HELP ... My horse bolted twice!

[MrPudlow]

I am hoping someone out there can offer me some advice please. I recently bought a lovely 14.2, 3 weeks ago. He is 7 yrs old, Cob. I have ridden daily without trouble, however yesterday while hacking out to meet friends, he bolted with me without warning .... there was absolutely nothing I could do, and I fell into the road. In a nutshell, I had no idea what happened, nothing spooked him that I can think of, so I put it down to him having a "bad day". I was a bit sore, but yesterday evening, I decided that I would try again to go for a ride, so it didn't knock my confidence. I mounted him as usual in my garden, but he started to "jog" on the spot, took off with me, and I was flung off in my garden, infront of my children who were beside themselves. I am now nursing a very sore back and elbow, and my confidence in him is shattered. Why would he turn on me like this? Do you think he is in pain somewhere? I have spoken to the person who sold me him, and obviously "this has never happened when they had him" ..... I am borrowing the tack from the previous owner and have had no issues with it. Please help .... can I ask for my money back? Thanks

 

[YasandCrystal]

May ask was he vetted? Are you heavier than the previous owner or a less experienced rider? If so it could be that he has a sore back even through a poor fitting saddle and it could be the problem showed minimally with her. She may have used a thick pad under the saddle for example. Could the girth be pinching?
Can you check if this is indeed new behaviour via anyone at the horse's old yard?
Exactly how long have you had the horse for? I wouldn't be riding the horse again until you get to the bottom of the problem OP - you need to stay safe.

Sorry just saw you stated you have had the horse for 3 weeks. I would be asking ex owner to come out and help you.

 

[MrPudlow]

Hi Thanks for your reply. The horse came from the Ireland at the beginning of the year. He was bought to sell for a profit, but she enjoyed him very much, and was reluctant to sell in the end. I have no idea who the previous owners are, and he had a vet certificate when he went to the sales in November last year. The lady I bought him from is very slim, but I am in no way overweight. Regarding the tack and girth I use a sheepskin sleeve for the girth to prevent pinching, and the saddle is not too tight. I have noticed though, thinking about it, he is stetching backwards one hind leg often. He is ridden every day, so maybe he needs some downtime. Not sure whether to get the vet in yet.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

What did he do after you fell off in the road and after you fell off in the garden? Did he stop or did he run off into the sunset?

You mention mounting in the garden. Is he kept at home? If yes, what is the set up (eg turnout/stabling/company/feed)?

Is the tack that you are borrowing the same as what he was ridden in before?

Have you had a Vet check him over, to look for any pain that could cause this (teeth/back/other)?

 

[be positive]

The saddle may look ok but it is unlikely to have been correctly fitted to him, most people that buy to sell on do not spend money on new fitted saddles each time they buy a new horse so that would be the first thing to check, you need to get your own anyway. It could be that by riding every day combined with a slightly tight saddle has given him a sore back, you may even be able to find it if you run your fingers over his back but even if you cannot do not rule it out, they can be tight without obvious signs, a physio will find it though.

Never believe the "bought to sell but want to keep" people, that is always a good line and most will use it as a selling ploy, yes she may have got to really like him and enjoy riding him but will be happy enough once the money has changed hands ready to move on to the next one, not saying it is not genuine as I enjoy bringing on a youngster and finding a super home at the end, if they go on and do well my job has been done correctly and I am extremely pleased, I would not be so happy to get a call saying the new owner had fallen off twice as I would feel that maybe I had not done such a good job with the horse.

I always encourage buyers to get the horse vetted, it works both ways to cover myself as well as the buyer if something goes wrong early on, if you were discouraged from vetting then it may be worth getting him looked at sooner rather than later, there may have been a reason, a vetting done 6 months ago is worthless as a lot can happen in a few months.

 

[Shay]

If you bought from a dealer they may be prepared to allow you to return the horse. But if it was from a private seller it is much more difficult. You do need to rule out pain - ditto with be positive - the saddle that comes with the horse almost never actually fits. Certainly never in my experience. Get back, teeth, tack checked.

Also - are you keeping him alone at home? Horses are herd animals and he may feel unsettled if not downright afraid on his own. Equally if you have a companion for him might he be reluctant to leave the companion?

And one final thought - if you've ridden him every day for 3 weeks I should think he is a bit P'd off with you right now! He should have at least one clear day per week to rest -many have more than that. Plus of course such intensive riding would have exacerbated any soreness from tack.

 

[YasandCrystal]

I would get a body worker to see him, something like McTimoney. They would detect any soreness. The hind leg stretching sounds like he may be trying to release something and then like others said get a saddler out before you ride again. You will need your vets permission for a McTimoney therapist. Good luck OP.

