Is it wrong to get off a scared horse?

[dogatemysalad]

This thread reminds me of an old school ex jockey. She had a new ginger mare on loan which was on the wrong side of crazy, but the woman was fearless. She told me that she'd hacked the horse over from its old yard 6 miles away. The direct route meant a couple of miles along a dual carriageway. Not a problem, we often rode on the wide verges on trusted horses.
However, this mare was not a trusted horse. It spooked and shot across the central reservation into the path of an artic lorry. The driver slammed his breaks on, the horse slipped and went down in front of the screeching lorry, but the jockey sat on and kicked. Horse got to her feet and scrambled up.
The poor driver, thinking he'd killed them, jumped out of the cab and was promptly sick on the road. After apologising profusely, she carried on the ride to the new yard. She said, no bugger has ever got me off and this one wasnt going to be the first.
While I admire her stickability, I was slightly less impressed by her decision making skills. Poor lorry driver and poor horse.

 

[Trouper]

There is a little voice inside my head which is saying that this is partly an ego thing - horse must do as directed. I don't think anyone wins with battles on these lines - horses remain scared and riders are anticipating problems next time. I would always want my horse to take confidence from me in any situation and if that needs me to get off and face the alligators first, then so be it. With a youngster I think you did absolutely the right thing and his learning journey will be all the easier for it. Well done.

 

[mini_b]

This thread reminds me of an old school ex jockey. She had a new ginger mare on loan which was on the wrong side of crazy, but the woman was fearless. She told me that she'd hacked the horse over from its old yard 6 miles away. The direct route meant a couple of miles along a dual carriageway. Not a problem, we often rode on the wide verges on trusted horses.
However, this mare was not a trusted horse. It spooked and shot across the central reservation into the path of an artic lorry. The driver slammed his breaks on, the horse slipped and went down in front of the screeching lorry, but the jockey sat on and kicked. Horse got to her feet and scrambled up.
The poor driver, thinking he'd killed them, jumped out of the cab and was promptly sick on the road. After apologising profusely, she carried on the ride to the new yard. She said, no bugger has ever got me off and this one wasnt going to be the first.
While I admire her stickability, I was slightly less impressed by her decision making skills. Poor lorry driver and poor horse.

?

 

[CanteringCarrot]

It depends on the horse.

A few years back when I was hacking out my gelding (5 at the time) alone (dumb) he started to stress a bit. He didn't want to go down a hill in the forest since there was some drainage ditch of sorts on one side, and a row of pavers across the trail. Then there was a tractor in the neighboring field just beyond the tree line. I didn't want to turn around and go back, so I figured I would dismount, lead him, and reassure him from the ground. As I got halfway over him he bolted. I hung on for a bit, but then he broke free. He stood a ways down the trail and looked at me unsure of what to do. I tried to approach him but he booked it for home - took some roundabout way to get there, but only broke his reins in the process, and was physically ok.

I called the YO and let him know to keep an eye out. Horse arrives at the yard soaked in sweat and a bit nervous. I eventually make my way back. I wanted to get back on him for some reassurance, just for a min or two, so I took him into the school. Every time I would go to put my foot in the stirrup to mount he'd try to bolt or shy away. Fellow livery/casual trainer said to stop for the day since he was in shock. Not my style, but fair enough.

So I go to get on him the next day, and again he will not let me on. It took me a few days and some help to get him back to his reliable self - he always stood still for mounting. Then, every time I'd go to dismount at the end of a ride he'd run sideways, spook, or try to run away. So we worked on it. Built confidence back up, used some food rewards, and sorted it out.

It's been 2 years or so and I'll never get off of him again unless I or him is literally about to die. I thought I broke him or fried his little brain. The fact that I went to dismount when he was nervous and unsure sent off huge alarm bells in his brain and totally shattered his confidence. I don't know if he thought, "Oh shite, she's bailing, this must really be bad" or what. Maybe now that he is much further along than green-broke and has more miles under his belt it'd be fine, but I always ride him through things now. He could be/can be spooky but its generally easy and quick to stick it out, and now I know him better too. Whenever he is scared I keep doing what I am doing, because if I change the way I am handling him, I think it blows his mind in the moment.

I've since gotten on and off of him in all sorts of places from all sorts of angles, and he's fine now, but this made me rethink the whole, get off and work it out from the ground approach. I will admit that this is a sensitive horse who really gets a bulk of his confidence from the rider.

 

[scats]

No I don’t think it’s wrong to get off a genuinely scared horse. Or to get off in a situation where you feel that staying on board is likely to put you, the horse, or another person in danger.
I consider riding my horses as a team effort. I want to instill confidence in them that I am a person to be trusted and if they are with me, things are ok. If that means I have to get off to get that across, then that’s fine. But I do trust that I have control of my girls on the ground. I actually don’t think I’d hack a horse out if I didn’t know that I could control it on the ground, as you never know what might happen when you are out.

I had to get off Millie a few weeks ago. We have a Birket at the yard,that is down a steep embankment. We have a riding path that runs alongside but on one section we have a bonfire that the builders who rent an area on the yard, use. It’s a bit of a tip that area and every day something new and scary appears there, which is fine, but it does mean that you have to go between the bonfire/rubbish pile and the birket to get through. Millie seems to fancy her chances more with the birket than the pile and will spook away from the bonfire and get precariously close to the embankment. I’m not sure exactly what she had taken exception to, but she reversed us a bit too close for comfort and I didn’t fancy tumbling down an 8 foot embankment on a horse! I hopped off, lead her past the offending object, and then found an old wooden crate (on the bonfire, so it does come in handy!) to hop back on. Job done and neither of us took a dunking. The next day she walked past no problem while I was on board.

