What is your idea of BOMBPROOF

[Jzo]

I am getting quite into the whole forum thing and following a video I posted earlier on another thread it got me thinking...

What is everyones idea of bombproof, I know this has a meaning to most people such as ''Cob that plods and does nothing in any type of danger'' - (sorry to stereotype) but I noticed there is actually a wide variety of people out there who have different perceptions..

For example I see ad's for horses such as cobs or retired tb's and they say things like... ''Completely unflappable and bombproof, is perfect for a novice but can be more exciting and forward going for the more experienced...

Now too me that ISN'T bombproof, because I wouldn't want to put a novice on there for example (to me a novice is someone who can walk trot and possibly a bit of canter), who uses their leg too much and sends the horse into it's ''forward going'' phase, and falls off as a reaction to not expecting it..

I also see alot of ad's where people advertise their bombproof horses but at the bottom of the paragraph say things like ''although does hate pigs/tractors'' etc etc!

 

[cbmcts]

Depends on so many things

To me, safe in all traffic and has brakes - they may not want to pull up but they will...

As an experienced but now very wimpy rider I like a horse to be well schooled ie move off the leg, work into the bridle but also stop/slow when asked and carry themselves. Safe in traffic is vital in my area and something that doesn't feel the need to have a nervous breakdown (they can leave that to me!) about anything slightly out of the ordinary is a bonus.On the other hand, a difficult on the ground type doesn't bother me in the slightest.

My nightmare is a lazy kickalong type who spooks a lot.

 

[highlandponygirl]

My interpretation of bombproof is that your horse should be good with traffic, other animals,every day objects that you see every where( bins, sign posts, people etc)and not being too silly in open spaces. I think though you have to alow room for their natural instincts, cause even the most sensible horses can react to things, even if it does seem daft to us.

 

[Jzo]

Depends on so many things

To me, safe in all traffic and has brakes - they may not want to pull up but they will...

As an experienced but now very wimpy rider I like a horse to be well schooled ie move off the leg, work into the bridle but also stop/slow when asked and carry themselves. Safe in traffic is vital in my area and something that doesn't feel the need to have a nervous breakdown (they can leave that to me!) about anything slightly out of the ordinary is a bonus.On the other hand, a difficult on the ground type doesn't bother me in the slightest.

My nightmare is a lazy kickalong type who spooks a lot.

Its really strange because I have no confidence atall (as stated in another thread) but my friends 16'2 irish sports horse mare, as mareish as they come spooks at everything such as twigs and leaves, shes jumped twigs and leaves that move across the road, she turns round and can jog backwards but I trust her with my life, it is the weirdest EVER connection! She had a car pressed up against her the other day whilst friend was riding and she just walked on without batting an eyelid! To me she is bombproof because I understand her and I know she would never buck bolt or rear, but I'd never sell her as bombproof, Id sell her as quirky!

 

[Jzo]

My interpretation of bombproof is that your horse should be good with traffic, other animals,every day objects that you see every where( bins, sign posts, people etc)and not being too silly in open spaces. I think though you have to alow room for their natural instincts, cause even the most sensible horses can react to things, even if it does seem daft to us.

Thats kind of the line of thought I was thinking... althought I think when it comes to traffic they literally should be completely ''bomb-proof'' because that has to be the most dangerous time to ride, when in traffic!

 

[cc14]

I dont believe anyone who says their horse is bombproof tbh. No horse out there could have seen everything, and nobody can guarantee that their horse will never have a little spook...after all they are animals and therefore unpredictable

 

[highlandponygirl]

I took a big shire out on my first ever hack alone a few years ago, i was so nervous but didn't have to worry. She was such a gem. I took her along a bridal path with lots of tractors etc in the feilds, didn't bat an eyelid. We passed a few people with dogs and children and crossed alittle bridge, passed a few things that i was scared of lol, and we walked back through open feilds and through the village where people where cutting their hedge with a hedge strimmer, their was loud work going on in renovation house and we had lots of car, vans etc pass us. Then we went back to the stables where there was a for lift coming towards us but she didnt care much, She was such a star, she gave me lots of confidence, havn't met a horse like her yet.

 

[polopony]

I think our mare fills this classification perfectly, although she taught me to ride, she is NOT a novice ride, but is completely bombproof. If she doesn't want to go any faster than a walk, then she will not go any faster than a walk. Similarly, if she does not want to go any slower than a gallop, she will not go any slower than a gallop! Despite this she is the horse of a lifetime, she doesn't buck, rear, spin or spook at ANYTHING! She knows every route by the back of her hoof and always gets you home in one piece (just!).
Sadly she is now 32 and has been retired for the past year (at 31 she was still carting me everywhere at a hefty gallop!)

