What does bolting mean to you?

Around here if someone says their horse bolted 9/10 times they mean it tanked off at speed TBH! Funny how there must be regional variation.
 
pansymouse said:
I agree with the consensus i.e. bolting is a flat out without regard to safety flight mechanism everything else is tanking. I've been bolted with a handful of times over my 50 years riding, I've been tanked with on a fairly regular basis (I like fast, feisty horses). Bolting is unbelievably frightening mainly on the basis one or both of you have a real possibility of not coming out of it alive or at best in one piece. Tanking is quite fun on the whole.
Click to expand...

Are you me !!! LOL
 
I think that riders sitting on a truly bolting,out off control horse will recognise the feeling.The horse is in a blind panic,his neck becomes wooden ie like a metal rod,there is no shortening or turning,his breathing changes,its hard to discribe other then distressed,sometimes his eyes are reversed and one can only see the whites....
I have been in this situation only twice;once on a racehorse on the gallops ;I bailed
out breaking my arm, the mare galloped on and went round for three rounds until she crashed exhausted and after that experience few wished to ride her, she was retired to the paddocks.The second one was a seasonned hunter,he was a puller but not considered Dangerous, he took off when he heard gunshots,I tried pulling him up but once again got no response,I stayed on, bad idea,he crashed headlong into a tree,I really thought he was going to stop or at least try to side step it.
He was killed instantly, broken neck.....Never again.
Believe me, when you are on a bolter you will NEVER forget it.I would not sell it on
I would have it pts straight away.
 
Most people on this thread are describing what I would call a bolter, something that runs until it gets stopped by a physical object which it cannot run through or runs out of energy to keep going, yet on so many threads we read of horses that have "bolted across the arena" "bolted when being led", only to stop at the first feed bucket or the fence, these are not bolting they are tanking off or whatever you want to call it, they may be out of the control of the rider/ handler but are usually in fairly good control of themselves so rarely get injured.

There seem to have been so many threads recently about "bolting" horses that I wondered what was happening when most sounded as if they were just a bit sharp, fresh, reactive and had taken off for some reason only to stop fairly quickly with no real harm done, I think in part is is all to do with life in general being exaggerated, everything has to be bigger, faster, better, worse than it really is, no one seems to "fall off" anymore, they all get bronked off or thrown, it doesn't really make any difference but on paper it seems more dramatic.

If any of the "bolters" come up for sale is the bolting going to be declared or will it then be described more accurately as what it really was?

I have luckily never sat on a true bolt, plenty of tanks though, a bolter is not something I would forgive, except in exceptional circumstances, it would be pts or retired to the field.
 
This is actually something that really gets on my nerves. People definitly misuse the word bolting.
Having ridden a true bolter I can honestly say its a terrifying experience. My old mare would regularly tank off with me and when she did this I had no brakes, no steering, and most worrying the mare had no care for her own safety and would fly over ditches, down high steep banks, and through hedges. That is a true bolter.
People seem to mix it up with horses just taking off out of excitement or being strong when being asked to slow down. There is a huge difference imo
 
Equine_Dream said:
This is actually something that really gets on my nerves. People definitly misuse the word bolting.
Having ridden a true bolter I can honestly say its a terrifying experience. My old mare would regularly tank off with me and when she did this I had no brakes, no steering, and most worrying the mare had no care for her own safety and would fly over ditches, down high steep banks, and through hedges. That is a true bolter o
Click to expand...

See, I'm afraid there would be no "regularly" about it for me; the horse would be shot or a pet. Any bolter wouldn't be sat on again in my book.
 
I saw a bolter at a venue on Sunday. A pony was in the jumping ring & had been 'performing' with the rider at the first fence. It stopped & was very difficult to control, & ran out of control from the ring. The rider eventually returned to the ring & presented to the first fence again, a friend of the rider was standing at the exit to prevent the horse running out again. The pony jumped the fence & charged to the exit, the friend diver out of the way & the pony bolted at full speed across the driveway, down the roadway & into the lorry park completely out of control. It was horrendous to see, Fortunately no one was injured & the pony wasn't hurt. A minute afterwards a lorry came down the narrow driveway the pony had bolted down & if it had come down earlier Lord knows what would have happened.
 
Llanali said:
See, I'm afraid there would be no "regularly" about it for me; the horse would be shot or a pet. Any bolter wouldn't be sat on again in my book.
Click to expand...
Absolutely. The horse that I was on was shot. Looking back, it was probably in pain. This was the early 70's. The fear is unforgettable. I must have been 12 or 13.
 
