Horse bolted with me today

russianhorse

russianhorse

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Evening y'all :)

Today I decided to take my lad for a hack across the farm and then a bit of roadwork back home. He is 23, and since moving to where we are, has become pretty nervy hacking out. The reason being that for the 19 years I have owned him, I mostly hacked out with somebody else. Not a conscious decision, just that there was always a livery available who wanted to ride when I did. On one occasion when I rode him by myself, a BMW thought it would be funny to whizz up behind us and squeeze past us. This, I think made us both a bit nervous on the roads :mad:

Anyway, as I have no one to hack out with, Ive been trying to get him used to hacking out alone - we've been doing okay .... cars we're okay with, tractors I pull over for to let them pass, motorbikes he panics a little but all these things are nothing I cant handle.

However today, an artic lorry came speeding out of nowhere so Dizzy started to panic and walk on his toes, then the blinking lorry whacks on his air brakes. As soon as Dissy heard the "tisssssssssss", that was it - he bolted flat out on the main road. Luckily no one was coming the opposite way :eek: I managed to get him back under control (pretty quickly, although it felt like forever), pulled over to let the lorry past and then made Dizzy go back on the road to finish our hack. We did actually finish on a positive note

This is the first time ever since owning him that he has bolted with me :mad: Surprisingly I was very very calm, and the most I worried about was what damage he may be doing to his hooves :rolleyes: Its now Im thinking about the what ifs :eek:

So, what do I do now? Do I continue hacking him like I have been or will this be a future issue with him??

Any advice would be great - thank you :o
 
No advice for you I'm afraid. Just wanted to say that the lorry driver has no control over when the air releases so there was nothing he could have done about the hiss. At least he slowed down...
 
ah right, I assumed he slowed down with that noise - I didnt think he had, infact he was making a move to squeeze past us, but assumed that noise was from the air locks on the brakes........

He certainly wasnt being considerate in the first instant, belting up behind us :)
 
mine is scared of traffic full stop, unless i can get him covered in by another horse, and as this is not possible i end up riding in a field all the time, because he has tanked off with me before when a car came around a corner behind us and it wasnt nice, so i just avoid the situation now, not worth it.
 
ah, okay.....I thought galloping off with me whilst I had absolutely no control of him was bolting. It was only because I was talking calmly to him I managed to get him to listen and regain control. Have to say, that makes me feel a little better then, as I have never ridden a true bolter, and this was his first time - normally he just runs a few steps when scared :)

Do you think this incident has killed his confidence that we have been building, or is it just one of those things and we just continue as we have been doing??
 
I think you have to continue what you or doing, or be confined to the fields forever. My young gelding was scared by some bus brakes soon after he was backed, and then was petrified of anything bigger than a tesco van, but I have persevered and he is now able to walk calmly whilst tractors, buses, arctic lorries etc pass....he isn't what I would call traffic proof, but we no longer need to jump into the nearest ditch or canter sideways on the spot!!! He's only 5, so he's doing well!!
 
I would persevere- try not to let yourself be nervous tho if lorry comes. Do you have anyone who can walk with you first few times.
My lad freaked when lorry did similar i managed luckily put him in hedge instead of running, he was ok although on edge few times after that but now settled.
Yes a true bolt nothin stops it unless horse runs into something or tires they will kill themselves at this point, he just ran off with you which is a natural reaction but good you calmed him and carried on. I would stick with your normal plan.
 
Have to say having "desensitised" many horses with traffic problems 99% of the issue is rider nerves/anticipation of the naughty behaviour.
It's tricky but you have to stay relaxed, I don't find that stopping them helps, just gives them and you longer to worry about it.
Echo the above sounds like he legged it rather than bolt as you did manage to stop-doesn't make it any nicer I know!

Get company and your confidence back then go out alone, good luck
 
Difficult one this because you have your own safety to consider.

TBH bearing in mind the age of your horse, I frankly wonder if its a case of teaching an old dog new tricks as far as traffic-proofing is concerned.

If he's always hacked out with others throughout his life, and he's an old boy now, there's a whole lot of confidence issues to overcome. Not that its impossible, because I think whatever you can do to build up his confidence will be good, BUT at the end of the day you're on a public road and if he tanks off again something really awful could happen.