 

[Archangel]

My definition of a bombproof horse is one that holds his/her line in the face of adversity despite receiving no further instructions/comfort from the rider/handler.
A cycle race coming up behind and whooping might cause a moment of passage but no follow through.
Will carry on walking through a tunnel when a fire engine with all bells and whistles going comes through the other end.
Will walk trot and canter in a reasonable manner without comment or interpretation (unless asked to whoop it up by the rider)
Walk over or past strimmers, umbrellas or any other object without unecessary shillyshallying about
Gradually slow down when the rider inexpicably starts to slide off down his shoulder and come to a stop. Wait for rider to scramble back on again, taking no fright from the shrieking and/or screaming from the passenger
To stay calm when everyone else psses off and leaves you

I did actually own the above horse (an Arab) and he was completely shatterproof but at the same time forward going and intelligent. Proving a bombproof horse doesn't have to be dead from the feet up. Really quite breedy horses can be very sensible as well as our cobby friends.

 

[Jzo]

I took a big shire out on my first ever hack alone a few years ago, i was so nervous but didn't have to worry. She was such a gem. I took her along a bridal path with lots of tractors etc in the feilds, didn't bat an eyelid. We passed a few people with dogs and children and crossed alittle bridge, passed a few things that i was scared of lol, and we walked back through open feilds and through the village where people where cutting their hedge with a hedge strimmer, their was loud work going on in renovation house and we had lots of car, vans etc pass us. Then we went back to the stables where there was a for lift coming towards us but she didnt care much, She was such a star, she gave me lots of confidence, havn't met a horse like her yet.

They really are gentle giants - I so desperately want a shire but SOOO expensive!

 

[whiteclover]

My definition of a bombproof horse is one that holds his/her line in the face of adversity despite receiving no further instructions/comfort from the rider/handler.
A cycle race coming up behind and whooping might cause a moment of passage but no follow through.
Will carry on walking through a tunnel when a fire engine with all bells and whistles going comes through the other end.
Will walk trot and canter in a reasonable manner without comment or interpretation (unless asked to whoop it up by the rider)
Walk over or past strimmers, umbrellas or any other object without unecessary shillyshallying about
Gradually slow down when the rider inexpicably starts to slide off down his shoulder and come to a stop and wait for rider to scramble back on again taking no fright from the shrieking and/or screaming from the passenger
To stay calm when everyone else psses off and leaves you/QUOTE]

I agree with Rebelrebel. This is what I call bombproof. Altho Ive never had a horse yet that I could call bombproof.

 

[Jzo]

I think our mare fills this classification perfectly, although she taught me to ride, she is NOT a novice ride, but is completely bombproof. If she doesn't want to go any faster than a walk, then she will not go any faster than a walk. Similarly, if she does not want to go any slower than a gallop, she will not go any slower than a gallop! Despite this she is the horse of a lifetime, she doesn't buck, rear, spin or spook at ANYTHING! She knows every route by the back of her hoof and always gets you home in one piece (just!).
Sadly she is now 32 and has been retired for the past year (at 31 she was still carting me everywhere at a hefty gallop!)

Bless! See to me that is bombproof in the sense of the word when it comes to objects but to me bombproof must also mean novice ride I think....

My definition of a bombproof horse is one that holds his/her line in the face of adversity despite receiving no further instructions/comfort from the rider/handler.
A cycle race coming up behind and whooping might cause a moment of passage but no follow through.
Will carry on walking through a tunnel when a fire engine with all bells and whistles going comes through the other end.
Will walk trot and canter in a reasonable manner without comment or interpretation (unless asked to whoop it up by the rider)
Walk over or past strimmers, umbrellas or any other object without unecessary shillyshallying about
Gradually slow down when the rider inexpicably starts to slide off down his shoulder and come to a stop. Wait for rider to scramble back on again, taking no fright from the shrieking and/or screaming from the passenger
To stay calm when everyone else psses off and leaves you



I did actually own the above horse (an Arab) and he was completely shatterproof but at the same time forward going and intelligent. Proving a bombproof horse doesn't have to be dead from the feet up. Really quite breedy horses can be very sensible as well as our cobby friends.

That is absolutely FANTASTIC. I am bookmarking this thread page to use that in future because that is everything that I thought but was unable to get from head to keyboard!
I'd love to own a horse of this type!

 

[ischa]

I agree with claudiacox , there is not such a thing as 100% bombproof
Every horse , no matter what type , no matter how laid back every horse can be un predickable

 

[Mrs B]

The only truly bombproof horse is one with no pulse.

