HORSE LEAPING OFF ON ALL FOURS ..NO REASON?

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MANDM

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One of my horses has in the past year twice now leapt up into the air as if catapulted ..we had on both occasions been out for a ride on the first times we were on a stony downhill track coming off the Moor and he took off sadly I came off !! the second time we were on a road (thankfully managed to stay on board ..only just and none too elegant)
Each time I have been unable to ascertain what caused him to leap (neither he nor I are novices) But because he is a powerfull/athletic WB x his action is very big.
Someone mentioned poss a nerve in his head getting caught!!!! Never heard of that one. I as matter of course have tack(comfort bridle) N Underwood saddle etc checked. Feet are fine as husband is a farrier. The horse also has monthly physios. And teeth recently done by good EDT .Each time he was walking along quite relaxed and it was as if someone had whacked him on the arse with a spike . Cant believe he got stung on both times plus after he acts as if nothing happened
Anyone any ideas???
 
How old is your horse?

We had a baby 4yrs old and he did this. No warning just leapt off all fours, he also got some air during this, rider was lucky enough not to fall off. He used to do this at least 3 times a month

He's now 7yrs old and he's not done it in a year so hopefully he's grown up
 
he is actually 10 yrs old Bless him and can spook oddly sometimes.Might just have to put it down to experience and thank God I stayed on the second time !
 
IF NOT A NORMAL BEHAVIOUR I WOULF THINK HE WAS BITTEN ( NASTY HORSE FLY) or stung bee or wasp. i would give him benefit of doubt. good fly spray or one of those camper devices ( ever so small ) to keep the nastie biting things at 10 feet.... or keep smoking!
 
Ron does this, I've always put it down to being just another Ron "quirk". It's pretty unseating though he's only a TB so the movement is probably somewhat smaller. He'll do it when being led as well, normally due to a funny-shaped piece of gravel or something...
 
My TB does that sometimes - off the ground with all fours then kicks out the back legs while he's in the air - think spanish riding school.
Doesn't do it for no reason though - it will be a reaction to something scary or exciting. He calms down quickly once he realises there is nothing to be scared of.
Could there are have been something he saw that you didn't notice?
 
i knew a horse who did this, always until rider fell off, and it turned out that it was a back problem at the top of the tail, and i was told it would have felt as if he suddenly had a red hot poker shoved up his bum... that's certainly how he reacted. worth asking another back person to check, perhaps?
youngsters do this sometimes when first saddled, because of the girth, that's the only other area i'd be suspicious of.
 
Thanks for all your replies ..still a bit of a strange one for me as he appears relaxed before and after it happens. He is sensitive to flies & pollen so poss that could be a trigger ?
Anyway I will continue to look for an answer but whether I get one who knows ..the main thing is that I believe him not to be in pain and secondly Im not in pain if I manage to stay on ! Although I did frighten a van driver on the second occasion who thought he was going to jump his van which was yards away !!
 
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