The first horse I viewed bolted with me!

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HorseSpirit

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Well after spending a little over a year saving up 3k for my first horse on a part-time wage, and forcing myself to live off £40 a month, I finally went to view a horse today.

The one thing I absolutely hate is bolting.. the feeling of not being in control is just terrifying! He was much greener than I had been told, and was actually 5 when the advert said 6. He seemed to just bolt right out of the blue.

Lovely horse though, such a shame!

Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWdJXHYpCws

Critique on my riding much much appreciated, I know its quite dreadful! Must remember to check my diagonal next time. Also leaning forward seems to be my newest habit.
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Bear in mind I've only ever had group lessons for 6 years, so as for getting a horse to work correctlty, I was basically guessing!
 
I went to view a horse at Exmoor Eventing and fell off him! Quite embarassing.
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I was trying him out over a jump and he took a long shot which made me lose balance then he panicked and bolted so I hit the deck! Decided he was a bit too green for me then saw a month later that the price was drastically reduced as a vet had found a wind problem with him so good thing I didnt fork out for a vetting!
 
i actually really like that horse. but if its your first the deffinatly a no. you should be looking at something a little more experianced.

your a lovely rider and you have a lot of potential!! just dont make the classic mistake of buying something to much to soon because it will end in tears.

what sort of horse are you after??
 
He is a lovely horse, and I thought your riding was very good and you looked good together.

I am not sure if I would call that bolting though, but just he was a bit green and thought you wanted more?

To be honest, I would look for an older horse, as 6 is very young and the older ones, still have a lot of life in them
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ETS When I was learning the riding School Horses used to do that, when asked to Canter to the back of the ride
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if it was a mare it would have been textbook to what happened to me a few years ago. it bolted twice, and i came off the second time - into the fence.

Im sure you will find something more suitable for you.
 
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He is a lovely horse, and I thought your riding was very good and you looked good together.

I am not sure if I would call that bolting though, but just he was a bit green and thought you wanted more?

To be honest, I would look for an older horse, as 6 is very young and the older ones, still have a lot of life in them
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He does look a lovely horse and you rode him well. However i agree that you should be looking for an older horse. Im looking for my first horse and looking for one age 10+. I know that I'm not confident or experienced enough to bring on a young horse and it would probably all go wrong.

Good luck with the horse search
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ditto above, he did only bolt because he was green which is behaviour to be expected in a young horse. IMO i think you should be looking at a little older, so you can get on and do what your first horse is all about, LONG hacks, competitions and loads of fun. the second horse is something i bit more testing. that way, you will learn and build you confidence.

im so jelous of your seat and hands. your such a light handed rider! and for someone who doesnt know how to make a horse work 'properly' you dont a blooming good job in my eyes!!!
 
lovely horse, you are a lovely gentle rider but without being rude, you definately need something more in the schoolmaster field. As soon as the horse went into canter you appear to lose your balance a bit and the horse looks worried but was NOT bolting. Dont take this the wrong way but try and look for something a bit older (sounds like you did as you thought it was 6) but IMHO I woudl go for 10 or older that has been there and done it and will be more forgiving.

My first step up from ponies was a 16 year old 16.1hh he was no saint but being new to that size he taught me everything and tolerated my newness to horses that size much more than most babies would do.

Good luck in your search, 3k should in the current climate MORE than find you what you need. Dont be put off by the oldies if they are sound and well, they will teach you soooo much xx
 
dont think it bolted! as such! you just didnt land in sync and it was more forward then you! and you failed to communicate, half halt ride horse forward etc. you just froze and hung on! easily done. nice type of horse! i think you maybe need to broaden your horizon and ride a few different horses! and work on your balance and jumping. please dont over horse yourself as it will end in tears! i dont think you would be far off this horse with ten private lessons . wrong diagonal! as you already know!
 
Sorry guys that video is a bit deceiving isn't it, my friend actually turned the video off at that point but we did 2 laps of the whole arena with me doing everything to make him stop - voice commands, half-halts, leaning back. In the end I had to point him at the side of the arena.. he either had to jump it or stop! Luckily he was sensible and stopped. I know I've only had lessons but I do know the difference between cantering and bolting
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Thanks for the compliments on my riding, they really mean a lot! I have such a lack of confidence in myself recently.

