My horse has started bolting..please help

Victor

Victor

New Member
Jan 29, 2006
32
0
0
Pembrokeshire
I bought my horse in July 2005 when he was being worked every day out on steady hacks with other riders. Since then I have been riding him about three times a week again with other riders and have galloped and cantered him on the beach and through fields, which we have both enjoyed. A few months ago he took off in the field as the wind had really picked up when we were out and he bolted. I turned him and finally he stopped but found him very hard to hold. That was the first time and I just put that down to the wind becoming strong, but decided it was time to steady our work when out. Since then he has bolted several times, usually when I am asking for him to slow his canter, he just gets faster and then takes off, and I can't hold him and he knows it.
The last three weeks, I have lunged him every time he is in - three tmes a week - on side reins, and then school him also. On one of the days we go out and trot and walk the roads only. Yesterday I decided to go with another rider into a wooded area with enclosed steady canter tracks and try him in a controled canter to see how he was going. Again when i asked for him to steady he started picking up speed and then took off at a flat out gallop, ending up galloping down a gravel hill and round some hair raising corners. I stayed on but could not bring him back and only stopped him by forcing up a steep slope and then he was on his toes ready to take off again. I was really dissappointed as I thought we might have made a little progress in the school. So this is what I have decided and would really appreciate anyones comments on if they think this is a good plan of action. He comes in for three days and then is turned out for four days so he is not stood in and when he does come in I will lunge him on both reins and side reins in mainly trot with some canter work. Then get on and school him, transition work and directional work with canter work on 20m circles. One of the days trot on the roads and nothing more. I thought I could work on his top line to get him more rounded so that if he uses his muscles in a better way he would find it harder to take off. He listens in the school but just not outside as he knows I can't hold him. I have lessons to help with my riding aides also. He is on haylege only.
He is in a loose ring tranz lozenge which acts directly on the tongue at a 45 degree angle it also has a gag action when the rien is moved.
Do you think he will improve? and am I doing all that I can? Has anyone got any ideas? He is starting to eat up my confidence..:eek:
 
The first thing you need to do is get his back, saddle and teeth checked - if he has suddenly started bolting then it is possible that he is in some sort of pain. As you know a horse is a flight animal and will run away from pain/danger.

Secondly, what are you actually doing when you ask him to steady his canter? And what aids are you using when you feel him start to bolt to try and pull him up?
 
you could have his teeth and back checked, when he takes off like that you have to 'give and take' with the reins (if you can) pull back then let him have the reins. try half halting to regain control, or when he is not listening to you when you are in trot or canter.

I dont know much about bitting or feeding so can't help you there-sorry!
 
:( Thanks for your replies...
i ahve had his teeth checked and they were fine. He rides in canter fine in the school with no signs of discomfort either. His tack is well fitting and I have checked it.
regarding my aides I always use trot to canter as opposed to just going off, so we start off in a controlled way. When we are cantering - outside - and I ask for him to come back I close the leg use my stomach muscles, lengthen my back and close the rein, I release again and then ask again, this is when he starts to go faster and then I think I probably tense up and start to pull him back which is when he tanks off. I know I need to release the rein more to him when this happens and in the school it is easy but when i know what is probably about to happen I am not so good. i am getting lessons but you can't reconstruct the tanking feeling that happens outside.
Do you think it would be worth getting a better rider to take him out and see what happens? but this isn't going to stop him doing it with me is it?
Do you think this is workable over time? or am I just putting myself at risk with a horse that is to strong for me at the stage of riding that I am at?
 
What are you feeding him? Can you turn him out everyday?

Like you suggested, I would get a more experienced rider to take him out, to see whether it is more you tensing up that is affecting him, or himself getting worried.

Victor said:
I thought I could work on his top line to get him more rounded so that if he uses his muscles in a better way he would find it harder to take off.
Click to expand...

This, im afraid isnt going to work. Yes, work on getting your horse working better, but making the horse work round, building up his muscles isnt going to stop him taking off, with stronger muscles the horse will be able to push himself off his hind legs easier. Keep schooling your horse, defienately, to keep him on your aids, but how you phrased it, building up his muscles, isnt going to work.

If you are outside and he tanks off, there are a number of things you can do. If you have space, turn a circle, not too tight mind, as you dont want him to slip, however this will help steady him. There are lots of other methods that have been mentioned before and I cant remember them all, do a search in this forum and you should find some methods that should help.

Jo
 
Cut his hard feed out completely until you have this sorted.

Never had this problem myself, but a friend had a bolter, She took him in a 20 acre field & rode him normally - he bolted, she made no attempt to stop him. When he wanted to slow down, she pushed him on. She did this until several times. She said that the horse never bolted again.
 
this bit hes in, can you show us a photo of one?
i had the same problems with my horse ive got now, in a loose ring jointed dutch gag. even on the 'snaffle' ring he was terrible. i got brave and put him in a snaffle and took him out. he bolted, and i stopped him within 2-3 strides.
the reason why i say this, is that do you think he could be bolting away from the uncomfortable pressure in and around his mouth?
if it has a gag action, it means the mouthpiece twists in his mouth. imo, that would cause alot of pressure.
 
