Help, how do you deal with a horse taking off :(

Perfect_Pirouette

Perfect_Pirouette

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....Decides to take off with you?!

I have been riding this dressage mare for a couple of weeks now and after reservations to start with as she is only 6 and has VERY big movements that I wasn't sure whether I would be able to sit to etc, however I have been having a brilliant time with her and am really enjoying myself- not to mention gaining valuable experience with an amazing horse- a type of horse that I would NEVER be able to afford to buy- ever probably :(

Anyway, all was going well until the last time I rode her which was Saturday. She was on her toes a bit and came off the lorry like a bat out of hell, was snorting, really fresh etc and I thought 'uh oh' anyway, got on her and she was fine- brilliant in fact. I got some really nice work out of her and then I asked her for some shoulder in down the long side and I *think* it may have been my fault as I may have put my outside leg back and I think she may have thought I was asking for canter as she kind of got her knickers in a twist and her legs in a tangle and did some leaping about on the spot and then put in a buck, but to be honest it didnt really bother me.

Then I let her walk around for a bit on a long rein as it was hot and she was hot and had worked hard. Asked her to go back up into trot again a few mintutes later and she had totally changed- she was so strong I couldn't hold her and the faster she went the more tense I got and that made it even worse, I tried sitting back and half halting but it didn't work. I brought her down to walk and then, again asked her to go back up into trot and she shot off at such a fast trot, getting faster and faster and the more tense I got the more I think my leg clamped and it's an indoor school and the corners are quite tight and I was worried we were going to crash into the boards. Blah I don't know, I don't know what happened but she kept doing it and by the end I was getting really worked up and we'd been there ages so the owner said we had to go anyway. Her owner said she was just taking the piss because she was hot and tired and SHE'D decided (the mare) that she'd had enough and was testing me.

I don't know, I just couldn't relax whilst it was happening, she was really strong and the bloody bit had no breaks and as I said the faster she went the more tense I got and then my lower leg clamped and that made her worse.

I really dont want to give up on her because she is gorgeous and up until the other night didnt put a foot wrong! I'm riding her again tomorrow night and am just wondering if anyone has any tips/advice on what to do/ways to slow her down if this happens again. The trouble with me is, I know all the 'relax, slow your rising, think slow, circle etc etc' stuff but it's fine someone bloody saying that (which is what owner was saying when it was happening) it's different when you're the one up there with virtually no control, getting out of control.

No nasty comments please, i'm only looking for some constructive advice if anyone has any. I know getting tense is the worse thing you can do and so I want to try and overcome it. I wouldn't give a c r a p if it was G taking off with me, I really wouldn't, i'm so confident on him, but I don't know this horse very well and she's a lot bigger, it's different being able to keep a 15hh together compared to a 16.3!
 
She's taking the mick like the owner said. You just have to show her that you know what she's up to!

When my boy would tank off with me I was told to keep him going at his chosen speed and not let him drop a gear until he had relaxed. I would normally do this in a circle in trot.

I do agree though - it is scary!

My friend also lunged him whilst I was on top to build my confidence.

When I hack him I find that I tense without realising i.e. I'll gather my reins at a section where he played up the time before. Once I realised this I wouldn't change the length of my reins the whole hack and his confidence has grown!
 
First, teeth, back, saddle etc? Just to be on the safe side, this sort of thing is often caused by it! If everything checks out, just get in and walk around on a long rein. No biggy, just chill out and don't put pressure on her to go and do stuff. Just start out very basic, walk circles, serpentines, keep her intersted but chilled out. Make plenty of halt transitions, to make sure she's listening. After a lot of walking, ask for trot. If she shoots off, straight back to walk. No slowing the rise or pulling back, circling straight away and walk. Only try this again once she's completely chilled out, and ask very softly, just squeeze and calming talk to her, if she trots properly, praise her, and after several strides let her walk and praise again. Don't push it though, just because she's trotted doesn't mean she could go off cantering, just limit it to walk and trot. Maybe also lunge her? It can be useful to see how they move and see the problem, and she might find it easier to sort herself out without someone on her back. Also maybe you could take a slow, very calm hack? It can do wonders, schooling often can do their heads in! You could also walk and trot her in hand so she gets used to calming doing transitions. Just try and keep things chilled and simple, don't try to shoot off or go too fast too soon, think baby steps. Hope this helps! :) xx
 
i always use just one rein if a horse is getting too strong. if you pull on both reins the horse can easily pull against this and do their own thing.

think half halt but with a twist :-) hold one rein normally and then use the other one to halt but instead of just pulling back lift your hand up and back at the same time - hope this makes sense. has worked a treat on horses ive ridden ;)
 
Taking off in a school wouldn't bother me at all but if it was out hacking then it would.

Now if it was out of naughtiness I would make her go, that way she doesn't get away with taking off, if she was scared I would talk to her, turning her into a circular etc.

Could she be in pain? her saddle pinching in this hot weather? maybe she did have enough.
 
