Hacking Problems HELP !

J

JessPickle

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Am actually running out of ideas with pickle! took him out today and h bolted! as in he galloped off I had no steering/brakes and just had to wait for him to stop! fortunely he stopped in the end when a gate appeared, I then got off as was pretty shaken then he reared up! Now he used to do this when I got him but hasnt in 2.5 years plus, he only ever does it when I am not on him!

Now I have tried just about every bit I can think of including a pelham, I do circle and school him on hacks, I change where I canter and sometimes walk in what he considers canters. He doesnt hack alone at all!

So I am completely left with no clue, my only possible idea was to lunge him before hacking, but today before I had taken him out he had done two hours of group lessons on working livery in the RS one jumping!

Any help much appreciated
 
Have you had his back/teeth checked over, sounds strange for him to just start bolting for no reason. Don't know if bits are really the answer here as they won't really stop him from bolting, if he is doing it from a walk, they will just help you to stop him, which means you are still left with the puzzle of why he has suddenly started doing it.
 
What bit is he in now?

Someone told me when i went hunting yesterday that a stong bit sometimes makes them worse?

What was he in when you had him?
 
I have tried him in a plain snaffle, a waterford snaffle (which he is happiest in when schooling), a dutch gag waterford which he was fine in until he got used to it and found a new way to evade it. Then a waterford pelham!
 
do you know what set him off? was he frightened by something, for instance?
agree about getting him checked over, and his saddle checked again, just in case it is pain/discomfort he's running from.
what a nightmare. i'd definitely have a very short neckstrap on, and teach him to slow down/whoa on that if at all pos - very useful in extremis! best of luck.
 
This is probably way off the mark - but could his back be hurting after doing 2 hours of work already including jumping? Bolting like that might indicate pain that he is trying to run away from? Don't know his history though obviously so apologies if this has been suggested/covered already. Also - who rode him before you - could they have got him revved up/cross/fed up before you got on him?
What happened before he bolted - does he just get faster & faster in canter until you lose control or does he take off straight from walk when he hits grass? Either way have you tried constantly feeling/working the bit so that he can't grab hold of it, lots of leg on & a deep seat so that you have as much control as possible & he never feels like he is in charge?
Again - haven't seen your earlier posts on this so might be covering things that have already been suggested!
 
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Have you had his back/teeth checked over.

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Yep that was my absulute first thought and his teeth were looked at only weeks ago and his back
 
Nightmare - bolting isn't fun. Was there anything that triggered the bolting, something that spooked him etc. Was he already travelling at speed before he took off. I remember my little old pony used to occationally bolt with me - the only way I could stop her was to aim her at a hedge over twice her size. She did think of jumping it but bottled it and stopped at last minute.

As far as helping goes I would try and assess what might be causing it. Are you tence at all whilst riding him that might have upset him? Try and keep as relaxed as possible and don't hold him too tight. Maybe try and do a few completely chilled out ride with no schooling or fast stuff to try and settle him. My boy sometimes gets wound up by schooling on rides.

If all else fails learn emergancy breaks. Plant one hand hard on the base of his neck (so he will pull against himself if he tries to pull - also gives you something to brace against) and then pull the other rein hard as if turning a tight circle. Need to try and do this as soon a the bolt starts so he hasn't set his neck completely against you.

Good luck
 
If he's truly bolting, as in blind terror, then you need to look at why. Horses don't bolt like that for no reason.

If he's just taking off, albeit being rude about it, ignoring your aids and being naughty, then he is being horribly nappy and you need to work on that.

Have you done all the obvious checks?
 
The pain after two hours is pretty unlikely in my mind, he is perfectly used to doing that (the lessons were 2 hrs apart from each other) and since I have had him he has had that.

We were just walking along on an empty field. My friend who was on her very sane horse who didnt even move said she had a look around as pickle went to see if there was anything he could has spooked at and didnt see anything.

Will try out advise above it did just give me a scare to say the least! he is like a completely different horse in and out!