 

[JessPickle]

Obviously no horse is truly bombproof, they're flight animals at the end of the day. Think my boy is closest as they come (on the left) He meets all the criteria that was listed above. He saves his rider over anything its brilliant.

Planking

 

[Jzo]

In some senses I see what you mean but in others I don't.

I mean it's not like we are going to take a horse to some majorly new random place where no horse has ever been before (I know what I mean in my own head)

So as far as horses go and the places we generally take them I think there is such a thing. I learnt to ride a Piebald Cob called Freddy, bludy fantastic doesn't come CLOSE to what he was, he really was bombproof, absolutely nothing atall ever phased ever, someone could jump out a bush unexpectedly (the kids often did it) and he wouldnt even look half the time!

Obviousley if you were to take a horse to an R'n'B under 18's night indoors with a disco light and what not maybe they would spook but realistically that is never going to happen, so as far as the horse world goes, the things we are most likely to subject them too, I think they can be bombproof....

 

[StormyMoments]

i think its a silly thing to describe a horse as... if you stick a bomb under a horse it blows up and the horse walked away uninjured then yeah bombproof by all means

but i suppose i would take it as good on roads not scared of anything like motor bikes tractors etc and you can take them in a field and they wont take off etc

 

[cbmcts]

My definition of a bombproof horse is one that holds his/her line in the face of adversity despite receiving no further instructions/comfort from the rider/handler.
A cycle race coming up behind and whooping might cause a moment of passage but no follow through.
Will carry on walking through a tunnel when a fire engine with all bells and whistles going comes through the other end.
Will walk trot and canter in a reasonable manner without comment or interpretation (unless asked to whoop it up by the rider)
Walk over or past strimmers, umbrellas or any other object without unecessary shillyshallying about
Gradually slow down when the rider inexpicably starts to slide off down his shoulder and come to a stop. Wait for rider to scramble back on again, taking no fright from the shrieking and/or screaming from the passenger
To stay calm when everyone else psses off and leaves you

I did actually own the above horse (an Arab) and he was completely shatterproof but at the same time forward going and intelligent. Proving a bombproof horse doesn't have to be dead from the feet up. Really quite breedy horses can be very sensible as well as our cobby friends.

If you ever find another like him, give me a shout please Funny you should say that but I've known a few (all Crabbets btw) Arabs that give a good impression of OMG but it's all for show...

I think it goes without saying that everybody knows that even the quietest horse can be unpredictable but Bombproof is just an expression

 

[mulledwhine]

Our pony was described as bomb proof ,,,?? But he does not like many things he had seen since been with us!!!

Not a problem, ax we are working through his fears, but I would say there is no such thing, unless you have a horse who is genuinely fed up with everything, so that he does not care.

Perhaps it should be re branded as ' has lost all interest in mostly everything' !

 

[FanyDuChamp]

I do not believe there is any such thing as a bombproof horse, they are flight animals. However, that said, I have not found anything that frightens Fany. We have had a angle grinder start up on the other side of hedge and she just turned and looked, strimmers and pheasants don't phase her, not bothered by any traffic, weather, dustbins, quad/ motorbikes nothing has made her spook.When my daughter fell off, Fany slipped, she just stood still and waited. She is just very easy going, not a plod and not a novice ride due to being a very strong, very stubborn mare. She just isn't scared of anything, the really odd thing is that until we got her 2 and a half years ago she had been a brood mare and only really sat on, not properly backed and ridden away.

FDC

 

[kinnygirl1]

I would say something that is reliably unflappable. Could still be a forward going ride though. Of course, I do believe that there is no such thing as 100% bombproof. They are horses and I think with all of them there may be something, somewhere that could incite thier fight or flight instinct.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I dont believe anyone who says their horse is bombproof tbh. No horse out there could have seen everything, and nobody can guarantee that their horse will never have a little spook...after all they are animals and therefore unpredictable

You obviously didn't meet our first horse.
He had driven in Blackpool in the summer season and then worked in a RS in Bradford in through the winter, for several years and he was truly 'bombproof'. He just didn't jump at anything (well except the steam-jet from a dye-works - it's a VERY long time ago,lol), he was frightened of no traffic whatsoever, although he wasn't too keen on passing a horse-box with the ramp down, we think he was worried he might have to leave his nice, cushy retirement home. He hated to get his feet wet and point-blank refused to walk through puddles, no matter what the rider did.
We've had 3 other R&D horses who have been equally unflappable, including a Welsh A who I can only remember once jumping unexpectedly and that was when she was stung by a wasp! She acted as nanny to much bigger horses.