Kick her on, push her forwards and make her work, when she softens and comes back then continue to work until YOU say stop. Get her on to a circle, think about bending her, roll your shoulders back, keep changing direction :)
 
mole said:
i always use just one rein if a horse is getting too strong. if you pull on both reins the horse can easily pull against this and do their own thing.

think half halt but with a twist :-) hold one rein normally and then use the other one to halt but instead of just pulling back lift your hand up and back at the same time - hope this makes sense. has worked a treat on horses ive ridden ;)
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When I used to ride out the men's hunters I was told to do something similar with the addition of putting the hand I wasn't using on the horse's neck to give me more stability.

With my own horse, who likes to go off in his big show trot, I always start him off working in a very small trot. I find it helpful to say the rhythm out loud to myself.

If she has worked well for you previously I would tend to think that there is probably nothing wrong with her teeth, saddle, etc and she was just trying it on.
 
I used to ride a cob who would suddenly turn and take off in open spaces - usually just in a fast trot. The only thing I found that worked was just pulling very hard on one rein to turn him in a circle - and keep turning until he slowed down. Sometimes it took quite a few circles (enough to go dizzy) and I also used my leg to make him keep turning - as if he got straight he would just sod off again!

Its very scarey I agree - and as advised, get all the checks done to see if there is any reason why she is doing this.
 
Agree with vs getting teeth, back checked etc. I used to ride a pony that would just take off, but she was very cleaver and got bored quickly. She would test anyone who rode her until she got to know them and what she could or couldn't get away with. I found by not concentrating on one thing for too long helped, and doing lots of transitions, changing the rein circles etc so she never knew what she was going to be asked if that makes sense. If you take too much of a hold on the reins she would just take off also, so lots of giving and taking and keeping hands light and not hanging on to her mouth, as horses are a lot stronger than us so we have to be more clever!
 
Thanks for all the advice, I am riding her after work so will let you know how I get on. I just need to keep relaxed etc as I feel a bit nervous already because of how she behaved last week- not only that she hasn't been ridden in nearly a week and she is the sort to get fresh etc if she has a few days break.

I REALLY want it to go well tonight and if she does do anything for me to take charge and actually DEAL with it as opposed to just panicking and getting nervous!
 
They can be little sods when they feel like it for no apparent reason, just treat tonight as another night and try to put her behaviour behind you, be on your guard though lol. I rode a really wide cob at a riding school that would tank off with me when she was bored, she was in a pelham and she was so strong I had to circle her tightly, put in figure of 8's, trotting poles etc constantly changing the rein and keeping her guessing as to what was coming up next. My instructor at the time put me on her on purpose so I could learn to pull her up.

I was asking my current instructor about what to do fairly recenty as I was bolted with last year so it's something that I'm pretty scared of and I freak out when my horse picks up speed without me asking him to (forunately not very often) his advise to me was count the paces and the instant that you feel them quicken pull the horse up on it and do circles, serpentines, change the rein etc as others have suggested. Or if they can't go anywhere just sit with them and they'll get tired eventually lol.

I hope she behaves herself tonight, maybe lunge her first so she's working well before you get on, it might make you feel better taking the edge off her first, some of them need it sometimes.
 
SummerxStarsx said:
Thanks for all the advice, I am riding her after work so will let you know how I get on. I just need to keep relaxed QUOTE]

Just remember that whilst your sat there nervous..Your not riding her! I know that sounds funny as of course your riding her but if you have time to think how nervous you are, you become a passanger and am not riding her fully - which then leaves open doors for her to walk through.

Also, like others have said make her work even harder if she gets faster.. Or if you feel the moment she goes to tank off into a mad trot, instant turn. Do this literally all the time, so she cannot get a hold of you and push forwards, the moment you feel her go turn, turn and turn again!

Best of luck.x
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Is it possible she got her tongue over the bit and panicked a bit?

Otherwise, as others have said, start doing circles, changes of rein, serpentines, etc. anuthing to keep her mind active.
 
Just an update for everyone who took the time to reply and give me some advice as I really am grateful.

Well, rode her and she was an absolute star she really was. She had two moments the whole hour where she started to get a bit strong and the instant I felt it happen, instead of tensing and sitting there like a numpty I thought 'b u g g e r this' and got hold of her, collected her and kicked her on and it's so weird because it really was like I felt her go 'oh, ok then maybe I won't bother' LOL.

I have dressage on Sunday with G so I practiced my test on her and she was brilliant bless her.

So now her owner is booking me in for a lesson on saturday with her dressage trainer who actually had the horse over at her yard for the past 6 months, up until the end of Feb. I'm a bit nervous about that as I hope she knows I haven't been riding this mare for very long, but the owner said she's told her all about me and has asked her just to give me a nice gentle lesson at my pace, so i'm really looking forward to it :D

I just WISH I had gotten some photos of her as she really is the most beautiful horse I have ever seen! I'm not exaggerating, she is just magnificant! My mum came to watch as well tonight and brought her camera but forgot to get any pics as she was too busy yacking. Although saying that not sure what she'd be like with the flash, hmmm. But i'll try and get some really soon :)
 
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