What's the best course of action if you find yourself on a bolting horse?

[CamillaSalander]

Sorry to sound naive, but I was talking to another mum at the menage fence yesterday, and she had sustained some injuries after being bolted with and then falling off mid-bolt. I've been bolted with twice in the dim and distant past. I started to think that I don't really know how best to handle it. Obviously, with hindsight I lost control and the horses I was on panicked; so remaining firmly in control and avoiding situations which can frighten horses are obvious avoidance tactics.

But if you do find yourself in mid-bolt, what to do? I have been taught a sort of sawing action on the reins for strong pullers. I guess if you can steer them into an enclosed field or something, that would help?

Oooh I might risk bailing if there was a clifftop involved!

But yeah, they'll mostly keep themselves out of trouble. IME, even "stupid" horses have that inbuilt sense of self-preservation; for instance, I used to have a very spooky young thoroughbred (he grew out of it, it was only because he was a baby) who would jump sideways at blades of grass - but only if there was somewhere safe to jump TO, iyswim. If there was something scary on one side and a ditch on the other, he'd flinch but not leap over/fall in the ditch.

Same with rearers; although much is made of the danger of them going over backwards, very few do - unless pulled over by an off balance rider.

I've known very, very few horses who are so neurotic/stupid that they lack self-preservation. The few I can think of, now I do think of it, met sticky ends. One had a brain tumour.

Maybe I've just been lucky then

We were hit by a car once - at a very low speed, I hasten to add.

Scenario - narrowish country lane, pony spooking at something in hedge, therefore walking along in a C shape, bent away from Scary Thing.

Car approaching from other direction.

Friend waves car to stop for a moment, so we could get through.

Car slows down to about 2 mph but just keeps coming.

Car drives into pony's quarters.

No harm done to pony or car, but honestly....

Yep, been hit like that a time of two. I figure if theyr'e close enough for me to kick their wing-mirror off...

Think true bolters are very rare, though taker-offers much more frequent - had one of those as a teenager, take off, tank along for an age then swerve violently and drop shoulder - removed me every time for months
Current dhorse has no self preservation instincts. As a youngster reared up and fell over backwards with me on board, not once, but twice over the course of backing/early schooling - i've rarely sat on any that do more than the offering of mini rears. She got spooked by a crane once - in blind panic lept sideways, into the field by side of road that is a good 1.5m below the level of the road - still no idea how we stayed upright.
calamity - some drivers - honestly. what did they then say to your friend?

Oooh - bolting horses. Aren't they fun. My advice would be to try and turn a circle and ride them forwards. My mare used to bolt all the time when she was young. I used to turn her into anything I could - the hay barn - nice soft landing etc. A chap was quite surprised one day though when we galloped into his garage!

My most exciting bolting story was when I was on holiday in Anglesey, riding onto the beach. A chap was flying a kite, and the wind must have dropped suddenly and the kite fell and whacked my horse up the backside. He set off, but unfortunately the string from the kite was wrapped around my stirrup and we were dragging the kite along behind us. I had to lean down and untangle the string to release the kite before attempting to stop the bolting horse. Thank goodness we had plenty of beach to go at.

Another horse bolted when some washing flapped at him - he then tried to jump the car that was coming at us. He landed on it. Whoops.

Actually I hate to say it, but it probably did the pony no harm at all to realise that not EVERYTHING in the world stops, stays still and waits for you to stop fannying around over an imaginary monster in the hedge. She really was being a berk.

It was just the shocked look on the woman's face, and the fact she said weakly "I thought the pony would move over...."

I was sat on a stodgy, staid old schoolmistress once, going round the outside of a sheep field surrounded by an electric fence.

Friend's horse leapt sideways, away from a monster in the hedge, into the sheep field, flattening the electric fence but otherwise unharmed - luckily he'd obviously caught it between zaps

Stodgy old schoolmistress leapt sideways too - not because she was afraid of the monster in the hedge, but because her mate had done the same and she assumed she should follow suit.

Only she stepped on the aforementioned fence DURING a zap.

Guess what happened next.....

I've never had a standing start like it. I think we achieved 7 G's. My face was like this and not in a good way. I think my ears met round the back of my head.

Predictably she didn't run far, and when she stopped she was suitably ashamed of herself, but for those brief seconds she was Seabiscuit.

LOL that made me laugh CalamityKate!

I once managed to give myself whip lash because of a flying start (a pigeon was the culprit in this case).

Ive never really met a proper Bolter, Ive met loads of piss takers and telepathic 'nervous rider reactors'. TBH, its usually the riders fault. However, if a pony did this more than once or twice to my DD with no improvement in her control over it, Id sell it. Chances are that it isnt compatible with my DD and would be fine with another rider.
As for car drivers, they are a bloody menace round here! My friends horse nearly sat on one once when it was spooking at a barking dog and the driver refused to stop! And as for the total twunt who clipped DDs stirrup the other week, if I ever find them Im going to punch their lights out!!