Is he an ex-racehorse by any chance? Because they're trained to go faster when you pull back on the reins.....
 
I think you maybe should try putting your instructor or someone experienced on him who would be able to assess if he is a genuine bolter or has learnt to get away with it with you. They should maybe ride him out on quite a few occasions and see if he does it everytime or tries it on and they would be able to see if this is something you and the horse have to solve or just him.

It is a different situation in the school to being out i assume you are a (dont want to offend) more novice owner and are doing the right things from the pain issues by having them checked. For the time being i would stick to walk and trot out hacking but of course only if you are happy you are safe at that - try to not avoid going out as this will become an issue with you both and you will end up never going out again. stick to the roads if he is safe horses tend to behave better if not on grass!! Always try to go out with an experienced escort if possible.

When you feel confident you maybe safe to try canter again go out with someone who is experienced try only a few canter strides then pulling up right behind a horse who doesnt kick if possible try up a steep hill then walk again even if you only get 3 or 4 strides and stop and walk you can build up the amount. Give him a big pat drop your reins and go on a relaxed walk back. Someone who knows the horse maybe best to advise you on a bit the 3 ring gags usually work well on most horses but not all i love them. I always go for the middle ring the snaffle ring tends to just upset them and the bottom ring tends to make them pull down and lean.

Good luck let us know how you get on.
 
I got brave and put him in a snaffle and took him out. he bolted, and i stopped him within 2-3 strides
Click to expand...
Victor was in a snaffle until recently but as he was bolting in this, I tried this new bit but it hasn't made any difference though. When you stopped your horse in 2-3 strides can you explain the aides you used on that occasion please? I will ask my instructor to take him out as I am pretty sure that Victor knows with me I can't hold him - or haven't got the right technique yet.
This is the bit I am using - bit.JPG
i assume you are a (dont want to offend) more novice owner
Click to expand...
None taken, Victor is my first horse and I have been riding for 2 years, I am doing the NVQ2 finished the NVQ1 last year. So not a lot of experience no!
I will stick to walk and trot when out as "holiday" suggests as i am worried that if we continue this behaviour is going to become ingrained.
Cut his hard feed out completely until you have this sorted.
Click to expand...
He is on haylege only and he gets plenty of turn out.
My instructor will probably take him out this week so I will post the results. I went out yesterday on a different horse and used half halts and she came back immediately so the aides I am giving must be right?!? Although she is not a strong horse. It was so nice to be able to ride out enjoying and relaxing without incident.
Regarding the lunging
Yes, work on getting your horse working better, but making the horse work round, building up his muscles isnt going to stop him taking off, with stronger muscles the horse will be able to push himself off his hind legs easier.
Click to expand...
He tends to go long and flat when he bolts and i wondered if he were using his muscles differently it would help and not make it so easy to go flat out?
When we are cantering if i am happy to go at his pace then OK but as soon as I ask for him to return he speeds then tanks off then he scares himself becuase he is in control and is then really bolting. I wish I had the space to do what "artemis" friend did in the 20 acre field, this is exactly the type of thing he would respond to and that I could cope with.
Thanks again for your help. i will post back at the weekend with how my instructor got on - without problem I bet!?:)
 
Perhaps he want to gallop like when he is taken out with others and doesn't understand why you slow him in canter a he thinks this is his time to gallop. Did this problem happen to start when he was galloped out in the field?
 
an update

Well this week has been a telling week. My instructor got on Victor and he was strong with her wanting to put speed into his canter, but she was able to sit back on him and be firm with her hands, so he came back to her. We took him over the jumps - me following behind on a quieter horse and although Victor wanted to again fly through the course (outside jumps) she was able to bring him right back to trot at times. The next day the yard owner - a large man with wieght on his side - took him to the beach with other horses and when they set of to canter he wanted to go but again he was able to hold him. Yesterday we wnet to the woods and my instructor rode him again. he looked like a different horse relaxed and coming back without problem. So it is obviously me.
I will work him now in trot and in the school but the instructor and yard owner will take him out to canter so he gets used to returning when asked and i can in the meantime work on my own riding skills before I try with him again.
I feel sad that it is me but glad that we have identified what the problem is. Thanks for all the help offered will let you know how I get on.
 
Glad you seem to have worked it out. Don't feel too down about it though :) You may have subconsciously tensed up making him go faster and get tense himself. Haven't read the whole thread so forgive me if I'm way out and just ignore this post! :P

Hope it all works out and yes - do keep us updated :) xxx
 
it happens. perhaps he is picking up on your anxiety as bolting is not fun!

with time and help I am sure you can get him to respect your commands more - Rosie has gone like the wind with me but she runs out of puff quickly so I am lucky that she doesn#t scare me and I feel I can bring her back if i need to.

it can just be a confidence thing - my friend was a much better rider than me, technically, could do dressage, had a good seat, but she rode a horse who she couldn't hold. I am a less 'technical' rider, but was used to riding race horses, and I never had a problem with this horse, in fact i enjoyed him very much. She just fizzed him up as she was tense on him.

