz said:
Thanks for those comments, I think that whats so upsetting that it was so out of the blue he has never bucked before on a hack or bolted and he did both. Once the back lady has been I will also get the vet out. Really really hoping they come up with something.
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Me too. Fingers crossed for you both here! Let us know how it goes xxx
 
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