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Post by cheekychops on Dec 23, 2012 21:26:56 GMT 1
I'm still reeling a bit after being bolted with today. I just don't know what happened to my placid heavyweight cob, it was so out of the blue. I've had him just over a year, and was his sharer 2 years before that and haven't experienced anything like this. We often hack alone, and that's one of the great things about him, I've never had any qualms about it and trust him completely. If we do have an opportunity for a canter, I have to ask for it and assure him yes it's ok, you may canter! being a cob he is generally reluctant to go any faster than absolutely necessary.
So out on a quiet bimble today, I pulled onto a grass headland than runs along the lane. I thought I'd test the ground to see if it was suitable for a gentle canter - and bam! - he was off! Totally exploded into a flat out gallop with no brakes whatsover. Thankfully it was a massive field so when he realised he wasn't getting where he wanted to go (i.e. home) he came back to me. But it was very frightening being so completely out of control. All I could do was plant my seat and manage some vague steering. I back-tracked to the access back to the road whereupon he tried to canter on the spot up the road.
I'm really shaken because I can't see what triggered it - it definitely wasn't a spook or scare, because he just doesn't react like that. Rather, it was a completely willfull "F-you I'm off" with a blatant disregard to his rider. That's what's so worrying - if he's just decided that actually he can just do what he wants, what's to stop him doing it again??
Sorry for the long post, but I'm wondering how best to deal with this and how to prevent it happening again. I definitely need to reinforce some boundaries through ground work and in the school. He's a big, powerful lad, and I'm worried he's just decided to do what he wants! How can we move on from here?
Thanks for reading this far!
Nicky
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companymagic
Grand Prix Poster
Horses are for life not just for riding....
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Post by companymagic on Dec 23, 2012 22:11:33 GMT 1
Cheekychops sorry you had a rough ride today. The only advice I can offer is years ago my old boy did the same to me... It turned out his back was out, poor boy! Galloped flat out out of a bridleway and home.
Get him, his teeth and saddle.checked out etc and take it from.there. Magic after.some.time off came back fine and I never had a problem again.
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Post by ladyndibs on Dec 23, 2012 22:13:14 GMT 1
I'm sorry you had a bad experience, I've no advice I'm afraid but just hope it doesn't knock your confidence too much.
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Post by lizpurlo on Dec 23, 2012 22:20:36 GMT 1
Blimey, that was a bit of an upset, just coming out of the blue like that. Sounds as if you coped really well though, which is great, well done!
Any change in feed? Happened to me yonks ago on a borrowed pony (complete plod) when I was a very novicey teenager - scared me to death! - turned out the owner had just started feeding him rocket fuel because the weather had turned colder........ she stopped feeding him the rf after that, and he totally reverted to his placid self!
If not that - something might have set him off which you didn't see, and it has been very windy today here. They are always sharper and spookier on windier winter days.
Think I'd up the work and drop the feed - avoid grassy cantering spots for a bit, and do lots of long steady trotting exercise on the roads, especially hill work - really make him work and make sure that you are the one dictating the pace!
Best of luck, I'm sure you'll be fine and it was just one of these things.
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Post by misty on Dec 23, 2012 22:31:23 GMT 1
All above and practise one rein stops! Sounds like you did well.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 23, 2012 23:11:44 GMT 1
I was bolted with once with a small welsh cross that I was sharing, looking back it was down to my inexperience I think, it was down a bridleway with no way to turn her and no matter how much I sat back she was not stopping. that was really scary, out of the bridleway straight out across a major road. if any traffic had been coming it would have been curtains. thankfully I eventually managed to stop her with one rein stops and ended up on someones front lawn if I remember rightly.
second time was with a new horse, who was an absolute angel, but I hadn't had her long and I hadn't got her food right and was feeding her too much and the wrong stuff (we all learn ...) there is a photo of her with the devil in her eye just before it happened. on the way home she threw a massive buck and just went, no stopping or steering, eventually managed to get through to her and got her to stop by turning her into a big hedge. both frightening experiences, both one offs with each horse and I put both down, in my case, to not really knowing the horses properly and, with Jess, definitely overfeeding
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 23, 2012 23:22:00 GMT 1
just to echo what has already been said as well, with both I went back to basics and kept everything slow, short trots and into walk when I asked, things like that. getting them listening and not dictating the pace. then asking for trot and keeping the trot going but steady. it really did knock my confidence both times and it was quite a while before I felt comfortable it was a one off, but as I say both were quite new horses
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Post by KoLaTo on Dec 23, 2012 23:29:27 GMT 1
Cheeky
Remembered this bit from your previous post;-
I used to be Cheeko's sharer, and after his owner had a couple of scares out riding him, called me up and said they felt responsible for my safety and didn't want me to ride him anymore.
What was it that had shaken the previous owner up enough that they were scared for your safety?
Bolting is not an easy issue to resolve and if he has done it before then likelihood is that he will do it again I'm afraid, there doesn't have to necessarily be a trigger although there is usually the first time.....