ETA- just thought really hard and thought maybe there could have been some kind of plastic in the trees we were passing there is sometimes some rubbish in their where it gets stuck and pickle hates plastic
 
i think you need a bit which absolutely can't be pulled through the mouth however hard you have to pull on one rein (i.e. a full-cheek or fulmer), and if he does it again, make him circle no matter what (as long as you're in a field, obv), even if it takes all your strength on one rein. this isn't about the type of mouthpiece, it is about him ignoring your aid to stop. circle, and keep circling until you have control, and keep circling until he's trying to slow down. that's worked for me with horses that run away so rudely.
however, if it is a genuine terrified straight-line bolt, blindly at whatever is in his path, then you definitely need to get to the bottom of WHY, as it is obviously very dangerous for both of you. in my experience the only horses who do this are in huge pain somewhere, from their back, or from a brain tumour, for example.
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See pickle is regurlary checked by a vet due to his past problems with anemia meaning he gets regular blood tests and general check ups. In the school he is an absulute angel that could be ridden by a 5 year old!

I think am going to completely start again with him again, took me a year to get him right after I got him and think he process may have to start again.
 
Yes that is true, I found Oshk's tooth problem through him bolting on me mid showjumping, it was very scary! When my lad is being a bit of a speed demon out hunting I just bury my fist into his neck to anchor the rein, then all he is pulling on is mainly his own strength, they soon get tired of pulling against themselves.
 
does any one else hack him out ?? If not might be worth getting an instructor to take him out, with the same people that you hack out with etc same route etc.

If he only does it with you, then at least you know what to work on etc. If he does it with an experienced instructor then he is the problem and not you

does thaat make sense, o offense at all meant by the way

xx

H is a dream to hack out, until I get on, as he knows he can relax with me and so plays up etc !!! luckily, i have got used to it and can deal with it
 
he is also ridden out by someone else who is a very good rider, he does exactly the same thing and this rider is so relaxed! I know what you mean though but my instuctor wont ride pickle gives makes him stiff as he is so wide! but said rider has taken horses round the firle advanced course and is VERY good .

Sister has also taken him out and found him exactly the same as I do, one problem I thought of after wracking my brains is maybe his feed as suggested above may reduce it slightly and see if it makes any difference allthough to be fair he does do a fair bit of work
 
Agreed. TBH it sounds to me like he's "bolting" too regularly to be in sudden pain, especially if he's only doing it hacking. Really sounds like he's being naughty and nappy - he has found that it works so he keeps trying it.

I would put a flash on so the bit can't be pulled through his mouth, as K suggests, and maybe put him in something like a waterford (even waterford gag) so he can't set against it. When he tries to bugger off, turn him in a tight sharp circle so that he has to stop. It might be that you need to work him between the aids out hacking for a while - this way he can't take you by surprise and bugger off with you if he's on a loose rein. If he's working then he should be concentrating on you.

Do get all the obvious checked but it sounds too regular, and too coincidental, to be pure terror.
 
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i agree with all said above,

but i have one suggestion - why don't you try adding a curb chain to your existing bit (if you dont have one already)

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allready done
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have tried just about anything recently!
 
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I have a suggestion - how about letting your far more capable and talented sister take Pickle on a hack for you?
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What and I get left with your bucking slightly lame horse, not sure that is a fair swap beth!
 
Poor you! Its as scary as hell to be galloping and have no control. I dont know that there is a bit out there that can stop a horse that really puts its mind to pissing off with you, but assuming its not a true bolt (ie the horse is not in blind panic mode, all sense gone including self preservation - which doesnt sound like it is as he managed to stop at the gate), then try bridging with one hand (ie cross one rein over the withers down low so that the horse is pulling pulling against itself. Lift the other rein high and repeatedly yank back and up on this rein (not a steady pull otherwise you will just pull against him). I know this sounds very harsh, but it will have a lot more effect than just leaning back and pulling on both reins and at the end of the day it sounds like he has learnt that he can get away with this. Hope it helps!
 
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