Horse bolts out hacking when spooked, how do I get past this?

[SEL]

I had one of my nastiest falls off a bolter - thought he was going through a post & rail fence so put all my weight to one side to turn him only for the saddle to go at top speed. I wouldn't knowingly get on another

Loads of good ideas above but another thing I've seen used successfully is leading him off another horse. Not in this country (somewhere a lot less pink & fluffy welfare wise) but the horse was led everywhere off the back of a schoolmaster. I have a feeling they may have tied both horses together initially but wouldn't recommend that!

 

[Starzaan]

Agree......having experienced a true bolter for myself, this sounds more like tanking off to me. A true bolter doesn’t give any thought to their own safety and will run through or dive over anything in their way.

That's not to say what your horse is doing isn't incredibly dangerous so I would stop hacking immediately.

Has every possible medical avenue been explored? If he is an ex-racer my first thought is ulcers. Has he been scoped?

It may just be something you will need to accept. Some horses are just not suitable for hacking.

Yep. I have been riding all my life, and rode professionally for a good few years. In all that time I have only ridden two bolters. One ran into a building and snapped his neck, the other ran into a fence and snapped his leg.

We need to get away from calling things bolting when they aren’t. I am not saying this situation isn’t very serious and dangerous, but if this horse was truly bolting either he or his rider would have been seriously injured if not killed by now. Bolters don’t stop for gates. They have no thought for self preservation. Tanking off is still serious, but can be dealt with. Horses that genuinely bolt should not be ridden. Full stop.

 

[Snowfilly]

Yep. I have been riding all my life, and rode professionally for a good few years. In all that time I have only ridden two bolters. One ran into a building and snapped his neck, the other ran into a fence and snapped his leg.

We need to get away from calling things bolting when they aren’t. I am not saying this situation isn’t very serious and dangerous, but if this horse was truly bolting either he or his rider would have been seriously injured if not killed by now. Bolters don’t stop for gates. They have no thought for self preservation. Tanking off is still serious, but can be dealt with. Horses that genuinely bolt should not be ridden. Full stop.

This. The only two genuine bolters I knew are both dead - one killed itself by running into a wall and the other run into a hedge, got up and was put down later that day.

I don’t think many bolters live very long. Horses that run away still have a part of their brain working and won’t run into solid objects or walls; they might slip and fall or they might misjudge a turn or a jump but they’re not running blind.

I still wouldn’t ride one that did it a lot though.

 

[planete]

One of the horses I worked with as a groom belonged to a dressage rider and they competed at Prix St George when I was there. He was never hacked as he could suddenly take off even when being led and we always led him anywhere away from home with lunge lines with one person either side of him. He was however a total sweetheart in the stable and you could do anything with him. He was happy schooling and competing and was turned out everyday with the other horses, did not have any stereotypies or health niggles. The rider just decided to play as safe as possible with him.

 

[Orangehorse]

For groundwork and general problem solving there is also Linda Tellington-Jones, which is both groundwork with poles, de-spooking exercises in the school, and also her bodywork method T Touch.

But it may just be so ingrained that you have to give up hacking as others say,

I have heard of "cures" where the riders had masses of space, but I never got to know if the cure was permanent although I think that maybe it was, or why else would they tell about it?

Basically it was to let the horse gallop, in one case on the open prairie in the USA, let it gallop itself to a standstill then ride it 30 miles where it was collected and taken home. Repeat the following day, and the next and on the 4th day it set out for its ride quietly.

Similar in the UK where the horse was allowed to gallop up a very steep hill, it was on the coast so more or less a cliff. Repeated until the horse got fed up with galloping up hill. There was also Ginny Holgate, now Elliot, who had a horse that she galloped round a ploughed field until it became controllable.

I have read accounts by riding masters, who have reschooled such horses, but I remember one who said he wouldn't want to do it again.

But I agree with what everyone else has said about bolters and runaways. Bolters are totally dangerous and should not be ridden.

 

[Leandy]

Is he truly bolting ie in a state of blind panic and pretty much unstoppable by anyone, or is he just very strong and tanking off and it is just that you cannot stop whereas a more experienced, confident and stronger rider may be able to work through this? If the latter then it may be worth getting a suitable professional in to reschool him for you and teach you some appropriate techniques to maintain control. There is always a danger though that if he has discovered that you cannot stop him, he will continue to do it with you even if he no longer does it with others, unless and until he knows you can stop him.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

It probably isn't a proper bolt but it's still dangerous I just wouldn't hack him he probably just gets so worried out he just goes, why would you keep persisting just school him and hack round the arena a few times a week, as I said before this is what I do with mine and his fine.