Honestly I am actually looking for a been there, done that type of horse. Because I have had some dips in confidence recently and I want something to teach me, rather than me teaching it. But it said on the advert he was 6, so I thought could be nearly 7.. he turned out to be 5. He sounded perfect, he'd been to shows, didn't mention anything about being green and since he was only an hour away I thought I might aswell give it a go and see what hes like! Will definately be a lot firmer now when asking questions about them.
 
i think he only didnt stop because you lost you balance and he lost his confidence in you. i think the horse just had a panic when you where un balanced.

glad your looking for an older wiser horse. youll have a lot of fun. i remember my first horse! was the most exiting thing ever!
 
Wouldn't you consider that bolting then if he was cantering full-pelt round the arena and ignoring the rider's aids?

Aye, will definately double check age next time.
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Sorry guys that video is a bit deceiving isn't it, my friend actually turned the video off at that point but we did 2 laps of the whole arena with me doing everything to make him stop - voice commands, half-halts, leaning back. In the end I had to point him at the side of the arena.. he either had to jump it or stop! Luckily he was sensible and stopped. I know I've only had lessons but I do know the difference between cantering and bolting
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Thanks for the compliments on my riding, they really mean a lot! I have such a lack of confidence in myself recently.

Honestly I am actually looking for a been there, done that type of horse. Because I have had some dips in confidence recently and I want something to teach me, rather than me teaching it. But it said on the advert he was 6, so I thought could be nearly 7.. he turned out to be 5. He sounded perfect, he'd been to shows, didn't mention anything about being green and since he was only an hour away I thought I might aswell give it a go and see what hes like! Will definately be a lot firmer now when asking questions about them.

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Bolting is flat out gallop. Losing all control... Cantering around the school is not bolting. But you are a lovely rider and very quiet which is fantastic. Many riders find it hard to sit still!!

I too agree with the other posters, look for something 10years plus. Something that has done loads of shows, hacking, something that can teach you to go solo and do it all for the first time. Riding school horses and riding private horses are totally different... But believe me (I know) it will not be a happy story if you get something too green. You may want to get something you have to kick on a bit and feel really confident on.

Good luck.xx
 
yes i agree he bolted when he felt you bouncing around on his back. for a youngster thats very scary. however from the video, landing from that jump you where out of sync with him and he paniced. thats expected in a youngster. you just have to sit deep, keep relaxed, bring him back and start again. from what i saw from that video, you did the opposite and pulled on the reins.

i hope i havent offended you, but you asked for C critisisum on your riding and all these point to looking for an older more experiance horse which you are
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so its not a problem? really didnt mean to offend?
 
its the change of age time of year! technically the @bolting@ horse is now six! check your ages when phoning up. and whatever you buy the best money you will spend is the 10 private lessons in the first 3 weeks to build your partnership together. dont wait til it has settled (and learnt to take the piss). buy it subject to vet, get it home and 3 lessons per week for first 3 weeks! you wont go far wrong then. better yet buy and vet and have some lessons on it for a week before you take it home.
 
if the lady said it bolted it must of bolted..where we their to see exactly what happened ?

Get ur self something older and wiser, a lot of colleges and riding centres give their old schoolmasters away free or quite cheep to good homes, we got one last year from mysc and a friend of mine got a retired police horse
 
As others have said... nice horse, nice rider, no bolting but not a good combination. :-)

FWIW it took me more than two circuits of the (40x40?) arena I tried (first) share horsey in to stop him the first time I tried him!

Again, no bolting but I swapped the dressage whip I given by owner awkwardly (I hadn't used one in years, it didn't actually touch him just scared him, I later found out he freaks about whips in the middle, fine on the track - dubious history...) and got a *very* extended panicky canter with head in the air... didn't feel comfortable doing too much in front of his owner (silly really, should have just got him on a tight circle) so talked to him calmly and half-halted until we got back in control.