I've been tanked with twice, and that was terrifying enough. The horse completely had her wits about her and wasn't going to do anything that would get HER into trouble, but I was definitely an afterthought as far as she was concerned. She just wanted a canter and was very reluctant to let me stop her.

I admit, I didn't entirely understand the difference between a tank and a bolt until I actually saw a bolt. I was the one to untack the horse (while everyone else went to look for his missing rider), and it was like he wasn't 'in there' - his personality was completely consumed by his panic.

I suspect a lot of people like to say their horse 'bolted' because they think it makes them sound like a better rider. Partly in the way that fence heights have a tendency to edge upwards the more often a story gets told, and partly because they must be a good rider if they can cope with a badly-behaved horse. (In my experience, good riders don't have badly-behaved horses.)
 
Flat out gallop where horse's brain has disconnected from body and you are now a passenger on a runaway train. You might actually contemplate leaping off the horse to save yourself.Has only happened to me once or twice in my life and the only thing i could hope for is horse might tire enough so i could regain some steering and at least find a solid wall to crash the horse into before i die or get runover. once a horse i was on crossed a busy road out of blind bend i had my eyes shut hoping i did not die! Horrible
Tanking off is different mine tanks off sometimes but i always have steering, with bolting you have absolutly nothing the horse is like its not there
 
Last edited:
Llanali said:
See, I'm afraid there would be no "regularly" about it for me; the horse would be shot or a pet. Any bolter wouldn't be sat on again in my book.
Click to expand...

I agree completely but sadly this was out of my hands as the mare was on loan to me and the owner kept insisting I keep trying with the mare.
The final straw came for me one day when the mare tanked off and attempted to jump a very large ditch (going downhill I may add) tripped as she landed and nearly went down with me. I was reduced from a bold happy rider to a nervous wreck by this point and my confidence had gone completely.
The mare went back to her owner and was sold on as a teenagers pony :'(
 
I have been unfortunate enough to sit on two true bolters. Both of whom are now no longer with us thank goodness.

A true bolt is where the horse runs with no thought for itself or others, or what is in its way. The first I sat on ran full pelt into a dry stone wall, fell, somehow got back up (treading on me in the process) and then carried on running - he went through a stock wire fence and out onto a main road, crossed that somehow without getting hit or killing anyone, and eventually stopped in a farmyard about a mile away. He was PTS the next week as that was the fourth time he had done it. No reason, no warning, just upped and ran.

The second was the only time I have ever bailed from a horse. I had never even considered it before, but this time I didn't care what I broke or what happened to the horse, I wanted off. She was bolting down a country lane that I knew was going to turn a sharp right and get VERY steep downhill. Either she would run straight into the bank or she would try and make the turn and fall. She had run into and somehow scrambled over a car that had to stop for us, and had no care for herself. She ran into the bank after I jumped off, fell, and broke her leg.

Two of the most frightening experiences of my life. Never ever again!

It drives me mad when people say their horse bolts, or has bolted with them when in actual fact it has just knobbed off with them a bit. I ride a horse for somebody that regularly canters home down the road without his owner, having knobbed off and tipped him off on the way, but with us the horse has never been given the chance. If she tries to spin or ****** off with staff, we are experienced and quick enough to turn her back round or pull her up before it becomes a problem. She takes the proverbial, she does not bolt.
 
Some of these experiences are truly hair raising to read, and for those who've experienced it, you're very brave to be getting back on any horse! . It makes you appreciate how kind the majority of horses are that even when they are frightened they're generally still trying to listen to you and do the right thing, even if some "knobbing off" (I love that!) takes place in the process!
 
Equine_Dream said:
I agree completely but sadly this was out of my hands as the mare was on loan to me and the owner kept insisting I keep trying with the mare.
The final straw came for me one day when the mare tanked off and attempted to jump a very large ditch (going downhill I may add) tripped as she landed and nearly went down with me. I was reduced from a bold happy rider to a nervous wreck by this point and my confidence had gone completely.
The mare went back to her owner and was sold on as a teenagers pony :'(
Click to expand...

Sorry. There would be no insisting I'm afraid. If it was a true bolter I wouldnt get on for all the tea in China.
 