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Post by cheekychops on Dec 23, 2012 23:34:00 GMT 1
Hi everyone, thanks so much for support. Feeling a bit emotional about it all! I think I can rule out feed - nothing has changed there, he has a small feed of D&H Safe & Sound each day for the past year. Also I can rule out teethad they were checked 2 weeks ago. Back is a possibility, he has been having treatment and theist one was in the summer. His chiro was really pleased and was happy to see him in 6 months, which would be about now. I'll get her back out asap.
That leaves behaviour. I think Lizpurlo might have hit the nail on the head - I need to start dictating the pace. Also with the dreadful weather he hasn't been getting nearly enough work - I think he's gone a bit feral!!
Thanks again for the kind words, I'll head up and do some groundwork tomorrow, and if he's good Santa might let him have his festive swede!
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Post by cheekychops on Dec 23, 2012 23:42:36 GMT 1
Oops kolato crossed posts! Yes, we'll spotted, that will teach me won't it?! Famous last words. His previous owner was quite a novice chap and I didn't think his riding was up to much, so I didn't take his concerns that seriously. But yes, he said Cheeko had taken off with him a couple of times. Of course when they sold him to me they downplayed it - saying he'd spooked. Well I guess they wanted to sell him! However, as far as I know they'd never had his back done and he really did need it. Also he was fed concentrates whilst doing very little work. I'm not sure what's going on, but he is such a wonderful chap.
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Post by lisap on Dec 24, 2012 0:09:36 GMT 1
Firstly, Cheekychops, poor you - it's absolutely no fun when you have no brakes.
But, was this a true bolt, or was it a severe tanking off? I've ridden hundreds of horses over 40+ years, and have only ever been bolted with 4 times. However, I have long lost count of the number of times that a horse has tanked off with me.
The reason for checking is that if a horse has a tendency to tank off (which is extremely scary), you can do something about it as it is doing it wilfully, or through excitement, either way there is a degree of brain still working.
But a proper Bolt is something different again. The horse's brain has completely gone. It's in major flight mode and all sense of self-preservation is out the window. It wouldn't matter what was in the mouth or on the head, how strong you were, or how good a rider - a bolter is completely unresponsive - and it would be suicide to try a one rein stop, even if it were possible. This is why a horse that is a confirmed bolter is considered too dangerous to ride.
A horse that will run away with a rider is something different. Schooling, stronger brakes, a physically strong rider can all mitigate or temper a horse that has this tendency. The fact that he went with you when you hit grass suggests that he was very excited to have a blast, but equally, as he doesn't usually do this, you may have to wonder what it was that set him off this time around.
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Post by cookie on Dec 24, 2012 0:12:03 GMT 1
Sounds horrid and well done for managing it.
Ditto getting all the checks done.
Has his routine changed? I know we've had less turn out and less work simply because of the weather... I think it can make them more unpredictable. I'd do lots of ground work until the back is checked and if that's ruled out I'd keep him working, at lots of different paces with lots of transitions.
Is it possible you got too relaxed and he felt you become a bit of a passenger which maybe affected his confidence??
Sent from my GT-I9100 using proboards
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Post by janwilky on Dec 24, 2012 0:52:28 GMT 1
Oh gosh you have my sympathy cheekychops, I've been there and I know how scary it is to have no control whatsoever over a big strong horse. I can't give you any advice as such, as my own heavyweight cob is an ongoing challenge that I can't pretend to have resolved (thought I had until I got bucked off disastrously three weeks ago).
What I would say, though, is don't assume a big chunky chap can't summon up some excess energy when he feels like it - mine sure can at times and he can be pretty opinionated about it too. If he's had less exercise lately owing to the bad weather, as you say, perhaps he's feeling a bit fresh and decided to take over? I hope you feel a bit less shaky tomorrow, and good luck with deciding what to do next.
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Post by clipclop on Dec 24, 2012 6:57:36 GMT 1
Ditto Lisap 100%, it sounds like this wasn't a bolt which is good news. Being tanked off with isn't fun by any means but it can be worked on by the ways she mentioned.
Sent from my ST18i using proboards
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Post by zack&buffysmum on Dec 24, 2012 8:42:35 GMT 1
Hello Cheekychops, My girl did something very similar to that on wednesday and yes it is horrible! I must admit that I was aware she was in a 'funny mood' before I got on - but she has been SO good for SO long now that I have started to trust her pretty much completely (yes stupid I know!) and just didnt listen to that little voice inside that was telling me this was probably not a good idea. I've come to the conclusion that what with christmas, bad weather, short days, and work etc - she has just not been getting the exercise lately and she simply needed a blast. It was absolutely NOT a bolt - she was obviously 'thinking' as we did a circuit of a field - slowing down for corners and only cantering, not galloping down a hill!! When we got back I took her in the school for a while and did a lot of 'testing the brakes' - and she was fine. I hacked her out again yesterday with no problems. Obviously we cant know what was going on in your horses head when he did it with you but I think at this time of year a lot of them aren't getting the exercise they need and it has to come out at some time. I really hope it hasnt knocked your confidence too much and I would echo what others have said about getting his back checked. I hope you get it sorted out without too many problems.
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