My horse scared me to death

[Chloewright]

Basically I was on a hack and my horse gets excited when he sees other horses out on a hack. He's fine if they are passing as in they are in front and then pass behind us. But it's when they come from behind and go on ahead in front. He is normally good and will just do a joggy trot and my mum normally holds on the reins from the ground then because else he would try and catch up with the horses in front. So yesterday these two hackers asked if they could go on in front and trot on so we said yeah that's fine. But when we were going downhill (stoney bridle path) the horses in front they were at the dip of the hill because it was a valley sort of hill thing and one of the horses started cantering and then just that spilt second my mum let go of the reins he was off cantering towards them and then he spooked them and all three of us were bolting up a hill heading towards a t junction! I know I was very stupid but I was screaming and pulling on the reins whilst stood up!

If you turned left you were going to the dual carriage way 😱 but luckily he went right but we were so lucky there wasn't a car!

About half a mile on from bolting the two horses stopped but mine kept going and we didn't meet any cars thank god! Whilst he was cantering I was doing the trot (up and down) thing and he slowed down and I found a little gap where it was a car and a wall and he stopped there and I got off and I felt safer.

One of the riders came running after me saying she was so sorry and didn't know he would react like that and I rode it amazingly and didn't fall off.

We are all safe and sound but was a terrifying experience for me. When I say bolting I mean he was galloping downhill on Tarmac (very dangerous I know but I couldn't stop him) I wouldn't do him in a circle because he could of slipped and it was a narrow road. My mind went totally blank and all I could hear was the hoofs.

 

[Spot_the_Risk]

Wow scary stuff. What do you have planned to make sure it doesn't happen again?

 

[meesha]

Don't ride out again till you have sorted this, you are endangering yourself, your mum and other riders. Remember those you have let pass will assume you are OK as they have asked and you said yes. One of those riders could easily be on a young/ newly backed horse themselves.

 

[Chloewright]

Spot the risk - me and my mum have planned to take a lead role from now on and if there is another horse in the distance we will turn off and I will go on the leadrein for a while.

Meesha - I have to go riding else he knows he can get away with it which he can't!! I know it was very dangerous but there was nothing I could have done.

 

[Chloewright]

Also how could I prevent him from getting excited around other horses when they are ahead. He lives in the field alone and he comes in at night. He had 2 sheep and chickens as company. He's a tb x Irish sports horse.

 

[Ponycarrots]

Also how could I prevent him from getting excited around other horses when they are ahead. He lives in the field alone and he comes in at night. He had 2 sheep and chickens as company. He's a tb x Irish sports horse.

If you feel him getting excited, take his mind off it by turning him in a circle, leg yield, halt then walk, or walk then trot then walk etc. get his attention on you.
If he bolts again, half halt, don't just pull on the reins. Half halt, and weirdly, use your leg to try and get him to take his weight on to his hocks, and get him to round his back and lower his head. When they bolt they tend to hollow their backs which is uncomfortable for them so they bolt more. Half halting and squeezing with your leg will make him collect, bring his attention back to you and hopefully stop.

Finally, if all else fails and you have space, try and turn him as this will slow him down. Bridge your reins as this helps to pull and slow down a strong horse

 

[be positive]

Also how could I prevent him from getting excited around other horses when they are ahead. He lives in the field alone and he comes in at night. He had 2 sheep and chickens as company. He's a tb x Irish sports horse.

This is probably why he gets excited seeing another horse, if he is kept alone he will be lonely, sheep and chickens are not suitable companions for a horse.

Without wanting to appear rude you do sound extremely inexperienced to be dealing with a horse that may well become more anxious over time, could you find someone to share your field and ride with you, spending some time riding in a field or school until you are more confident and find a good instructor to come and give you some lessons, he may well require more exercise than he is getting walking out with someone on foot will be very undemanding for a horse of his type.

 

[Apercrumbie]

Sorry this happened, it can be so scary. If he's alone then unfortunately you are asking for trouble. Sheep and chickens are no company for a horse, they are herd animals and the vast majority need other horses. Yours is telling you very loudly that he does. In the future, make sure your Mum keeps a firm hold, you sit as heavy as you can like a sack of potatoes and keep breathing. Even sing if that helps. If he does run off, do not scream. Again sit heavy, keep breathing and talk to him, it helps get their attention back on you.

 

[Smurf's Gran]

This is probably why he gets excited seeing another horse, if he is kept alone he will be lonely, sheep and chickens are not suitable companions for a horse.

Without wanting to appear rude you do sound extremely inexperienced to be dealing with a horse that may well become more anxious over time, could you find someone to share your field and ride with you, spending some time riding in a field or school until you are more confident and find a good instructor to come and give you some lessons, he may well require more exercise than he is getting walking out with someone on foot will be very undemanding for a horse of his type.