Definately a big difference between bolting and tanking off! I rode a mare for a guy I knew who was very much a novice but thought buying a big horse would make him look like a good rider!. He worked away, so I rode the horse sometimes for him. I took her through the track in the woods one day and we were cantering away, next minute head went up in the air and no amount of hauling would stop her. We were heading for a sharp bend onto the road and I made the decision to bale out, breaking my ankle in the process!.
I later found out that when he went to see her, he was told she bolted but still bought her. She was eventually pts as he wouldnt sit on her again.
 
I think sometimes people use 'bolting' as it sounds better than getting tanked off with.

One of my old mares had a PHD in tanking off - she had enough self preservation to avoid objects/ stop at fences etc but I had no control.

I once had a terrifying experience exercising a horse for someone. He decided to head for home at flat out gallop and there was nothing I could do to stop/ steer him. He only stopped when back at the yard. I'm not sure if it was a true bolt as he was not panicked and did avoid a tree (just) and took the 90 degree turn on the road rather well. I however was pretty sure one of both of us were going to die. The only reason I didn't bail out was because I would have landed on stock fencing and barbed wire.
 
Llanali said:
Sorry. There would be no insisting I'm afraid. If it was a true bolter I wouldnt get on for all the tea in China.
Click to expand...

Looking back I can't believe I ever did get back on. It really is a miracle I wasn't hurt. As stupid as it sounds I loved that mare as she was my first horse and I didn't want to give up on her. Looking back though I should never have gone near her after the first time she bolted off with. I certainly wont make that mistake again.
I now own two lovely horses that would never bolt with me in a million years. My confidence is coming back and Ive certainly learnt a valuable lesson from the experience.
 
The only 'true bolter' I had was in a carriage. He was stopped when the carriage he was pulling hit the barbed wire fence he had just jumped.

It took all the balls I could muster to drive again after that.
 
khalino said:
Mine bolts and I think it is a total lack of trust and respect as well as bad riding on my part. I'm re-schooling him and having everything checked out. I have only fallen once from his bolts, and I now refuse to hack out on open fields.

It's not a fun experience and yes, if you consider if you fall...will you die?
Click to expand...

With respect that is not bolting a true bolter you would never get back on if you have any thought for your life and others
 
HGA-12 said:
e. Unless the horse tires/ rider falls off or rider grabs the bit with both hands and turns the horse into a solid object for instance a fence.
.
Click to expand...

Sorry but on a true bolter you can haul on one rein with both hands and all you will do is pull the bit through the horses mouth. on a true bolter you could break the horses jaw and it wouldnt stop it!

I have owned a bolter, he was the most lovely horse until that switch in his head flicked and then he was gone. he once galloped head first into a wall and cracked his own head open and then at one show I got on him and he freaked out bolted I bailed, he got tangled in the ring rope, flipped over a few times, got up and galloped for a mile down the road before he came back to himself and stopped.
when he bolted the nice little horse was no longer there, he was totaly vacant and NOTHING would have stopped him. We eventualy found that he had an unhealed fracture of his pelvis and after getting it fixed and some remedial work he became fairly reliable but I never fully trusted him and he did take off a few times after the fix but I did regain control of them so I dont count those as bolts.

The only other bolt I have sat was a friends arab and something scared it in the woods when i was riding it, the horse crossed a main road, fell over on the corner chucking me into the fence and then galloped home.

I dont mind a horse that gets strong or tanks off. I can work with that and sort it. I will no longer get on a bolter!
 
I have a ridden a true bolter. It nearly went through a Land Rover - thankfully the driver swerved out of the way. I genuinely thought he would kill me.
I wouldn't knowingly get on a bolter ever again.

There are lots of horses that run off with riders. If you've ever felt/seen a true bolt, you don't mix them up.
 
I've been a passenger on a bolting horse (I didn't sit it out - I could see what was going to happen so I threw myself off - it happened on holiday in France, I would have been about 13 at the time). Not fun.

I've also experienced a 'bolt' situation that definitely wasn't a bolt. A pony from the yard went on loan, he's as safe as houses, not a bolter in any circumstance. We think new owner over-egged her ability and he was returned after 4 days(!). Apparently he bolted. I would eat my own hat if he did. We think he maybe got a bit strong in canter and was heading for home. His rider couldn't handle him, thought he was dangerous (he isn't, your granny could ride this pony) and back he came.

So yes, I think people use the term incorrectly.
 