So it could be as simple as that, he feels that you DON'T MEAN IT. Easy to say but a little harder to rectify.

I hope that you and your instructor can get him anchored and feel confident on him. Also at this time of year they tend to be much sharper as it is cold and they are doing less work. If anything don't canter him, just do other thiings with him till it gets warmer and he gets more mellow and see if you can work with him when he is more a summer horse - it could be as simple as that, they do get much more up in the winter as they are in longer, and worked less.
 
yes my instructor says that he was and will be again a mellow horse in the summer months as he is worked more and the weather is better. She found him strong and the yard owner said he had to watch him but he tried him at the front of the ride, middle and rear and he was OK. Great!...
Thanks for your comments, I must admit it is hard ot to get down about it and feel totally useless. i understand that my instructor and the yard owner who have both ridden him out are experienced riders and have strong seats. They intend to ride him out to canter with other horses in open land i.e beach and fields to settle him down into understanding that yes he can canter but at the speed asked for and to come back. I will have to be patient and practice a deeper and stroner seat (and hands) on other horses for the time being at the yard but i can't help feeling a deep pang of missing riding him out.
I will try him in the school next week and as part of our schooling will ask for extended canter and practice half halting with much more firmness and acuracy over the next few weeks whilst they go out with him.
The day i get to go out again and have a good controlled canter will be a great day. Thanks again.
 
yes my instructor says that he was and will be again a mellow horse in the summer months as he is worked more and the weather is better. She found him strong and the yard owner said he had to watch him but he tried him at the front of the ride, middle and rear and he was OK. Great!...
Thanks for your comments, I must admit it is hard ot to get down about it and feel totally useless. i understand that my instructor and the yard owner who have both ridden him out are experienced riders and have strong seats. They intend to ride him out to canter with other horses in open land i.e beach and fields to settle him down into understanding that yes he can canter but at the speed asked for and to come back. I will have to be patient and practice a deeper and stroner seat (and hands) on other horses for the time being at the yard but i can't help feeling a deep pang of missing riding him out.
I will try him in the school next week and as part of our schooling will ask for extended canter and practice half halting with much more firmness and acuracy over the next few weeks whilst they go out with him.
The day i get to go out again and have a good controlled canter will be a great day. Thanks again.
 
victor, do you know how to bridge the reins? Thats something that might stop him pulling in the meantime.
 
Rosie attempted to run off with me today - we had turned for him and the little minx went into a canter of her own accord, wheelied round the bend and up for the track. for her sins, she was pulled up, turned around and made to go back the way she had come - couple of half hearted whip rounds in the process - and made to go on a longer circle and then head for home. she muttered a bit about equine abuse then accepted the punishment with good grace.

I am 50 and a bit stiff and won't bounce all that well, but i am lucky that even when she is a madam, i tend to laugh at her as she is predictable, she doesn't do anything nasty. her canter off was hardly frightening, i was more concenred that the track was firm and she is a laminitic and we don't trot or canter on firm ground ever so that was the point of halting her.

it can be disheartening when you see others ride your horse 'better than you' but at least you have them there to do it, to teach him, and hopefully you will meet up with him at a time when you are both happy together. he is just being a sharp little so and so who has put one over on you and thinks, right can do this all the time. rather than let him continue to do that with you out on hacks, it is best to let someone else do that with him till he is more biddable as you just don't want to reinforce the habit.

I canter about once in every ten hacks if I'm lucky, I have to walk 99% of the time with Rosie's laminitis, but that's what we have to do. There is no rule that says must canter! so enjoy other aspects of him till you feel more in control.
 
Victor and his tanking off update

I took Victor out yesterday with my instructor, lately we have been working in the school and when we have gone out only have done trotting on the roads with one or two short steady canters in secure bridle ways. All had been going fairly OK but yesterday I deceided to take him over a small jump on a bridle track which had a small canter up to it. The hrose in front went over, I held Victor back a fraction and when I let him go he charged off like a bull, over the jump, I was then able to bring him back after five or six strides by giving and taking the rein. However, all the way home he wanted to take off, it felt like he wanted to test me and see if I had really got him or not.
I have decided that as much as I love Victor he is too strong for me at the present. He needs a stronger rider and I am worried that if we carry on I will make him stronger again and hard in his mouth, it is also knocking my confidence. When I go to ride him now it is not with that great I am riding feeling but with aprehension and I am mainly just glad to get home again.
He is a great horse in all ways but just too full of himself and strong for me. Where we ride there is so much opportunity to canter and jump and I don't feel I can happily enjoy this on him.
I have been so grateful to read peoples comments and have taken it all on board. I will post a message about our next chapter in time to come!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
newrider.com
Top Bottom