Agree

 

[Chloewright]

I'm 15 and have been riding basically all my life. Yes he is a big horse 16.2hh but he has high withers and the farrier said he wouldn't actually measure him that he would say 15.2hh but even so I am a confident rider but he knocked it. I am going to do some work in the school with him soon. We walk trot and canter so he is getting good exercise. My mum rides him as well and she gallops on him but he can get strong when we gallops so I don't with him. He gets rode 4 times a week so he is getting good exercise

 

[Chloewright]

Also one of the stables is up for livery so he should be getting a companion in the field soon and hopefully we could hack out together or my mum ride our horse and I ride the livery

 

[FestiveFuzz]

I'm 15 and have been riding basically all my life. Yes he is a big horse 16.2hh but he has high withers and the farrier said he wouldn't actually measure him that he would say 15.2hh but even so I am a confident rider but he knocked it. I am going to do some work in the school with him soon. We walk trot and canter so he is getting good exercise. My mum rides him as well and she gallops on him but he can get strong when we gallops so I don't with him. He gets rode 4 times a week so he is getting good exercise

Without meaning to be disrespectful I wouldn't agree that you're a confident rider if you need your mum to hold onto the reins/put you on a lead rein when he jogs. As others have said you really need to nip this in the bud and ensure he's listening to you at all times. If you know he gets wound up if other horses pass him then the answer to riders asking if they can pass you is surely a "no" or at the very least "yes but please can you keep to a walk until you're out of sight". By the sound of things you were incredibly lucky that everyone was still in one piece after the bolting incident and in your shoes I would be looking at the reasons why he bolted and what can be done to prevent the situation again.

Also depending on what you do on your 4 rides a week I would potentially look at upping his workload. My old horse was an ISH and was an absolute fruit loop if she wasn't in proper work a minimum of 6 days a week.

 

[MyBoyChe]

Im afraid I agree with FF, you dont sound like a confident rider to me, if you need someone to walk out with you and hold on to the reins. I should rephrase that, maybe you are confident, just not experienced enough with this type of horse. He is part TB, he is an only horse where he lives and is ridden 4 times a week. None of that is ideal is it, he should have equine company even if its in the next door field, 4 times a week is not a lot of exercise for this type of horse and the fact that your Mum gallops him will not be helping you. I have no idea of your set up but I would think you would be better off with a less highly bred horse and keeping it at a larger livery yard where it will have more company so will get used to others coming and going and you will have more people to ask for help and advice. Stay safe whatever you do.

 

[Draconia]

When I first starting hacking my dad told me that if our pony ever 'bolted' and I could not stop her, I should make her go faster. It stuck in my mind and at some point in an open space our lovely pony did indeed that, she went and no matter what I tried I could not stop her. I took a deep breath, sat down and encouraged her to go faster, she actually listened and at the moment she started to listen I could take her back to a walk without a problem. I am not saying this is a solution or this works when he horse bolts, but it definitly game me the confidence to deal with it and I never felt out of control again.

My dad always came with us first few years (when I was about 10) but I was never on a leadrope and he never had to need to grap the reins, that to me shows that you are not as confident as you think you are. I know you can't get the confidence out hacking without actually doing it and it is safer to have someone there, but you might not be ready yet to face the obvious problems like other horses. You can always turn around and face the other horses and not turn back till you know they are out of sight. Or you could go a different route than they go. Just make sure you don't put yourself in the same situation again.

 

[SpringArising]

If he bolts again, half halt, and weirdly, use your leg to try and get him to take his weight on to his hocks, and get him to round his back and lower his head. When they bolt they tend to hollow their backs which is uncomfortable for them so they bolt more. Half halting and squeezing with your leg will make him collect

This will not work on a horse who's bolting blindly.

 

[9tails]

This will not work on a horse who's bolting blindly.

He wasn't though, he was following the other horses.

 

[theot]

excellent question spot the risk...

 

[epeters91]

I also agree with FF. You shouldn't be risking hacking out if your are not sure you can control your horse. Obviously accidents happen and horses are unpredictable so you can be caught off guard but the fact your mum is holding your reins and now putting you on a leadrein shows you haven't got control. It sounds like your horse has more respect for your mum on the ground than for you as a rider. You shouldn't be leaving the school until your horse is listening to you properly. I know your waiting for a livery but could you get someone to come ride with you in the school? Your horse needs to get used to being ridden with and passed by other horses in a safe environment before attempting going out on the rodes again.

I also agree with upping his exercise he obviously has a lot of energy in him.

 

[Ponycarrots]

I would think you would be better off with a less highly bred horse and keeping it at a larger livery yard where it will have more company so will get used to others coming and going and you will have more people to ask for help and advice. Stay safe whatever you do.

Sorry but I disagree, you can't base a horse's temperament on it's breed. I had a cob who seriously knocked my confidence because he was unpredictable, bucked, reared, napped, bolted and spooked. You name it he did it. I sold him on after people on the yard started complaining, and got an ex-racer. Most people thought I was crazy. But he was the loveliest horse I've ever known and completely have me my confidence back. He was also the same whether he was ridden once a month or 6 days a week and whether he was fit or unfit. If she wants an ISH she should have one, but if it needs it then perhaps it does need more work. Also some people can't afford fancy busy livery yards, and I for one hate them because of the bitchiness that goes on, plus the fact that round me they're all full anyway. You can't just tell someone what the ideal situation is and expect that to solve everything. I think this horse just needs someone more confident on him and some schooling. Perhaps he's been allowed to get away with this, maybe it has nothing to do with being kept alone. She can probably sort him with some confidence and schooling, perhaps get a more confident rider to do it.

 

[sunshine100*]

Hi I am SO GLAD you have written on the forum as all of us would not have known that you keep that poor horse ON ITS OWN! PLEASE get a free rescue pony/horse to keep him company-WOULD YOU like to be kept on your own???? I am so sad when I hear this as all horses NEED company-contact Blue Cross/RSPCA they are crying out for people to give horses/companion a new home-hope you do this....