For me he is great but if I'd had him earlier on in my riding career (I'd been riding for around 5 years before this I think) I'd have been totally out of my depth and would have probably tensed up enough to come off his lovely Arab spooks. Go with something you're going to feel confident on.
Critique: your toes stick out like mine! Did/do you do ballet too? You need to work on turning in (well, not in, just straight, but it will feel like 'in') from your hip. You can do things on the ground (with feet parallel practice bending knees so they go over your toes, you'll need to use your seat and possibly ankles to adjust this!). On a (safe RS) horse pull up one leg so that you have your knee right at the front of the saddle and heel up near your bum, then extend your leg backwards along the side of the horse, finally bring it forwards like a pendulum to the stirrup. Should help you ride longer and more parallel. :-)

Happy horse hunting. I think having a friend to video is a fab idea!
 
As everyone else has already said - you are a lovely quiet rider with nice hands but the video does show how tense and nervous you are.

I think people are questioning the fact that you say the horse bolted simply because an awful lot of people on this forum have experienced a real bolter - ie when a horse runs blind and that is very scary indeed.

I think this horse - and I really like it - was simply a little bit upset that everything didn't go according to plan, as it was perhaps used to, when you jumped.

I think when you finally do get your own horse and get to know each other - there will be no stopping you
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LittleSoph wasn't sure if that comment was specifically for me or just a QR...

I think some people use 'bolting' to specifically mean a horse in a 'blind' panic galloping flat out - one that might even have jumped/run through the arena fence it was pointed at! So, I'm not sure, even now I've seen the OP's additional info on what happened after the video stopped (which I hadn't before replying the first time), that I would call it bolting. I'd probably say 'taking off'?

But anyway, the OP probably isn't going to want a horse that 'takes off' (or bolts depending on how we use the term) easily.

Her riding wasn't terrible at all and nothing major happend to scare the horse. It was just that horse and rider got out of harmony, rider got tense and horse ran away from the situation.

I know (as mentioned above!) what this feels like when trying a new horse so OP has a great deal of sympathy - I actually did get a private lesson on share horsey before taking him on. Agree with others that it could make a huge difference.
 
No, that isn't bolting, he shot forward when you lost your balance and clamped your lower leg on to save yourself, he took that to mean faster and complied!
I would guess he's been schooled by a professional up to now, who would have asked him to come back and he would have obeyed, he was just confused that's all.
I think you looked very tense to start with and had your arms and hands a little too still, but I feel once you get the right horse, you have the makings of a super rider, you're quiet and sit nicely, all you need is experience.
I would actually suggest whatever you buy it is only as a stop gap for a couple of years, probably nothing younger than 8 and a horse that's already reasonably experienced, so it will tolerate any mistakes.
I certainly wouldn't worry about today's horse whizzing round, it was just unfortunate, and although it probably shook you a little, put it out of your mind.
Good luck with your search, and do steer away from any youngsters, they need very clear direction until they learn how to behave, and this horse did look promising but quite novicey himself.
Do feel free to forward me any ads you think might suit you, I owned a horse finder agency for some years so have looked at an awful lot of horses for people, I always say it's like finding a partner, you may have to kiss a few frogs first...
 
My opinion is as follows and we all have to learn so do not take these comments the wrong way:-
1. he was only 5
2. he has quite a lot of gadgetry on for someone with your experiance - look at the tack before you get on next time.
3. he was never quite "forward" ie he was troting but not going anywhere
4. i am assuming you had cantered him before you had popped the jump?
5. when you landed you basically "fired him" - he did not bolt
6. you are a nice light rider -
7. he was a nice horse
8. We all want something that looks the part - but in truth we want something that is the part and if at the end of the day you are 100% confident on something that resembles a hefferlump then buy that. There are far too many "quality horses" stuck in fields or stabless because the riders are too over horsed and too embarressed to go for the plainer looking horse

good luck - you will find your perfect match
 
I have to say I was suprised at how well you rode, from your description of only having had group lessons for a couple of years. Although obviously a little nervous in walk and trot your riding is excellent and it wasn't until the canter that your inexperience showed.

As others have said, unless he then broke into a flat out gallop round the school, I wouldn't count that as a 'bolt', just a worried, confused horse and a nervous rider. If you'd sat up, relaxed and just let him stop in his own time you would have been sorted. It was the loss of balance, tipping forwards, gripping and trying to force him to stop that drove him on more. My horse would have done the exact same thing - RS horses are used to riders loosing their balance but many privately owned horses aren't, and it frightens them.

He looked like a really nice horse but just too much horse power and a bit too green for you yet. If you're nervous at the best of times you really need to look at underhorsing yourself to begin with.