I agree with the concensus a true bolter is one that has no regard or even awareness of danger. I was parked by the side of the road about to get out and catch a runaway horse as I had seen it coming it wrote off my car and galloped a further 7 miles along the main road before running out of steam in a farm yard fortunately mine was the only car damaged and the horse ended up with cuts and bruises. Scared my little granddaughter to death because of the noise as it hit the car it took her a long time to go near the ponies again and even longer to ride. I am very glad I stayed on the car it would likely have killed me
 
I think the term "bolting" is often greatly misused to exaggerate situations. The difference between bolting and "tanking off" is the element of choice. A bolting horse is fleeing blind, it makes no conscious choices, whereas a horse that tanks off can continue to make choices.

I bailed off a 17.2 Clydesdale when he bolted with me in the woods. Turns out he had PTSD from a previous experience in the area. He got more and more distressed throughout the ride until he completely lost it and took off, eyes rolling, mouth and neck foaming... He was a mess! I had no chance of stopping him and didn't fancy the upcoming blind turn and cliff drop so I bailed.

I've been tanked off with by a few horses, and on a couple I had absolutely no control (one nearly crashed through a fence) but they all knew exactly what they were doing, it was a choice. Tanking off can still be terrifying, and can still be dangerous, but it is different.
 
FlyingCircus said:
Pee'ing off -

Oh look, there's a fence...he'll either stop or go over it.

Bolting -

Oh S**t, there's a fence, we're going through it!
Click to expand...

This, and I've done the latter! Bolting to me means the horse is in a blind panic and doesn't care for his own safety whereas a "taking off" is the term I'd use for a horse just cantering (or even galloping) off and simply ignoring the aids but it would still have the sense to not go through things or put itself in proper danger. The few times I've ever been truly bolted with, the horse went absolutely full pelt - far faster than I ever managed to achieve galloping round a XC course even when you think its max speed. It was a whole other level.
 
I think this is just tanking but am interested in people's opinions - was out with a friend hacking down the lanes, a herd of cows were supposed to be herded down the right fork of the turning but started heading down the left towards us. We thought we'd turn and walk away until the lady had them back as they were a couple of hundred metres away. We turned then both horses just went from nothing into flat out gallop, mine had his head down and no amount of pulling could get his head up or get him to stop. We are so lucky there were no cars coming as it was a narrow lane with bends but I was dreading meeting one the whole time. After about 400m approximately I was able to shove mine into a lay by with a wall on his right and got him back under control and we were able to turn round and calm down. This stopped my friends horse.

I'm not sure if I'd have got him stopped earlier if there'd been space to circle etc. I thought we were going the whole way home.

I'd say after reading threads on here that it was just panicked tanking combined with herd instinct?

Some of the posts on here are so scary I definitely wouldn't knowingly get on a bolter.
 
Enfys said:
Someone who has been truly bolted with does not use the term lightly.
Click to expand...

This, a true bolt is when the animal has completely "gone" ... It won`t stop, and will run through anything. It`s happened to me once and it was absolutely terrifying.
 
I agree that bolting is blind panic. But there is a grey area - my horse "bolted" without warning downhill towards a distant wire fence. I stayed on and battled him, and did manage to bring him to a halt shortly before we hit the fence, only to find there was a lurcher on his heels which sloped off as we stopped. I guess he ran 1/4 mile at top speed, while I was unaware of the dog. So did he bolt? It was bloody terrifying, whatever you want to call it!
 
I'd agree with your first definition. I have been peed off with on many occasions (mainly by my second pony who could get very strong when he wanted to if there was an open field in front of him and I did have a memorable incident where I nearly ran someone over who was putting a fence up because he locked onto it and I couldn't stop him!) but have only been bolted with once. Current horse spooked at a cow that had it's head over the fence, nearly fell over in the process and then went into a blind panic and set off flat out down the road. Two friends I was with tried to block me in against the hedge on the wrong side of the road (where we ended up) but he forced his way through them (literally ran into the horse nearest to force it out of his way). I think he'd've crashed through the hedge if he hadn't managed to barge his way through. He then proceeded to continue down the road at full speed with a decent amount of sliding about. I had about 20 seconds where I had no control at all and did think about where would be a good place to throw myself off and how long we had to go until we reached a main road. Thankfully at around the time I spotted a layby that looked a suitable place to either try and force him to stop or to eject he decided that the scary thing was no longer chasing us and that we were on our own (he was very nappy at that point in time and wouldn't go in front willingly nvm going off on his own anywhere) and that maybe I was allowed a bit of speed control back. Not sure that other people WOULD class this as a bolt as he didn't go all the way back to the yard and did eventually pull up of his own accord but there was a good 30 seconds where I had absolutely no control at all and he would happily have ploughed through anything in his way to escape. (Thank god there were no cars around)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top