I have a 7 minute hack down a track to the school and his fine along there and I often hack him if I have someone with me on foot.

 

[Meadow21]

H

Is he truly bolting ie in a state of blind panic and pretty much unstoppable by anyone, or is he just very strong and tanking off and it is just that you cannot stop whereas a more experienced, confident and stronger rider may be able to work through this? If the latter then it may be worth getting a suitable professional in to reschool him for you and teach you some appropriate techniques to maintain control. There is always a danger though that if he has discovered that you cannot stop him, he will continue to do it with you even if he no longer does it with others, unless and until he knows you can stop him.

I have tried with 2 professional ex racehorse reschoolers and a very experienced 4* event rider (happens to be a 6’2 man). None could stop him when he takes off. I think it is just ingrained into him to gallop off. He is super chilled and well behaved in the arena, never puts a foot wrong even when jumping he only wears a snaffle in the arena.

 

[Leandy]

H


I have tried with 2 professional ex racehorse reschoolers and a very experienced 4* event rider (happens to be a 6’2 man). None could stop him when he takes off. I think it is just ingrained into him to gallop off. He is super chilled and well behaved in the arena, never puts a foot wrong even when jumping he only wears a snaffle in the arena.

Then personally I wouldn't want to hack this horse. You really need to put your safety first.

 

[Melody Grey]

Definitely stop hacking! Mine used to do a bunk at the first sign of trouble with his whole weight behind it (very athletic Welsh X sports). I bit him up and used a running martingale pretty tight so he just couldn’t get his head up to spin and run. For him, slowing the reaction gave me time to have some input into the situation. Not sure that’ll work for yours though and not sure I’d want to try with what you’ve said. Sounds to me like enough chance given.

 

[ycbm]

Some horses just hate hacking!
.

 

[SpotsandBays]

Whatever it is, it’s definitely dangerous for not only you but others too.
I’d definitely stop going out hacking at least for now.

Whats he like riding in the field at home? (If you’re able to?). It would be a change of scenery from an arena, but also be a controlled environment so that if he does bog off because something spooked him - he’s contained. Could also Be helpful for desensitising him if it’s things like birds in hedges or wildlife/natural noises that are the cause of the initial spooks?

 

[poiuytrewq]

To me this doesn’t sound like bolting, this sounds like he’s tanking off with you - doesn’t mean it isn’t serious, but a bolting horse doesn’t stop for a gate. They go over or through it. Genuine bolters should not be ridden.

I would stop hacking for now, and I would get someone experienced to help you with him.

Ahhh yea having re-read I thought she said that he doesn’t stop for gates hence my saying don’t ride and don’t let anyone else either.

 

[Nari]

Please stop hacking him, he's a danger to you, himself, and any poor person who happens to be in the wrong place.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

H


I have tried with 2 professional ex racehorse reschoolers and a very experienced 4* event rider (happens to be a 6’2 man). None could stop him when he takes off. I think it is just ingrained into him to gallop off. He is super chilled and well behaved in the arena, never puts a foot wrong even when jumping he only wears a snaffle in the arena.

If you have had professional help at least twice over for a horse that buggers off, then call it a day.

Either stay in the arena or responsibly say goodbye.

You've had a lot of good advice above from people with a huge amount of experience.
I'm another that used to deal with this kind of thing as a last ditch resort - true bolters, not ones that stopped at gates, but went through them. Dispatched 3 before they killed themselves, 1 killed himself going straight into a wall. Its not a fun thing at all.

 

[humblepie]

I had a horse years ago that was the other way as in very nappy and difficult to even get to leave the yard. He was happy not hacking. You could get him out the field, go show jumping, pretty much always get a good placing and put him back in the field with not a bother on him That life suited him and sounds like not hacking suits yours.

 

[Gloi]

Loads of good ideas above but another thing I've seen used successfully is leading him off another horse. Not in this country (somewhere a lot less pink & fluffy welfare wise) but the horse was led everywhere off the back of a schoolmaster. I have a feeling they may have tied both horses together initially but wouldn't recommend that!