Like others have said, look for something a bit older and possible a bit less 'posh' (they're cheaper
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) Your riding has the potential to be excellent, so once your experience and confidence matches you ability you'll be ready for a horse like him. In the meantime I'd go for something that's been there, done that and a confidence giver.

I'd probably be looking for a smaller laid back hairy cob type to go out and have some fun on for a couple of years (unless you don't like that type, obviously). They're cheaper to buy, usually more laid back and tolerant and often confidence-giving types. If you used your time schooling them up you'd have a horse worth more than you paid for it, you'd gain plenty of expenrience and then have the knowledge and the money to look at horses similar to this one in three years time.
 
Look at it this way; you found out that the first horse you saw wasn't for you (it rarely is) and you didn't disgrace yourself or hurt yourself. You now have a clearer idea of the type of horse you need to look for (older/more experienced/not necessarily as 'good looking'). All in all a valuable way to spend your day and the first step on the way to finding your first horse.
Very exciting, good luck!
 
Id agree with other comments.

I think its a lovely horse! and you looked a lovely pair, and it seemed to being going great up till then!!!

You riding was fine, but i would just say not quite strong enough for a green youngster.

Maybe look for something about 9+ that has a bit more experience under their belt that you can feel a bit safer on and do a bit more on and they will suprise you as to just how much they can teach you as well!

But overall bit of a shame (but as you say just a green bolt!) as it all seemed to be going so well! But you seemed to sit up ok!
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Well done on saving all the money, it must be really exciting to be able to look at horses at last!!!

Don't be too hard on yourself, you are a nice rider, maybe need to shorted your stirrups a bit and you will find it easier to balance.

To be perfectly honest though this looked like a bad match from the beginning. You did not do anything wrong, but the horse looked young and green right from the start, you looked unbalanced and you confused each other. In a sense you were very lucky he run off with you (agree with other, if you can stop it it's not a bolt!) because you found out there and then that he was not for you.

Was that your instructor in the middle or the owner? If you can take your instructor with you for a second opinion it's really worth it!

Agree with others that you need a completely different type of horse. I would say 10-12 years old, been-there-done-that-got the-t-shirt RC type horse, with a really sweet and forgiving temperament which is a good hack. Breed wise you want something with a bit of native or a bit of pony in it, a finer cob or a Connemara cross. You'll have loads of fun with that kind of horse!

Good luck in your search.
 
In agreement with others too.
Horse had a lot of tack on - that would warn a more experienced rider that he was novicy or perhaps sharp.
You were nervous and tense and it shows, you were too still, hanging on to him.
You landed on him a bit hard after the jump and gave him a bit of a shock, and then failed to relax and bring him down the paces into a soft hand. Just the wrong horse for you at your current level, hes a novice, you are a novice.
Not to worry, go and find a really smart but older gypsy cob, they can look lovely and flash too, but just less sharp and reactive like the TB/warmblood types, and have some fun hacking about and getting a more established seat.
 
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Sorry guys that video is a bit deceiving isn't it, my friend actually turned the video off at that point but we did 2 laps of the whole arena with me doing everything to make him stop - voice commands, half-halts, leaning back. In the end I had to point him at the side of the arena.. he either had to jump it or stop! Luckily he was sensible and stopped. I know I've only had lessons but I do know the difference between cantering and bolting
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A true bolter, wont come back to any aid, until its physically exausted, they will go through fences, as in the panic they dont think rationally. I've seen a horse bolt with rider throught a 4 rail arena fence, the rider chose to exit, horse fell down a 2ft drop, rolled over the saddle got up and kept running, the more they run the more they panic, as they often dont know what started them running.

However that horse dosnt appear right in its back, He dosnt connect from front to back, he's muscled upside down. To me he ran off as his backs weak and muscled incorrectly, so as you landed after the jump (although lightly) it hurt which set him off, as he was sweet until then. I would also question the saddle fit, to cause such a reaction.

You rode quietly, and a lot of riders have a habit of leaning forward especially on a new horse, so dont knock yourself for that.

As said above I think a more mature horse would definatly suit, you've said that you've only had group lessons. So a mature schoolmster type would be far better, than a green horse that may knock your confidence over time. Horses are suposed to be fun afterall
 
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