Riding Advice Please- BRAKES!!!!

[Samantha008]

Ok, so yesterday i went for a casual plod around the country with two complete beginners and my lovely hacking friend. We both have our own horses (but were riding riding school horses on this particular occasion) and the two beginners, also friends, were on riding school horses.

My hacking friends horse bolted, over taking the lead rider (from the riding school) and the beginners' horses both took off too!! My friend couldnt pull her horse up and galloped about a mile with two beginners clinging on for dear life right behind her. Me and the leader (groom at the riding school) pulled up, but obviously as the rest were flat out we didnt have much of a chance. I managed to catch up with one of the beginners and stop her horse, but the other beginner fell off.

I ended up in A&E with one beginner who fell off, and my lovely hacking friend, who also fell off. One had concussion, the other a broken shoulder.

So anyway, this incredibly dangerous scenario has happened before. TWICE. each time, my hacking friend has real trouble stopping her horse. She is a very tiny build, but each time hasnt been on a pony more than 14hh and theyre not stocky built!! The horses she rides arent dangerous at all, and dont usually have bolting as a vice!! Its just when shes on them....

So what im wondering is, is there anything we can practice doing? Or hints/ tips i can give her on how to stop?? I was thinking of me galloping ahead and her trying to pull up whilst im in front??? Or is that a stupid idea? This has happened too many times now to just blame it on the horses and im not willing to risk what could happen if it happens again!! Ive told her to lean back, shes of a very nervous disposition and does the lean forward when scared thing, but im not sure how she can break that habit! Shes been riding for 3 years and has had her own pony for about 3 months, so she is pretty new to everything still, but she shouldnt be being taken advantage of like this....one day its going to be very very serious. Were going on a riding holiday at the end of march, and i really dont want her to have to worry about it. Please help me :/

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Sadly, it's quite common for all the horses in a group to go if just 1 does. Herd mentality. Why does she ride the unstoppable riding school horse??? If this isn't the first time it's happened on that particular horse, I'd refuse to ride it again. As far as training goes, it's basically a schooling issue. Your friend could do hours and hours of plodding out with eg you, and taking turns to go in front, behind etc. Then 1 rider stops and lets the other get a bit ahead, then vice versa. Then do it in trot, then in canter. This would probably take months and at the end, the riding school horse may never stop that behaviour because riding school horses a) get all sorts of abilities riding them and all your pal's training would be undone and b) riding school horses get used to where the fast bits and slow bits are unless the rides are properly managed. Which, in my experience, they aren't. Hope your pal mends soon but my advice would be to stay off the riding school horse - it isn't safe x

 

[bumper]

Don't let her out with other novices, for a start.

From what you have said, she needs a lot more instruction in a school before she hacks out at all. I don't mean to be unkind, indeed I do myself tend at times to the self-preservation-tip-forward thing, but if she is inclined to do that, and remembering that any horse can behave unpredictably particularly whilst hacking, she needs more lessons. Lunge lessons are good for position, and core strength. I would suggest the one-rein stop, but am thinking lessons first.

 

[Umbongo]

Probably best not to go out with other novices to begin with. Not only were they injured but also may be absolutely terrified by what happened.

Is she fine on her own pony? If so then I would keep her off this riding school pony and let her stay on her own for the time being. If you say she is of a nervous disposition...and this horse only bolts on a hack with her...I would guess her nervousness has something to do with it. Horses are very sensitive and pick up any signs of nervousness. A mare I had on loan who was an absolute donkey with me...bolted downhill once with a VERY nervous rider, and many times after that until they gave up riding her....she had never done that before with me or any other confident rider.

Can she have more lessons? As box of frogs said, as a riding school horse then any practice you can do could well be a waste of time as the horse is ridden by so many different types of rider and all her work could be undone/take forever to have any affect. I would probably NOT go with the idea of you galloping of ahead and her trying to stop behind you, herd mentality and all that...some horses just will not stop until they catch up.

Having worked in a riding school I would also assume as in your case, just because it is a riding school horse does not mean it may be 100% out on hacks. A lot of them can be quite spooky out on hacks (especially if the rider is nervous), some of them also know where the fast parts of the ride are!

"She is a very tiny build, but each time hasnt been on a pony more than 14hh and theyre not stocky built!!" I am of average build and have been bolted off with by a few small ponies...size means nothing

 

[1stclassalan]

Ok, so yesterday i went for a casual plod around the country with two complete beginners and my lovely hacking friend. We both have our own horses (but were riding riding school horses on this particular occasion) and the two beginners, also friends, were on riding school horses.

Did this casual plod involve any roadwork? If it did I'm going to get on my high horse!

My hacking friends horse bolted, over taking the lead rider (from the riding school) and the beginners' horses both took off too!! My friend couldnt pull her horse up

Mein Gott! The mind boggles! You two went out with two novices yet weren't even in control of your own mount?

.........the leader (groom at the riding school) pulled up, but obviously as the rest were flat out we didnt have much of a chance.

I'm tempted to ask why? As she was already IN FRONT - she had the best opportunity of assisting the bolters.

I managed to catch up with one of the beginners and stop her horse,

Well done but we are in retrieval mode!


This lot looks like a court case waiting to happen.

 

[Samantha008]

Sorry i should have been more clear, this time it was a riding school horse, before it was a horse on a riding holiday, and before that it was her part-loan. Her own pony hasnt done it, but we havent cantered on a hack yet (my horses are both lame :/)

Yeah i think youre right, it probably is down to nerves. I just feel at a loss, because she tells me she loves hacking, im wondering whether inside shes actually very very scared, and as ive said, shs been riding for 3 years, and done more in those 3 years tan i probs have in the last 10.....

We wont be going out with novices again, no worries there!

 

[Samantha008]

Did this casual plod involve any roadwork? If it did I'm going to get on my high horse!

Yup it did involve roadwork...


Mein Gott! The mind boggles! You two went out with two novices yet weren't even in control of your own mount?

It was a riding school hack, supposed to be just walk and a trot.


I'm tempted to ask why? As she was already IN FRONT - she had the best opportunity of assisting the bolters.

My friend on the bolting pony over took the leader and the novices followed. Me and the leader ( as we were in control) didnt follow the bolt, instead my horse started rearing and her spinning, so i went after them and she followed. (by choice)



Well done but we are in retrieval mode!


This lot looks like a court case waiting to happen.

Sure does. It was shocking. I DONT want this to happen ever again. Hence this post....

There must be other nervous riders out there tht have to think/ do something when their horse bolts to remain in control????

 

[0ldmare]

What a disaster and poor friend, but also poor beginners. That's them put off from riding for ever I would imagine

Why wasn't she riding her own pony? I would be avoiding all riding with beginners for now.

Definitely don't try to over take in these scenarios, you'll just make it worse. The best thing you can do is stay well back and if possible don't gallop after them.

From an emergency stopping perspective, could she not circle? Just heaving on the reins is not the best plan, much better to pull and then release (just pulling consistently will probably get the horse setting his neck). Lift one hand higher than the other and pull hard on that rein, show her how to bridge the reins. All sorts of things you can do, but in this case avoidance would be by far the best solution

NB the day I finally fell in love with my old mare was the day my friends horse took off across a stubble field and she couldn't stop (we were cantering towards home and he got away from her). I managed to pull mine up and we stood stock still while she galloped off, then her horse realised its friend wasn't following and slowed too. And trust me my old girl was very competitive and LOVED a gallop