The best thing, if you could do it, would be to get a nice sensible horse to hack out with you for a bit - let the other horse go ahead or on the outside of anything scarey, and then see how he is if you go ahead and the other horse hang back, and then if you can increase this distance so he's out in front facing things on his own.

But if you can't hack out with someone else, at all, I'd be inclined to lead him out in hand for a while and build up his confidence that way for a bit.

My trainer teaches young horses (and others lacking confidence) by encouraging typical herd behaviour, i.e. "chasing" the invaders (traffic) by trotting after cars/lorries as if to chase them away. She swears by this method as it turns the whole thing around and the horse then thinks that its just doing what the herd does by chasing invaders away just like they would in the field.
 
russianhorse said:
ah, okay.....I thought galloping off with me whilst I had absolutely no control of him was bolting. It was only because I was talking calmly to him I managed to get him to listen and regain control.QUOTE]

My horse bolted with me years ago....2007 it was, and I wrote about it on here and was also told that "it wasnt a bolt as you managed to steer him into a yard".

It was, I dont care whatever anyone says, a horse that takes off with you and you cannot stop instantly, that pays no care to where he is, mine was on a road and nearly went into a ditch, is a bolt.

He has only done this once since and again,I managed to stop him but it was terrifying and I talked about selling him. I have him as a bombproof ride, traffic, animals, you name it, bolting is not something I will accept.

However, I have had him nearly 6 years and it really is nothing for me to worry about but it took nerves of steel for me to take him back to both places a day or two after and encourage him and for me to stop sweating. This is all I can advise you do, I do not know you or your horse but try try try to put a block on what happened and ride again as if nothing happened, deep breaths and sing if you have to.

If I feel remotely like my boy is going to go, and he tells me by stopping, staring and trying to turn, I squeeze the life out of him with my legs encouraging him, talk to him and try not to let him turn. If he did, I would pull that rein so close in on one side he would have to turn straight back round and start again or lose his mouth!

I did give in the 2nd time he did it (5 year gap between incidents) and put him in a pelham for the next ride, didnt put a hoof wrong, then straight back into a snaffle thereafter and never used the pelham since but its ready to go if I need it! Is that an idea for you just to give you some feeling of a little more control?

I am now ready to be ranted at and corrected about what a bolt is or isnt but just hope I have helped somehow to reassure you.
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Personally I think there's a huge difference between a tank and a bolt. I'd say yours tanked. And as such I think you did the best thing carrying on after and I wouldn't stop taking him out. I would however take him in a controlled situation and let some random noises similar to air brakes and not go off around him. I'd say it's a tank as you could gain control of the situation again and had calm after

A horse that bolts is not fit to be ridden. A true bolt a horse would put themselves under a lorry, through a wall, through a tree with no regards to its own safety and you have no control til it drops. There is a poster on here who has had a true bolt (I believe LaurenBay but could be wrong) and once you read her experience you'll see the difference.

I've been on horses that have tanked and I've had no control, but it's workable they're choosing to ignore you. A better rider than me could have controlled it.
Bolting, the horse has gone and the best rider in the world couldn't convince the horse otherwise.
 
Yes I have been in 2 actual bolt situations. One the horse ended up dead. That's because they run into things. I was very lucky. I bailed on the second one has he was heading for a chain link fence. On the other side was a parking lot. So if he slammed into that I would have landed in parking lot. He did slam into the fence. He was fine, although useless. These incidents happened at a racetrack.

So forgive me if I hear stories of being tanked with if I don't agree with bolt. I've had lots of tanking off and you can tell in an instant the difference. No doubt being tanked off would be scary when you don't know what that is, but a true bolt is horrific. If a horse trys to tank with me I'm like, off you go then. For me it's very simple to get them under control again.

Terri
 
I think you and your boy are doing well and you should find MUCH POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT in your own words in your thread to boost your confidence.

First, he has not hacked out alone before but since moving to your current home, you now both regularly hack out alone and despite the BMW incident, you have continued to hack out alone together. In doing so, you are both building up your confidence in each other. That is GOOD.

Nothing bad happened in the BMW incident. You coped well at the time. that is GOOD.