No way am I suggesting this here but you can do it with two schoolmaster horses. Put a roller on one and tie the youngster to that, then lead that horse from another.

 

[Miszeemare]

It would be interesting to know the breeding - had an ex racer who had something that was known to be “quirky” in his breeding, ended up blind bolting (won’t say too much as outing) but he was PTS as I would not take the risk with anyone’s safety. I do believe some ex racers are so highly bred that they are not suitable as regular riding horses.

 

[canteron]

When you can do this with your horse (several months work) I might think about hacking it out again!
Also try leading from a space hopper, or kicking a ball along or anything, but you have to start really really really slowly!

 

[GreyDot]

H


I have tried with 2 professional ex racehorse reschoolers and a very experienced 4* event rider (happens to be a 6’2 man). None could stop him when he takes off. I think it is just ingrained into him to gallop off. He is super chilled and well behaved in the arena, never puts a foot wrong even when jumping he only wears a snaffle in the arena.

What did the professionals say to you? I am assuming they said to stop hacking, it's not safe. If actual professional reschoolers could not help this horse, I would stick with his happy place, which from the sounds of your earlier posts, are schooling.
If schooling is not your thing, then that is another question, but don't put yourself or his horse in a situation which ends in zero control.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

When you can do this with your horse (several months work) I might think about hacking it out again!
Also try leading from a space hopper, or kicking a ball along or anything, but you have to start really really really slowly!

Thing is I've done de sensitising in the school with various things my horse will still spook out hacking at literally nothing, I just think some horses just never get on with it and never get over it.

I think alot of it with mine is the element of surprise and just being on edge and high alert because his out of his safe arena space.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Any chance acoustic ears or ear plugs plus possibly the blinkers some horses race in might help?

 

[Barton Bounty]

Any chance acoustic ears or ear plugs plus possibly the blinkers some horses race in might help?

I nearly went down the blinkers route, but I didnt need to in the end up! Thats a great idea

 

[LaurenBay]

Sounds more like tanking (but still bloody scary!) in all honesty it doesn't sound like he enjoys hacking at all. I would stop hacking him all together, its safer for the both of you and I think he would prefer to stay in the school.

 

[maya2008]

I have a Shetland who used to do this with small children attached. She’d just whip round and go…all the way home! She was a lead-rein pony out hacking (perfect at that) or for a strong child who had run the gauntlet (i.e. been carted off with enough to get the measure of her) and gained her respect/trust. If you got your timing right, it was possibly to stop the headlong charge home by spinning her, but once she took a hold she was gone. She was also best in a Tom Thumb of all the bits we tried.

We solved the issue mostly by only taking her out off-lead with her whole herd (so there was no pony left to run home to) and by her eventually deciding she’d be nice to my son after years of carting him off at particular moments in time (she did it in larger arenas too - to the gate…). She’s grizzled and grey now and has been ok for the last year and a half, but who knows…

In your case I would ride in a large field near the yard (if you have one), or in an arena. I wish I could say this issue is fixable, but we really only fixed it as ours became old and could no longer be bothered.

 

[SantaVera]

shoot it

 

[LaurenBay]

shoot it

Why on earth would you shoot it? the Horse schools and jumps absolutely fine.

 

[Gallop_Away]

shoot it

If this was a true bolter then I would be inclined to agree. However as Lauren pointed out, if the horse is fine in the school and jumping a course, why would it warrant having it pts? Some horses just simply don't enjoy hacking. Doesn't mean they deserve to be shot!

 

[Merry neddy man]

Another lover of the Tom thumb bit, the roller link one a really excellent bit, and can be used double sided depending on need, and not a lot of money to spend to test one.

 

[mustardsmum]

Have a look at this. It’s a fascinating journey with a pony that bolts and was retrained by Sophie Seymour (find her on Sophie Seymour Equestrian on Facebook). The pony had vet issuesbut even after these were resolved, there were still issues with him bolting. I don’t personally know her, but this 15 min video is so insightful into how thinking outside the box can work. We have used Sedalin to calm our mare on box rest and when we first started walking her out in hand. It may be worth a chat with your vet to see whether it could help with your horse tanking.

https://fb.watch/fJRGZNbltS/