how do you define bolting?

[bex1984]

Probably sounds like a really stupid question, but following on from the little problem I had with ponio last night (see post from last night) what is bolting?

If a horse speeds up, takes off for a few strides but is stoppable, do you class that as bolting? Will they only truly bolt through fear - is it the genuine flight reponse?

And how do you deal with it if it happens?

 

[AmyMay]

Blind panick - no body at home - flat out gallop.

 

[Bossanova]

I've only once had a horse bolt. For me, bolting is pure panic. A bolting horse will not react to any aid from you to slow down and will put itself in danger as it wont be fully aware of where it's running to/through. If youre truly being bolted with the best thing to do is try to remain calm. Talk calmly to the horse, shouting/screaming (which many people do!) will only make it worse. You have to try and get the horse back on your wavelength. If you can steer, pull the horse round in a circle.
Running off is different- thats naughty and curable. If a horse runs off I stick it on a circle and if it goes faster I make the circle smaller, if it slows down I make the circle bigger and make it keep cantering.

 

[JessPickle]

I would describe it as a complete loss of any control, flat out gallop, no thought just galloping with no idea what to do! I have only been bolted with once, we went straight through a fence line, which then broke. Both me and horse fell over but very very luckily we were both ok!

just a few stratches which is so so so lucky!

 

[cazza]

As Amymay says, blind fear and running through pannick, the lights are on but nobody's home scenario. When I have had this happen to me on the odd occasion it has been a two hands on one reign and pull like mad until can get horse into a circle. Although I am very lucky as we have plenty of land and fields and are not restricted to riding on roads or tracks so have plenty of room to use that manouve. Wouldn't want to be on a narrow bridleway in that situation.

 

[jenbleep]

complete loss of control, horse gallops in blind panic, lot listening to you, no thought for what it's doing just has to get the hell outta there! v scary IMO, scarier than a horse bucking or rearing! aaagghhh xxx

 

[casey2312]

Absolutly. I have only been on 1 horse who bolted, it was on the road, flat out gallop and we were heading towards a busy road.

We still hit the road at full galop, but due to divine intervention, there was no cars coming at the time.

An old YO I know once said "if a horse bolted on me, I have it shot" At the time I thought it unreasonable, now I fully agree.

 

[bex1984]

Sounds very scary...well at least your responses have confirmed what I thought, that my pony was not really bolting last night because there was no fear involved, it was just bloody-mindedness really, although I did have to bail out before we hit a ditch/cattle grid/load of nettles, but he had slowed by that point.

So how do I go about dealing with his running off (bearing in mind there was no such thing as steering - I tried to put him on a circle, but no chance...)?

 

[AmyMay]

What bit is he in?

 

[jenbleep]

rather than one long pull on the reins, give and take with them, if he's still not listening, makes the checks harder.

or bridge the reins?? tbh i could do with some advice too on this subject! xxx

 

[ColleenIsh]

Had a 4 yr old that bolted ..... define bolting .....


Out hacking and ponio sees something from the corner of his eye, grabs hold of the bit and runs out onto the main road flat out gallop , no control WHATSOEVER , im pulling and im sawing nothing !
like amymay said blind panic , fear .
thats bolting lol

 

[JAK]

Of all the times the ponies have 'tanked off', sometimes quite seriously & usually at a good strong gallop, whether from a standstill or from just getting stronger & faster, I still wouldn't call it bolting, of which we, thank god, have only ever had happen once!

My eldest daughter's first pony bolted with her in the field, from one end to the other, over rough ground, with no regard for the ground, footing or anything else.
I have never in my life seen a pony shift so fast or so recklessly & there was NOTHING my daughter could have done to slow her down or pull her up at that speed, in that state of mind.

She ran her straight towards the wire/electric fence at the end & it was possibly only because we all leapt about shouting & yelling that she 'came to' momentarily & swerved at the last second, resulting in a crashing fall for my daughter & her being trampled! (Better we thought than being hung up in wire with a flailing pony!)

The pony was 'dazed' & 'out of it' for several minutes afterwards & had totally lost the plot. It is not something I would ever want to witness again with one of my kids, as it was truly terrifying - it really was a case of 'the lights are on but nobody's home'!

 

[ColleenIsh]

have you tried a strong bit ?

or perhaps a fulmer snaffle , so that when you circle the full cheeks are giving him a little touch .

 

[bex1984]

AmyMay, he's in a single joint full cheek snaffle.

I was giving and taking with the reins, talking to him, shouting at him, trying to turn him, sitting deep into the saddle and just nothing had any effect. His head was down in his chest and he was off...

JAK, that sounds very scary, there's clearly a difference between tanking off and bolting. Was your daughter OK?

 

[AmyMay]

Dont mess around - stick a pelham in. He looks like a very strong boy - and you wouldn't have a hope stopping him if he went.

 

[Alibear]

I call it when you loose all breaks and all stearing, in mybook if you can steer then it isn't a bolt.

Like Boss I've onlye ver had it happen the once and all you can do is sit up stay calm talk soothingly and perhaps say a prayer. Luckily horse stopped eventually and we were both ok, never ever happened again.

 

[bex1984]

AmyMay - he was ridden in a rubber pelham before I got him, I switched him to the snaffle to see how he went (and to work on my riding rather than relying on a stronger bit). I'm a rubbish rider so worry about using anything stronger but I think after last night it may be necessary.

Would I be OK to use a rubber pelham with roundings rather than a chain? would that be stronger than the snaffle? He is built like a tank...

 

[haybales]

[ QUOTE ]
Blind panick - no body at home - flat out gallop.