You're ok with cars. That's GOOD.

You pull over for tractors. That is GOOD and sensible too.

You handle him around motorbikes. That is GOOD. You feel CONFIDENT handling him around motorbikes.

Today the approaching artic put him onto his toes, the airbrake noise scared him and he tanked (yes tanked, not bolted) and you VERY QUICKLY pulled him up, pulled over to the side, let the lorry pass and then continued your hack. That is HUGE SUCCESS. You are WINNING. You are doing GOOD. You turned a bad situation into a GOOD situation - horse under control and standing out of the way safely so the lorry could pass.

You even sy "We did actually finish on a positive note". YES YOU DEFINITELY DID!!! MAKE MUCH OF YOURSELF AND YOUR HORSE.

What-ifs are normal as we get older, and also if we've got any wishywashy undermining feelings of eeebeejeebees underneath our sub-conscious too. Recognise that the brain always dwells on negatives (because that's how humans learn to survive, by avoiding danger) and rarely dwells but instead passes over on positives/successes. Negative reinforcement affects us much more than positive.

You need to be kind and positive and reassuring to yourself because you are coping well, have good strategies in place and are obviously skilled enough to cope with mishaps, planning and preparing your rides and knowing in advance how you will deal with particular situations.

So what should you do now? I would carry on as you are. I would probably make a beeline for a local plant hire or farm yard (with permission) and feed him polos and walk/trot him around/past while they do their work. (ie desensitise him, make him realise that heavy traffic goes past him and is nothng to be unduly worried about).

WELL DONE YOU!!
 
Even my 100% bomb proof horse would have objected to air brakes.

Luckily he didn't bolt, just p&$$ off a bit by the sounds of it.

Don't let it put you off, just carry on as you mean to continue.
 
Equilibrium Ireland said:
Yes I have been in 2 actual bolt situations. One the horse ended up dead. That's because they run into things. I was very lucky. I bailed on the second one has he was heading for a chain link fence. On the other side was a parking lot. So if he slammed into that I would have landed in parking lot. He did slam into the fence. He was fine, although useless. These incidents happened at a racetrack.

So forgive me if I hear stories of being tanked with if I don't agree with bolt. I've had lots of tanking off and you can tell in an instant the difference. No doubt being tanked off would be scary when you don't know what that is, but a true bolt is horrific. If a horse trys to tank with me I'm like, off you go then. For me it's very simple to get them under control again.

Terri
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its like a lot of words today though terri, they tend to get used to describe something similar but not the same as what they were originally used to mean. i dont think you can blame the OP for this though, its an easy mistake and often its a learned one from hearing other people use the word in the wrong context.

However, completely agree with you being bolted with and 'tanked' are very different things. i have never sat on a genuine bolter (so far in my 30 + equestrian 'career'!!) and for that i am eternally grateful as i can imagine how utterly terrifying it must be sitting on an animal that has no thought for its own self preservation.
 
I've been bolted with it was bloody terrifying the horse just went and there was nothing I could do, I eventually bailed out when we hit grass and he stopped eventually because he ran into a 6ft bank. I didn't get back on a horse for months afterwards.

Just stay calm next time you take him out maybe take him with someone on a quiet horse to help get both your confidence back before you go out on your own again.
 
I had an ex racehorse bolt once, reading all these posts, definitely a bolt.....took me alongside a road beside the a23 and he kept going and going, straight over a busy roundabout, and kept on....cars were pulling over.

In the end I had to bail out before hitting a cattle grid. He stopped!!!! I was in the ditch and he stopped! I didnt get back on, walked him back to the yard.
 
PandorasJar said:
Personally I think there's a huge difference between a tank and a bolt. I'd say yours tanked. And as such I think you did the best thing carrying on after and I wouldn't stop taking him out. I would however take him in a controlled situation and let some random noises similar to air brakes and not go off around him. I'd say it's a tank as you could gain control of the situation again and had calm after

A horse that bolts is not fit to be ridden. A true bolt a horse would put themselves under a lorry, through a wall, through a tree with no regards to its own safety and you have no control til it drops. There is a poster on here who has had a true bolt (I believe LaurenBay but could be wrong) and once you read her experience you'll see the difference.