I am another very experienced but no longer in the first flush of youth rider and I prefer a horse I can rely on to be sensible and stop when asked. My current horse will jump occasionally, if startled but only on the spot.

All our horses CAN be described as bombproof as they stand watching the November fireworks in fascination without so much as an ear-flick.

 

[indie999]

I think any horse has the potential not to be bombproof. My bombproof cob has had his moments of going off but he usually runs out of puff(ie not a bolt) BUT over a 13 year period he has probably gone off about 3 times in total and took me by suprise.

He is 110% traffic(police cars sirens) giant arctic/hot air balloons/ helicoptors/ HGVs etc etc unflappable.

Lazy bones plod! If I tapped him up with a whip to get him to move if no response to leg aids he pretty much didnt have much reaction..a real plod un nasty(had been driven) I hacked with him walk trot canter odd gallop but rare. Would always stop(more than happy to do this). Eating was far more important.

I class him as bombproof.,, I think one with brakes is probably my definition.

Although I had a plod Bombproof is brakes/traffic/ unflappable.

I wish I could find one just like him.....very RARE indeed!

 

[MerrySherryRider]

All of mine have been bombproof. They are ridden in all weathers and through anything, along fields with combine harvesters, triathalons, quarry blasting, dustbin lorries in the process of tipping and crushing the contents of bins, kids on bouncy castles, council hedge cutting machines,through fields of sheep, cattle, even pigs don't bother them.
They didn't start out as bombproof, and some were naturally more unflappable, but they were expected to be reliable and useful.

Having watched the police horses in action during the recent riots, I was impressed and reinforced my belief, that many horses can be trained to be bombproof.

Forward going and not a novice ride are not the same thing as bombproof. Bombproof refers to lack of spookiness and flight reaction to non-life threatening events.

 

[honey-bees]

I define bomb-proof as a horse that has seen & done most things and will not react explosively to a situation such as heavy traffic, wind/rain etc etc
Saying that though, as previously stated, a horse is a living animal and have their own mind so cannot ever be 100% trusted to behave or not be scared.
A bomb proof horse is some thing you would feel comftorable seating your grandma on and won't take the 'mick' with a less capable jockey.

 

[EAST KENT]

My mare is bombproof,not boring,looks about her but is never silly.I have lent her twice to women who had lost their nerve,perfect result.She is an absolute gem,looks good trimmed up show cob style ,a real friend.
She came over from Eire,after breeding a few foals,had been "sat on" ,even then completely reliable and willing. At the moment she is being Auntie to a foal,whose Highland mother really is a bit irresponsible,but she is still up for going out for rides between times.The foal just then reverts back to it`s mother,until Auntie returns.An amazing lady who will never be for sale.
She looks after her rider,one I would happily ride around Hyde Park Corner,bareback if you want!

 

[Kaylum]

My horse was bombproof well so I thought. Been everywhere, down to the supermarket for shopping, over the viaduct, hunting, but one day he reared whilst out on a hack never ever done this before. He had been stung we think, I fell off and he ran two miles home.

Had him for 6 years and never done put a hoof wrong.

 

[hayinamanger]

To me bombproof means that the horse is excellent in traffic, and will walk past scary objects like bins and flapping plastic. To me bombproof does not necessarily mean that the horse will be quiet to ride, these are 2 separate things. Also, any horse, no matter how bombproof, can be frightened.

 

[bex1984]

I don't think it exists - every horse can be spooked every now and again and I think the way they react when spooked is far more important..there's a big difference between a spook that ends in ditching the rider and galloping home, and briefly shying sideways!
That said, I have a very unflappable pony who is perfect with all traffic, who I cantered along the edge of a field last week next to a tractor pulling a very noisy harrow, who is teaching complete beginners to ride, who will step underneath you to push you back into the saddle if you have a wobble, who will stand stock still if the horse he is riding out with spooks and sits on him, who will take over in times of total nervous breakdown on behalf of his rider and get you from a to b safely. He's an angel really. But he is absolutely terrified of donkeys!

 

[JanetGeorge]

I dont believe anyone who says their horse is bombproof tbh. No horse out there could have seen everything, and nobody can guarantee that their horse will never have a little spook...after all they are animals and therefore unpredictable

That's true - I've had a few youngsters I've sold as: "As close to bombproof as they come while still breathing" and their new owners report they ARE that good (up to 18 months later!) - but there'll be SOMETHING out there to spook them one day! However, while a 'bombproof' horse MIGHT have a spook at something very strange, it shouldn't BOLT or buck or rear as a result - just LOOK - or perhaps jump a foot sideways. But 'bombproof' shouldn't be used (IMHO) as a description for a horse who would better be described as 'dead from the neck up'!!