Strong Horse- Bolting

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jinxy

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Hi

Wondered if I could have some advice, I have a horse who when the mood takes him takes off with me. He used to do this with his old owner unbeknown to me, until I spoke to someone who used to know him. The most serious time he has done it with me put me in hospital.
I sent him to the hunt with the idea that if he settled they would buy him as this would be the ideal job for him or so I thought. He tanked off with his rider away from the other horses, so he's back. The plan was to sell him to the hunt as I said above this would have been the ideal job for him, but I don't feel I can now. I don't want him injuring anyone.

I am at a loss to know what to do. Could he just be bored and naughty or could there be some underlying medical condition that triggers it? Any help would be much appreciated.
 
There could be an underlying condition, so get the vet, dentist, physio and saddler all to come out and rule out physical pain.
If it's not physical, then I would suggest help from a riding instructor, and also possible change of bit. What bit is he in at the moment? Waterfords are good for bolters, as they find it very hard to get hold of. But beware, waterfords can be very strong, so should only be used if you have good hands.
 
My now 5 year old did this for a while, he thought if he ran away he wouldn't have to do schooling work. I did two things with him (one I don't think will suite you as you said he put you in hospital!
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1. I made him canter/gallop around the field without stopping until he was "fizzed out" then did my schooling (All I wanted to do was bending in walk)

2. Had a trainer say that if I really pull his head around, making him go into a circle he would slow down.

The second one worked really well as he tried it again, in the field and I pulled his head around and he only managed 3 strids of canter. Now he doesn't even try.
 
I think you need to establish whether he really is truly bolting or just taking off because he fancies it. Is he truly bolting? Horses bolt from sheer terror and can injure themselves crashing into and through things. Is this him?

Or is he very rude? I agree that you should make sure you get everything checked out, either way, to check he isn't in physical pain. Then maybe he needs a big, strong man on for a while to sort it out if he's physically fine and taking off, rather than bolting. TBH if he's taking off with little hope of stopping, I doubt a waterford alone would do much (and if my horse was taking off like that then I'm afraid good hands would go out of the window - if there is nothing wrong with the horse and it's rude enough to just tank off, I wouldn't be worrying about being nice to its mouth during that time).
 
He had a saddle fitted when I bought him and has regular physio, dentist, he has had vet for another reason but this didn't pick up abnormalities or issues. He has always done this so it seems, brought over from Ireland bought at around the age of 9/10 from a dealer owned for 2 years and then I bought him. Did meet someone who used to know him who said he used to do it before I got him.

I have him in a snaffle for schooling and have him in a gag and more recently a pelham for hacking. He tanked in the pelham.
 
Is it particular environments that he bolts in, e.g. on hacks, in the arena, or just anywhere when he feels like it? Does he only do it when you're riding, or does he take off whilst being led as well?

How old is he? Agree with the above, that you should get all the medical checks done to be sure. It's difficult to provide advice without knowing exact circumstances. Does he get the bit between his teeth, lean and bolt, or does he stick his head in the air, hollow and come up towards you whilst charging off?

It sounds like you might need some professional advice in terms of how to deal with this - it's certainly not worth putting yourself in hospital again. Does he run blind or is he fully aware of where he's going and what he's doing? i.e. will he run through fences, gates, over the top of people and risk hurting himself, or is he very aware of where he is running when he goes. If it's the former then it sounds like an anxiety issue, but it could just be naughtiness.

Sorry, not much help with all these questions but it would be good to know exactly what he's doing so people on here might potentially be able to help. But in the meantime, definately get all the checks done and make sure you're very clear with the vet about what's happening.
 
You have to start with the vet to make sure there is no underlying physical problem. Pain is very often the cause of bad behaviour.

If the horse is physically OK, it depends on what you mean by bolting. How does he react when ridden by a professional? If a professional rider is unable to stop him and the horse truly bolts in complete panic you may well need to consider retiring him. If the professional can manage him then maybe they can help you out with some schooling and lessons.
 
He has done is a few times with me I think at first it does start with something scaring him, and then if I don't get him back fast enough he goes. Sometimes if something spooks him he does nothing, but then he has also done this in the showjumping ring just because he can. He can be rude and bolshy. I have had a hunt master on him, who said he is very intelligent, and not in the slightest nappy when having to leave the others, forward thinking with a good jump, but he tanked off away from the others, not with them to catch up or anything like that.
 
Doe he only do it when hacking?

Mine did it when he was beeing schooled but not when hacking.

Sorry for all the questions but, were you on your own? could you get a big man to sit on him and try and stop him? What about lunging him before you ride so he shattered then go out hacking? (just walking, and get really excised about him being a good boy)

Apart from that and what others have said I don't know.
 
He normally only does it hacking. He is a big strong horse and in hindsight was too strong for me. He is better an a gag but he comes behind the verticle and his neck dissapears, although saying this he hasn't tried anything in this bit. When he goes he takes hold and leans on the bit. He is 15.
 
If he does it after initially spooking, it may be that someone in the past has immediately panicked when he's spooked, grabbed up the reins and so that's scared him and his natural (flight) reaction is to run.

Are you aware of suddenly grabbing the reins when he spooks, maybe surprising him and so making him run? Or do you know if this has happened to him?

This will sound a very bizarre approach, but have you ever tried just throwing the reins at him when he goes? I wouldn't advise this on the roads, obviously, but if you're, say, in an open field and he does it, can you lean forward and loosen the reins (not drop them)? I'm very hesitant to advise this, my only thinking is if you're not giving him anything to fight against, and if you couple it with talking in a soothing voice, he might learn not to panic. But please don't try this if you're not confident, or if you don't think it will work and will just get you in more trouble.