I've been on horses that have tanked and I've had no control, but it's workable they're choosing to ignore you. A better rider than me could have controlled it.
Bolting, the horse has gone and the best rider in the world couldn't convince the horse otherwise.
Click to expand...

Yes it was me you was thinking of. The Horse bolted down a road, fell over into a wall got back up and then continued to bolt again. No steering and 100% no control. Was one of the worst experiences of my life. Ruined my confidence and has taken years to get back (still not fully back) the Horse has since been put down after botling with another rider and breaking his owners back.

OP sounds scary, but it was tanking rather then bolting. I hope it hasn't dented your confidence to much.
 
I too would hack him out with others but with him in front, & the other horse can move in to block him if he tries tanking somewhere it would be dangerous.
And not aimed at you op, but to clarify there is a mega difference between tanking & bolting. The former has happened plenty of times, & doesn't bother me at all. The one time I was bolted with was one of the scariest experiences in my life, & the only time I have ever been frightened by a horse. Luckily for me it fell going across some ice. I rolled clear & it got up & carried on through brick walls & hedges.
 
Suechoccy said:
I think you and your boy are doing well and you should find MUCH POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT in your own words in your thread to boost your confidence.

First, he has not hacked out alone before but since moving to your current home, you now both regularly hack out alone and despite the BMW incident, you have continued to hack out alone together. In doing so, you are both building up your confidence in each other. That is GOOD.

Nothing bad happened in the BMW incident. You coped well at the time. that is GOOD.

You're ok with cars. That's GOOD.

You pull over for tractors. That is GOOD and sensible too.

You handle him around motorbikes. That is GOOD. You feel CONFIDENT handling him around motorbikes.

Today the approaching artic put him onto his toes, the airbrake noise scared him and he tanked (yes tanked, not bolted) and you VERY QUICKLY pulled him up, pulled over to the side, let the lorry pass and then continued your hack. That is HUGE SUCCESS. You are WINNING. You are doing GOOD. You turned a bad situation into a GOOD situation - horse under control and standing out of the way safely so the lorry could pass.

You even sy "We did actually finish on a positive note". YES YOU DEFINITELY DID!!! MAKE MUCH OF YOURSELF AND YOUR HORSE.

What-ifs are normal as we get older, and also if we've got any wishywashy undermining feelings of eeebeejeebees underneath our sub-conscious too. Recognise that the brain always dwells on negatives (because that's how humans learn to survive, by avoiding danger) and rarely dwells but instead passes over on positives/successes. Negative reinforcement affects us much more than positive.

You need to be kind and positive and reassuring to yourself because you are coping well, have good strategies in place and are obviously skilled enough to cope with mishaps, planning and preparing your rides and knowing in advance how you will deal with particular situations.

So what should you do now? I would carry on as you are. I would probably make a beeline for a local plant hire or farm yard (with permission) and feed him polos and walk/trot him around/past while they do their work. (ie desensitise him, make him realise that heavy traffic goes past him and is nothng to be unduly worried about).

WELL DONE YOU!!
Click to expand...

Lovely post 100% agree good luck OP.
 
I discovered I'd bought a bolter when he bolted in an indoor school, I came off as he smashed into the wall, he bounced off the wall and carried on running, bouncing off the walls until he was at a standstill :( They have no sense of self preservation, it's terrifying.

I think yours pissed off with you whether he was scared or naughty. You need to be relaxed so as not to scare him but sufficiently alert to stop him as he starts, not once he's gone.

And I'm sorry, it may not be appropriate but all day I have been tickled by the thread title and the OP@s name. Thread about a "bolter" from what sounds like rushing horse - brilliant:D
 
Haven't read the replies, so sorry if this has already been said.
Firstly poor you, how scary... and in my opinion they can bolt a small amount of time, for those seconds you were powerless!
I was bolted with out hunting once, soooooo scary, mine stopped when he got back to the others, I had no say!
Secondly worth a thought, but as your darling is older and first time he has bolted, is it worth having his eyes/ears checked.. sometimes they get startled like this when they are older as they can't see/hear as well and makes them jump! Just a thought!
XX
 
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