 

[_GG_]

If you bought from a dealer they may be prepared to allow you to return the horse. But if it was from a private seller it is much more difficult. You do need to rule out pain - ditto with be positive - the saddle that comes with the horse almost never actually fits. Certainly never in my experience. Get back, teeth, tack checked.

Also - are you keeping him alone at home? Horses are herd animals and he may feel unsettled if not downright afraid on his own. Equally if you have a companion for him might he be reluctant to leave the companion?

And one final thought - if you've ridden him every day for 3 weeks I should think he is a bit P'd off with you right now! He should have at least one clear day per week to rest -many have more than that. Plus of course such intensive riding would have exacerbated any soreness from tack.

I would get a body worker to see him, something like McTimoney. They would detect any soreness. The hind leg stretching sounds like he may be trying to release something and then like others said get a saddler out before you ride again. You will need your vets permission for a McTimoney therapist. Good luck OP.

These are fab posts. All of them are actually.

OP...If he's come from Ireland and through a seller that sounds like they have a few horses...to a home where he is alone or just has one for company could be making him very unsettled. It does however sound more like a pain thing though. I would first call the vet out, then get a physio in and get a proper saddle fitted. Make sure the vet checks his teeth and get an EDT if needed (probably will be).
It's important to know if he kept galloping after you fell off. A horse that is bolting will keep going and will not stop for anything, even a brick wall. A horse that runs, dumps you and then calms down is not a bolter, but a horse that's either in pain or one that has learned how to dump a rider that way. You've had 3 weeks of normal riding, so I would say it is pain related.

Vet, Physio, dentist, basically a full work up and take it from there. Good luck xx

 

[hayinamanger]

OP I'm sorry this has happened to you and I agree with all the above posters, you definitely need to either identify or rule out pain before moving on to the next step.

Is he kept alone or with other horses? Has he attached himself to a horse or pony? Separation anxiety is a common problem with new horses and can make them behave as you describe.

 

[MrPudlow]

Thanks for your replies. He is kept at home, with Sheep for company and seems to be happy. Other riders pass by and he winnys to them, but then carries on eating. When he bolted on the road yesterday, it was familiar territory to him, he came from a yard a very short drive from where I live, so he headed there. Up until yesterday he never gave me cause for any concern. He seems happy and content, so I do think it is pain related. My niece is coming later to check his saddle and check his back. She is a very experienced. If she cant find something obvious, I will call out a vet for a thorough examination. He had his teeth done in February.

 

[chestnut cob]

To me he sounds like a horse who is rather unsettled and a bit stressed. It isn't natural for horses to live without equine company. Also, if you are new to horses then it is perfectly possible he doesn't feel safe with you because maybe you are nervous.

I think you need to get your saddle checked, he needs to see a physio too, and TBH I really think he needs some equine company. I hate seeing horses on their own, they always look very sad to me.

Do you have regular lessons?

 

[Emma_H]

Sorry to hear you’ve had a bad time.

I agree you need to get the checks done.

I’m worried for you because as you say you have lost confidence and I'm concerned that when you get back on board he will sense your nerves and this might make him react in the same way.

After the checks do you have someone who can ride him for you? a professional or his old owner before you do?

The one thing that concerns me is that you posted in new riders and owners so may not have the experience to give him confidence at the same time as getting yours back to full strength. I’ve been where you are with the lack of confidence, it comes back with the right horse and riding that right horse a lot so don’t worry.

 

[FestiveFuzz]

Echo what the others have said so far re: getting a physio/vet out to check for pain and then a saddler to check his tack. Whilst I'm sure your niece is very experienced you really should get a professional out to check him.

I'd also look to either get him a companion or move him to a livery yard for him to have company as him being alone with just sheep for company is likely to be making him feel even more unsettled.

It's still not clear from what you've said whether he properly bolted with you i.e. dumped you and continued running off into the sunset with no regard for himself and others or just managed to get you off either out of naughtiness or pain. How experienced are you? Have you owned many horses before him? Are you having lessons on him?

Also 3 weeks of solid work without a day off is a lot of work for any horse (and you don't mention his workload prior to you buying him). I have a 7yo irish cob and he gets 2 days off a week and then generally 2 days schooling, 2 days hacking and 1 day where I lunge him (though I mix this up a bit depending on mood/time and how he seems).

Good luck, I hope you get things sorted with your boy x

 

[HaffiesRock]

It does sound ot me like he is lacking in equine company. My pony used to be a complete nightmare. He was on a livery yard but in his own field. He could see others but not touch them. I took a new pony on loan as a companion and the change in my boy is amazing.

Can I suggest after all the checks have been done, you take your horse down to the yard he came from, and have a lesson there? See how he reacts on familiar territory?