 

[Merlod]

I prefer to stay on, however if something is really causing an issue I will get off and lead past, turn back and pass it again until the horse is settled and then I mount and ride past it as originally intended.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

As one who's been riding a youngster for the past three years, I believe it is absolutely right to slip off and lead if there is ANY doubt that your safety, or that of your horse, is liable to be compromised by staying up.

There have been a good few occasions with my little girly where I've just slipped off and walked her past something she's not experienced before; or if we've been in a narrow lane say and a huge tractor is bearing down upon us!

To me, that gives the horse confidence: it says OK so this is a scary situation but whatever the "predator" is, it's gonna have to eat me before it gets to you!! That, particularly with a young/green horse, is something they need to know in order to feel safe.

I don't see dismounting and walking past something as "giving up" or "giving in". Not at all! To me it demonstrates a rider who is concerned enough about their horse to be able to give it confidence and take the fear and panic out of a situation as much as possible.

 

[Britestar]

I did exactly this at the weekend. Horse got a fright and became 18hh high but only 5'6" long.
I know this guy can spin and bronc in an instant and I will not be able to stay on.
Jumped off hung on whilst he span a good few times led him round the corner, and got back on. Good thing is, once the incident is past, he reverts to normal. Finished our hack in the howling wind.

 

[DabDab]

It depends on the horse.

A few years back when I was hacking out my gelding (5 at the time) alone (dumb) he started to stress a bit. He didn't want to go down a hill in the forest since there was some drainage ditch of sorts on one side, and a row of pavers across the trail. Then there was a tractor in the neighboring field just beyond the tree line. I didn't want to turn around and go back, so I figured I would dismount, lead him, and reassure him from the ground. As I got halfway over him he bolted. I hung on for a bit, but then he broke free. He stood a ways down the trail and looked at me unsure of what to do. I tried to approach him but he booked it for home - took some roundabout way to get there, but only broke his reins in the process, and was physically ok.

I called the YO and let him know to keep an eye out. Horse arrives at the yard soaked in sweat and a bit nervous. I eventually make my way back. I wanted to get back on him for some reassurance, just for a min or two, so I took him into the school. Every time I would go to put my foot in the stirrup to mount he'd try to bolt or shy away. Fellow livery/casual trainer said to stop for the day since he was in shock. Not my style, but fair enough.

So I go to get on him the next day, and again he will not let me on. It took me a few days and some help to get him back to his reliable self - he always stood still for mounting. Then, every time I'd go to dismount at the end of a ride he'd run sideways, spook, or try to run away. So we worked on it. Built confidence back up, used some food rewards, and sorted it out.

It's been 2 years or so and I'll never get off of him again unless I or him is literally about to die. I thought I broke him or fried his little brain. The fact that I went to dismount when he was nervous and unsure sent off huge alarm bells in his brain and totally shattered his confidence. I don't know if he thought, "Oh shite, she's bailing, this must really be bad" or what. Maybe now that he is much further along than green-broke and has more miles under his belt it'd be fine, but I always ride him through things now. He could be/can be spooky but its generally easy and quick to stick it out, and now I know him better too. Whenever he is scared I keep doing what I am doing, because if I change the way I am handling him, I think it blows his mind in the moment.

I've since gotten on and off of him in all sorts of places from all sorts of angles, and he's fine now, but this made me rethink the whole, get off and work it out from the ground approach. I will admit that this is a sensitive horse who really gets a bulk of his confidence from the rider.

PRE by any chance?

Just sounds like the sort of pickle Dabs might have got himself into when he was young. I would have had to be hard pushed to get off him when I first backed him because him running me over was really quite likely. I found that quite unnerving for some reason so spent a lot of time getting on and off out hacking, which has rescued us on more than one occasion when I have gotten us lost and had to lead along a narrow track with bog each side.

There are a couple of other (big warmbloods or hunters) horses that I've hacked as youngsters who I would be in considerably more danger on the ground than on board, but I wasnt really involved in any of their backing so not sure if that was lack of appropriate handling training at backing or just their personalities

 

[CanteringCarrot]

PRE by any chance?

Just sounds like the sort of pickle Dabs might have got himself into when he was young. I would have had to be hard pushed to get off him when I first backed him because him running me over was really quite likely. I found that quite unnerving for some reason so spent a lot of time getting on and off out hacking, which has rescued us on more than one occasion when I have gotten us lost and had to lead along a narrow track with bog each side.

There are a couple of other (big warmbloods or hunters) horses that I've hacked as youngsters who I would be in considerably more danger on the ground than on board, but I wasnt really involved in any of their backing so not sure if that was lack of appropriate handling training at backing or just their personalities

Yes, PRE The little weirdlings.

 

[paddy555]

I cannot see the point of either forcing the horse past which in most cases would be a whip or letting it stand on the spot shaking with fear. I try and use these occasions to train youngsters. If I saw the tractor coming and knew the horse wasn't up to it I would have got off, parked the horse if possible and then taught it the behaviour I wanted. That is lower your head and keep breathing. To do that I carry a small pocket of nuts. They are not a reward and certainly not a bribe or treat. They are to say to the horse lower your head to take them and then breath whilst you eat and relax.

I start doing this when I lead a young horse out for walks so he gradually gets to the stage he can be led and stand and wait for the tractor without nuts.
Some people may not like the nuts but to me the most important thing is getting myself and the horse home safely and hopefully it will have learnt a little less fear towards tractors on the way. I find it best not to worry about what others think. Your horse your responsibility to keep both of you safe in whatever way you can.