[/ QUOTE ]

ditto that

 

[AmyMay]

It sounds as if he was ridden in a pelham for a reason then.

A lot of us agree that it is kinder to use a stronger bit than to haul away on a something milder.

Roundings are fine - but you should use a curb chain.

 

[bex1984]

I would just worry that I don't know how to use it properly and so might hurt him. I did feel I was having to pull too hard last night though, and it was still having no effect.

Being bolted with sounds very scary, I think I'll add it to my list of things-I-am-terrified-of.

 

[jenbleep]

i think it would be better for him to have a stronger bit than being hauled on with a milder bit. better for you to! he should respect a stronger bit.

hope it works out for you, riding is meant to be fun! xxx

 

[Coffee_Bean]

I have only ever had one horse truly bolt with me. It was my friend's arab x welsh mare, 14.2hh. She had been tied down with gadgets with her previous owner and had an incredible strong neck. I had never experienced a horse bolt with me before, or gallop off really, so I had no control...AT ALL.

I was out with my friend on her 14hh angel pony, and the owner of flis ( the one i was riding) and my friend's mum were walking with us. We walked down to the bottom of this canter track, we turned round and began to canter up. Flis took off, galloping flat out. I pulled her, instead of doing the give and take thing, and it probably didn't help that i was screaming ,my head off, my friends mum tried to block her but had to jump out of the way in time to avoid being trampled on. Flis galloped onto the road at the top, thank god there were no cars coming, and straight into the trees on the otherside. She was heading straight towards a very big tree and swerved last minute, I was out the side door. The first time i had ever fallen off a horse.People said to me that if i hadn't fallen off, then would probably have been a good time to bail out anyway, i think she would have just galloped along the road and if I had still been on her back, she wouldn't have stopped. I could not have turned her and she would have gone down in the cattle grid at the end of jumped the gate.

It was terrifying, but I think that other, better riders could have stopped her, I just didn't know the technique at all.

 

[JAK]

bex - Daughter was OK but it shattered her confidence almost completely & it was only the kindly (but fizzy!) bouncy Welsh thing known as Fat Orange One that restored it to any degree!
He looked after her completely for the two years she had him & seldom put a foot wrong, remaining gentle & calm with her, even when he was scaring the pants off her sister! lol

I know I suggested it before & you weren't keen but I stick by my original suggestion of a kimblewick - it has worked wonders on the Baggage & you only need one set of reins to deal with! lol
MD can now hack her out alone, take her cantering/galloping & has so much more control, though she barely touches her reins - the pony is comfortable in & also respects the bit!!
Pony also HATED the jointed snaffle she came with & was the 'b*tch from hell' in it, the difference in her has been amazing & MD can ride her now with no gloves if she wants to, she is so easy!

Or try AmyMay's pelham suggestion? (We use a leather curb btw, rather than a chain.) Make sure there is someone to help you if you are not sure how to fit/adjust a curb though, as it is very important that it fits & sits correctly!

 

[jenbleep]

oh yes how could i forget if you do decide to go for a pelham (or a kimblewick for that matter) to avoid hurting him make sure the curb isn't too tight, and try using a rubber cover, or even an elasticated curb type thing (don't have much experience with these type bits so excuse me!) xxxx

 

[bex1984]

JAK - thanks, can you explain the kimblewick, what it is and how it works? I really know nothing about bits! how does it differ to the pelham?

Whatever I change the bit too (and I think that is the next logical step) will ask a very experienced friend or the YM to help me fit it.

Bean_xx that does sound terrifying!

 

[browbrow]

Hello Chicken

Dont even give a thought of hurting him - if he is doing this he is being VERY naughty - Haul him round if thats what its takes to stop him - safety safety safety - the harshness of this bit should stop him - thats what its used for - he should mess about in the first place if he doesnt want to get hurt. In time her will realise he strength wont do him any favours!

And when he stops kick him and smack him all the way back to where he came and make him do it all again - and again and again.

Dont tolorate tank pony attitude - mine is like this to lead and if she doesnt behave - she now goes is a chiffney to remind of how its better to behave than to mess about !!

Good luck - and dont be soft on him - he needs some manners - he is bigger than you !!

Ill come and beat him up for being mean to his mum! xx

 

[PaintboxEDT]

yes i had mine in a kimblewick and grackle !!!
when he decided to tank off i soon stopped him didnt have to yank hard on his mouth either we had so much fun together i do miss him !
when he tanked of it was through fright ie train next to hacking fields etc but always stopped him its like having abs brakes lol

 

[Eccles]

Hi Bex, I would try a kimblewick rather than a pelham on yours as although it has the curb action it also has the arch in the middle of the mouthpiece (sorry, i have totally forgotton what its caused!) which lifts their head up, which is what you want if he buries his nose in his chest. I wouldn't worry too much about hurting him if he does start running off, I am sure he is stronger than you and if he starts to run off, you must stop him. Make sure your lower leg is still, sit up and be determined to stop him. Think to yourself that no matter what, your pony will stop when you tell him too, and then expect just that! GL

 

[bex1984]

ahhh thank you browbrow, he was defo being a cheeky monkey. After I bailed out I told him off and then I did get back on and made him walk round a few more times, but didn't risk going too far away in case it happened again. He does try to tank in the school sometimes but I've really been working on it and he's got a lot better - if he does it in the school I can turn him and if he tries to pull out of the circle he gets a smack on his outside shoulder, but I just couldn't do ANYTHING yesterday.

 

[bex1984]

does a kimblewick have a curb chain?