The only other thing I can think (aside from the vet checks and professional advice) is to do a lot of schooling work, focussng on getting him to bend round your leg, right from his poll to his tail, and do this in a consistent way so that he learns when you ask that he has to bend - it's a lot harder for him to bolt when he's flexing his neck and body and also it might allow you to turn his head away from something you think he might spook at, or else turn his head in to a hedge or fence/put in a small circle without fighting him if you think he's going go go.

Really sorry, it sounds awful for you and a horrible situation to be in - everyone has out great suggestins but at the end of the day, without knowing the horse I'm hesitant to suggest anything that might make it worse or antagonise him

All the luck in the world to you!!
 
As above vet checks- sometimes the more obscure things need checking.
My horse does this from time to time but luckily will pull up.
There's no warning- you can be walking along happy as larry and 1 second later being galloping away in the opposite direction. So on a smaller scale I know how you feel.
There tends to be 3 ways of looking at it/working with it.
1) Sit up and circle (away from 'home')
If he's doing out of rudeness, as has been said, I will be rude back & if a tug on the reins/bit is what's needed to say 'oi' then I'll do it.
2) If he's doing out of fright, again, circle (if possible) but equally don't try to fight him. As has been suggested, loosening the reins and sitting still sometimes has the desired effect- horse pulls itself up as it realises you are not bothered and there's nothing to be frightened of or there's no point in fighting you as you won't fight back.
3) My instructor has a horse who can be a sh!te, spook and bolt and she pushes him forwards- if he wants to go forwards he can jolly well go forwards, and keep going even when he wants to stop. For some horses you just need to do this once and they realise actually it's hard work and don't do it again.
Also schooling, schooling, schooling. Especially if he's good in the school, get him listening to you. Then out on hacks, keep it interesting too, transitions, different routes etc.

If he's better in the school, sell him to some-one who doesn't want to hack out?
Is he better going somewhere new? In full work? (Maybe he needs to be kept active all the time/focussed- could he event perhaps? Would keep his work varied/always a new challenge)
Does he do it with more established/experienced riders (ie, could he be taking the p!ss?) or could their help find you a way to stop it.
Is he better in company (human on the ground or other horse/s)?

It sounds like a horrid situation so best of luck.
 
Scary and dangerous - been there, once they set off it's hard to get them to stop.

You'll need your bridle and bit to feel confident - I ride my "bolter" now in just a Parelli hackamore so I can tell you that it can be solved

You need to teach him how to disengage his back end n the ground first - that's where the power comes from so that's what you have to make innefective - then in the saddle. You will probably want to use a single rope through the ring UP over the nose and on to the other side. Just practice disengaging his back end in the school at all paces - including canter.

That's your emergency stop - if you can stop the right side of the horse the left isn't going anywhere without it. If he is being really stong, use two hands, lift the rein to your opposite shoulder, actually turn in the saddle and glare at his back end (on the same side as the rope), growl for effect, then pop it with the rope if you need to. Your seat and balance needs to be good if you stop a horse like this becuase of the turning, but a few times, and repeating it as soon as he is dissobedient to the downward transition, will teach him to come back to you.
 
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That's your emergency stop - if you can stop the right side of the horse the left isn't going anywhere without it. If he is being really stong, use two hands, lift the rein to your opposite shoulder, actually turn in the saddle and glare at his back end (on the same side as the rope), growl for effect, then pop it with the rope if you need to. Your seat and balance needs to be good if you stop a horse like this becuase of the turning, but a few times, and repeating it as soon as he is dissobedient to the downward transition, will teach him to come back to you.

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If I've understood this correctly doesn't this sound like a good way of making the horse fall over?
 
Only if you try to do a handbrake turn!!!
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Ideally this needs to happen as soon as the inclination to bolt is felt, before the speed gets up. But otherwise, it is ever decreasing circles.

I've never had a horse fall over doing this.
 
My pony used to take off with me in canter riding in a pelham - had a strap on my saddle and used to hold it tight with the rein but found she still grabbed hold and nearly pulled me out the saddle AND THEN I tried a myler combination bit - didn't want to go into anything stronger in the mouth but this bit actually is milder in the mouth but is REVOLUTIONARY it actually works - I have breaks - in fact the first time I tried it I was in tears it was like riding a different horse and now there's no looking back - can't wait for the weather to improve so I can have some more 'controlled' canters. Certainly recommend talking to a bitbank for the Myler bits - at least then you can try and get your money back if it doesn't work for you.
 
If he's been checked over and given the all clear then i'd do as a couple of others have said, I've found it works a treat if you have the space..

Ride the horse onto a circle, and keep him there until he begins to calm/slow down. Usually at this point I then ask him to keep cantering a couple of laps before winding down back to walk.

If you have the space, and it's safe, try not to panic (hard, i know) and relax the rein and go with it.

When this has happened to me I've always made a point of asking them to keep the canter once they are fizzed out. If it's just bad manners, and on a straight enough track/field I've also felt them slowing and sat down and asked for them to keep the pace going, not for long.. maybe 200yards - Just to prove a point and get the control back.

I think horses find galloping off a lot less fun when you are 'in' on it and call their bluff by making them continue..
 
Thank you for all your replies, I am at the point now where I feel I have done everything I possibly can for him. He won't settle to schooling because of previous treatment he has and at the moment I definately don't feel it is safe to hack him, I feel guilty about this as he does love to hack. Trying to sell him in to a hunting home where he would be with experienced horse people seemed like his ideal job and something he would genuinely love doing, but obviously I am not going to sell him on for him so injure someone else and for him to be potentially passed on and on or end up in the wrong hands.
 
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