Help with bolting/tanking off?

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frankieman

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I have a 6 year old cob, i've had him for just over a year, and been riding just a little more, and he's always been an angel! And being a young untrained cob his canter is very long, fastish and hard to get into and keep going! But none the less, lovely! Recently though, unless i canter him from F to the gate just after A, he completely tanks off, just runs and runs until he gets bored and randomly stop. And being a pretty novice rider i can't stop him, but he twists and turns, and i almost fall! He doesn't just do it with me, but i can't control him. I need some help, coz its really getting me down. I have no doubt he's just being rude! He just pulls his head down and runs! He's gotten into a few rude habits, like stopping still from a canter and putting his head down :s
I've ridden him a bit more recently is this it? Not much more though? :s
Please help. I'm having a huge crisis.
 
Get yourself a good instructor you need someone there physically helping you, someone who will get on and sort the problem and then tell you how to sort it. I guess you have had all the checks done? back, teeth etc.:D
 
I have an instructor, but she's gone away for a week, :s
and yeah, he's fit and healthy, has a fitting saddle, i guess he's just showing his age? But i dunno what to do :s
 
Why don't you try a nose net? Not the type to keep flies off but one that fully encloses his muzzle and is fastened to the bridle with small straps.
It's also not a grazing muzzle.
They may be very old fashioned but apparently (don't know as have never had to try one) it works pyschologically as the horse tends to pull back from it. Its much better than usiing a severe bit and causes no pain. I'm all for solving problems the humane way.
It's a old old horseman's way of stopping/controlling a bolter.
 
When mine used to nap I'd grab the right rein where the rubber and leather met to basically spin him. Try spinning him in a circle until he calls down.

Sounds like you would also benefit from working on your transitions to get him to listen. Try asking for 5 strides of each pace to get him more responsive.
 
Don't do any canter work at all until this prob is sorted, but plenty of trotting with rein changes , 20m circles and 10m circles, loads of transistions to help with balance and to get him listening to you , sounds like he's just running away with you cos he can...doing some 10m circles at trot i.e in the corners of the school are great as when you go back onto the outside track he should eventually lengthen his strides and start working more from behind , if he tanks off into canter, immediately shorten your reins and just pull hard on one rein so he has to turn in , dis-engaging his hindquaters will bring him back down to trot.
 
Instructor, work in small increments. I don't think a round pen is a very good idea for this problem.

Have you had back/tack/teeth checked by a professional?
 
mine once tried to tank off with me in canter. I made him canter until he wanted to stop and kept going until I decided we were going to trot - he soon stopped
trying to throw me about.
although if he puts the brakes on with no warning this is maybe not such a good idea..
what bit are you using?
 
Please what ever you do don't haul on one side of his mouth constantly! You could break his jaw. I've seen it done. When a racehorse goes off with it's head on the floor we stand bolt upright and pull up the way with both reins at the same time. This gives you leverage and is also very un-aerodynamic thus adding much more weight behind what you are trying to do. If this doesn't work then we pull really bloomin hard on one rein for 3-4seconds, drop that hand to the neck and do the same with the other hand.

You really need to go back to basics with him and do lots and lots of transition work. Bring him back to trot before he get's the idea tanking. Plenty of half halts to get him listening to you. Sometimes reverse psychology works well too - if he tanks let him get on with it and when he stops send him on again and don't let him stop until you say so, they soon get bored of being made to do muchmore work than they intended to.
 
Get a reputable instructor to teach you the correct way to do a one rein stop, once you've been taught, practice it in walk/trot until it's well established before moving up to canter.

Is he actually bolting or just tanking because there is a world of difference? I have a bolter at the moment, when he goes, it's blind panic, no regard whatsoever for his own safety let alone mine, totally dead to any aids BUT attempting a one rein stop does slow him enough for me to get myself back in the saddle from the warp factor that he gives off when he goes..................i wouldn't attempt a complete one rein stop cos he'd go over sideways at the speed he is going at to be honest but it gives an element of control to then scan an area for ever decreasing circles to then slow down and eventually stop.
 
I'm a great beloved in kicking on in this situation... But u have to be willing to go for it. Cobs are as a general rule lazy so if he wants to canter off make him keep cantering. If he tries to slow down kick on again and keep doing this until u decide to stop. He'll soon get the idea and also it'll make him realise that u are not afraid
 
blitznbobs said:
I'm a great beloved in kicking on in this situation... But u have to be willing to go for it. Cobs are as a general rule lazy so if he wants to canter off make him keep cantering. If he tries to slow down kick on again and keep doing this until u decide to stop. He'll soon get the idea and also it'll make him realise that u are not afraid
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I'm in this camp. My pony mare used to take off with me whilst hacking - so I pointed her at the nearest hill (which are all about 15% round here!) and kicked her on to the top! She did it 3 times and never even thought about it again :)
 
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