 

[thewonderhorse]

Thanks for your replies. He is kept at home, with Sheep for company and seems to be happy. Other riders pass by and he winnys to them, but then carries on eating. When he bolted on the road yesterday, it was familiar territory to him, he came from a yard a very short drive from where I live, so he headed there. Up until yesterday he never gave me cause for any concern. He seems happy and content, so I do think it is pain related. My niece is coming later to check his saddle and check his back. She is a very experienced. If she cant find something obvious, I will call out a vet for a thorough examination. He had his teeth done in February.

Is your sister a physio? That's great!

For me, horses need the company of other horses, not just any other animal.

 

[MrPudlow]

Just a few answers to some questions. 1. When he bolted he didnt buck to get me off, he bolted down a steep main road and I just couldnt stay on, he swerved right, I landed left. I ride out with friends every day, he doesnt nap when we part company and is entirely happy, however I had a professional rider come to try him today, just incase it is me .... and no, he was lunged, tack was checked (fine) back was checked (fine) ... and when ridden, he just bolted ..... even she couldnt stop him. She told me not to ride him, and to contact the person I bought him from for a full refund. She said this is something he just hasnt learnt to do, and it was more than likely why he ended up at the horse sales because of this.

 

[FestiveFuzz]

Just a few answers to some questions. 1. When he bolted he didnt buck to get me off, he bolted down a steep main road and I just couldnt stay on, he swerved right, I landed left. I ride out with friends every day, he doesnt nap when we part company and is entirely happy, however I had a professional rider come to try him today, just incase it is me .... and no, he was lunged, tack was checked (fine) back was checked (fine) ... and when ridden, he just bolted ..... even she couldnt stop him. She told me not to ride him, and to contact the person I bought him from for a full refund. She said this is something he just hasnt learnt to do, and it was more than likely why he ended up at the horse sales because of this.

Whilst I'm not doubting the professionals skills as a rider I really would get a vet/physio to assess whether your horse is in pain as they are the only ones really qualifies to rule out pain.

I suspect this will fall on deaf ears though and wish you the best of luck in trying to get a refund.

 

[skint1]

tbh, the horse would probably be better off if it were returned to the dealer, doesn't sound like ideal facilities for the well-being of a horse. Although I do agree with GG2B, would be worth ruling out a pain issue, but perhaps not in this case

 

[thewonderhorse]

Just a few answers to some questions. 1. When he bolted he didnt buck to get me off, he bolted down a steep main road and I just couldnt stay on, he swerved right, I landed left. I ride out with friends every day, he doesnt nap when we part company and is entirely happy, however I had a professional rider come to try him today, just incase it is me .... and no, he was lunged, tack was checked (fine) back was checked (fine) ... and when ridden, he just bolted ..... even she couldnt stop him. She told me not to ride him, and to contact the person I bought him from for a full refund. She said this is something he just hasnt learnt to do, and it was more than likely why he ended up at the horse sales because of this.

A professional rider wont be qualified to say his back is fine. You need a qualified physio for this. I would also be tempted to get the vet out to have a check over as well as this does sound either pain related or nerves rather than the horse being nasty.

 

[_GG_]

A professional rider can't diagnose back problems or fit a saddle. There's a reason it takes years to qualify to do either. Have an educated guess, yes...but say for sure that it's all fine, definitely not.
Start with vet...your horse needs to be checked over fully.

But, if you are going to send back there's not much point.

I will say though that yes, some horses can live alone/with sheep, but it should be a last option. They are not dogs, sharing our house. For the 20-22 hours a day that we are not with them, they are alone. Sheep are company but are not horses so not the same. If you must get another horse to keep alone, don't get one from a riding school or big yard or herd. Get one that already lives alone or you face going through the same thing.

It doesn't matter what is right for us...only what is right for the horse. Have you considered getting a pair of shetlands/unridden mini's as companions?

 

[ester]

I'm not sure I would start going down the vet route with a horse I'd only had for 3 weeks that had been through the sales... it could get very expensive, I would be trying to send it back.

 

[abracadabra]

I'm not sure I would start going down the vet route with a horse I'd only had for 3 weeks that had been through the sales... it could get very expensive, I would be trying to send it back.

I agree.

 

[cptrayes]

I suspect this will fall on deaf ears though and wish you the best of luck in trying to get a refund.

I think that this is a bit harsh and it is something I have been regularly accused of on this forum (not necessarily by you). Just because someone reads advice offered on the internet and chooses not to act on it does not mean it fell on deaf ears and they did not consider it.

In this case, the OP will, in my opinion, be completely wasting any further money investigating this horse, which she has only owned for three weeks, after having had the advice she has had from an experienced professional who has actually sat on the horse.

 

[chestnut cob]

In this case, the OP will, in my opinion, be completely wasting any further money investigating this horse, which she has only owned for three weeks, after having had the advice she has had from an experienced professional who has actually sat on the horse.

I agree with this. The horse clearly is unhappy in the situation and doesn't appear to be suitable for the OP, who is now (understandably) scared of it. I would send the horse back to the dealer, maybe look to part exchange for something more suitable or get money back. In the meantime, I would also suggest the OP finds a more suitable place to keep their next horse because a single horse alone in the garden/ at home isn't fair.

 

[_GG_]

I'm not sure I would start going down the vet route with a horse I'd only had for 3 weeks that had been through the sales... it could get very expensive, I would be trying to send it back.

It's worth it. My post was making the point that I would get a vet first, not listen to a pro rider and think everything was fine. I wouldn't hesitate to send this horse back and I probably wouldn't buy from that seller again.

It doesn't exactly sound like the seller matched the horse to the home it was going to very well

 

[FestiveFuzz]

I think that this is a bit harsh and it is something I have been regularly accused of on this forum (not necessarily by you). Just because someone reads advice offered on the internet and chooses not to act on it does not mean it fell on deaf ears and they did not consider it.

In this case, the OP will, in my opinion, be completely wasting any further money investigating this horse, which she has only owned for three weeks, after having had the advice she has had from an experienced professional who has actually sat on the horse.

Apologies if I came across as harsh, that was certainly not the intention. My comment was more out of frustration that the OP has had numerous people (myself included) suggest that the horse is in pain and could benefit from having a vet or physio out to assess the situation and would rather rely on her niece who whilst I have no doubt is experienced isn't really qualified to say whether the horse is in pain or not.

But I guess it boils down to how much OP likes the horse. I'm assuming he can't have been that bad else they would never have purchased him in the first place. I think all too often people are quick to go down the "not as described" route when it could be something as simple as being sore from too much work/ill-fitting tack and feeling unsettled as he's in a new home and being kept alone in which case even if the OP can send him back for an exchange/refund they may find they quickly end up in a similar situation with the next horse.

 

[HaffiesRock]

Apologies if I came across as harsh, that was certainly not the intention. My comment was more out of frustration that the OP has had numerous people (myself included) suggest that the horse is in pain and could benefit from having a vet or physio out to assess the situation and would rather rely on her niece who whilst I have no doubt is experienced isn't really qualified to say whether the horse is in pain or not.

But I guess it boils down to how much OP likes the horse. I'm assuming he can't have been that bad else they would never have purchased him in the first place. I think all too often people are quick to go down the "not as described" route when it could be something as simple as being sore from too much work/ill-fitting tack and feeling unsettled as he's in a new home and being kept alone in which case even if the OP can send him back for an exchange/refund they may find they quickly end up in a similar situation with the next horse.

I completely agree with this. Rarely have I come across (myself included) the perfect horse in the first few weeks of ownership. They take time to settle and adjust to their new surroundings. It took my Haflinger almost 8 months to settle with me and his new yard.

 

[Goldenstar]

I'm not sure I would start going down the vet route with a horse I'd only had for 3 weeks that had been through the sales... it could get very expensive, I would be trying to send it back.

Me too , a novice rider with kids and a horse that's bolts I would get it back to the dealer pdq .
If OP wants to keep ,the vet is the next step .

 

[Zero00000]

Just a thought, if you have ridden the horse everyday since you got him, for 3 weeks, he is probably changing shape, you say you may be slightly heavier than previous rider (not exact words but reading through the lines) so my guess would be his saddle is causing him discomfort,

I would, let him have a week off, find a little companion to be kept in with him and give him that equine companionship he needs, get a saddler out to fit a saddle to him, and have his back checked by a professional, not just anyone.

 

[ester]

I completely agree with this. Rarely have I come across (myself included) the perfect horse in the first few weeks of ownership. They take time to settle and adjust to their new surroundings. It took my Haflinger almost 8 months to settle with me and his new yard.

It took Frank a good year but he never bolted! That isn't just being a bit iffy/unsettled that is very dangerous behaviour and I wouldn't want to own a pony that I knew had it in them. I also think it is a pretty extreme reaction to pain if there is some, ie most horses (and definitely 14.2 cobs) with a poorly fitting saddle would probably just carry on, maybe go a little bit backward or make a face- but not be bolting. So either the pain is extreme (so there is a big issue) or the horse is not terribly generous in attitude. The only thing that confuses is that it has been ok for the last 3 weeks and if buted on sale etc you would have expected something to show up earlier. OP what does the seller say? Have you contacted them?