Pigeons are nightmares. As are most birds. They hide in hedges for hours, waiting for horses to come past, and then when you're JUST level with them, they suddenly panic and come flapping and fluttering out, and then sit on phone wires sniggering as they watch you practically lying flat on a startled and fleeing horse's hindquarters.

I hate birds.

On a similar note - you know they say that horses are more likely to spook if you're tense yourself, and therefore you should make an effort to ACT calm even if you're pretty convinced you're about to die a messy death?

Well I'm not sure that's true. Because the very WORST spooks I've ever experienced have been when I'm least expecting it; when in fact I've been happily relaxed, chatting to a friend and enjoying the countryside.

Yet when you're approaching something scary looking, and you're thinking "That's it. I'm toast. I am shortly to be become a pinkish stain on the road" they surprise you by marching past without turning a hair.

at schoolmistress to Seabiscuit. Aw.

I have sat through a nasty shy in a busy high street. I don't think car drivers see why they should make allowances if they are in a hurry.

arf at Seabiscuit

Don't (as I was advised) aim at a tree

I was concussed by a branch

A true bolter often closes its eyes (on this occasion mount had been spooked by low flying jet)

Ever diminishing circle is your best bet I reckon

Christ! Closes its eyes!!!

I would never aim at a tree. They are rather solid.

They close their eyes???? Bloody hell....

I wouldn't aim at a tree either.

My old pony used to bolt if she saw the beast in the field next door.I used to hang on for dear life,but did fall off regularly-once in the muckheap.

Agree that birds are the agents of Beelzebub.There is a black cock pheasant that likes to hang around our stables and the other day I was picking dpony's feet out when the bastard bird flew out,cackling loudly from where it had been lurking in the hay store-right in front of dpoiny's nose.The poor old girl jumped a mile and I narrowly avoided a kick in the head.I always check for him now,just in case,and I'm hoping that he disappears when the shooting season begins.

And squiggles! They are the spawn of the devil! They lurk about in trees until you are passing, then hurl themselves into view, or throw acorns at you! Bloody tree rats!!

All God's creatures.

Arf

i jumped, ended up with a broken arm/wrist and half my hand.. it was rather strange seeing your arm in a S shape. in cast for 6 months.

My pony bolted when others we were riding bolted mainly a tb anyway once over took this tb on my 14hh pony!! (tb finally stoppped) but i had no hope in hell we were heading for a main road, he was not slowing or listening i didnt know how busy the road was or could risk runnig on it, so i jumped it was the bravest and hardest thing i have ever done, not knowing what would happen.

found pony grazing by field gate - he got a smack and throw in field with no dinner for his efforts, i was sooo angry.. then walked down the road to see if someone could drop me in to a hospital :) got some odd looks weird looking arm and only wearing one shoe.

my pony always used to bolt with me we would be happily riding along and the cow would take off stop speed, i was 8 yrs old and didn't have a clue was so frightened i went to jump off and as i took my feet out of the stirrups mid canter she stopped dead.
very odd some may say! until one day we met a previous owner who told us my pony was actually a trained gymkhana games pony so taking your feet out of the stirrups mid canter to her meant stop. from that day we did gymkhana and won quite a few.
i still the pony and shes 26 now and my 22 mnth old leads her around like a lamb.
now on a bolter sit deep in the saddle and pull them up either turning in a circle or pulling them back up.

When I was a kid my pony bombed off down the lane and I bailed out into a nettle bed! I was absolutely covered in stings.
I once heard of someone leaning right forwards and clamping a hand over the horse's nostrils, depriving the charging beast of oxygen, and bringing it to a stop.
No idea of this would work, don't really want to try it, especially now I have learned they close their eyes. Dear Lord.

I am what some people would call a natural horsemanship trainer. Can I just clarify the one-rein stop please?
It's not suitable for use when you are being bolted with. If you go for a one-rein stop at that speed you are very likely to cause your horse to go straight over, rather like the stunt falls in cowboy films.
A one-rein stop is a tactic to use when you "catch the thought". Ideally, you get your horse used to the cues for the stop in calm circumstances, then you build a muscle-memory that can help you avoid trouble in the future.
You need your horse to give you soft and willing lateral flexion to both sides. Not nose pinned to boot, but a willing and soft give of the neck, head round towards you, but not twisted and stiff (look for the ears to stay level as a tip). Then lift the inside rein a bit. You want the horse to step under with the inside hind leg, so that it crossed in front of the outside leg and disengages the hind end. If the horse doesn't respond to the lift of the rein, take your hand a bit further up and towards your outside shoulder, but don't force it, you can bump with your inside heel to encourage the step under. Bear in mind that a stepping across with the hind legs is not what you want and will not have the desired effect.
So, once you understand your one-rein stop and your horse does too, it can work nicely as a "listen to me" cue, or to ask for an instant stop when the horse ignores other aids. It can be used to stop bucking, and rearing, and leaving, because when the hind legs disengage you take the power out of the rear end. However, if you get your timing wrong it will not work, you need to catch the thought of leaving/bucking/rearing, then hold the flexion and keep disengaging until the horse relaxes in your hand - then release instantly.
I hope that helps, I had to chip in because used incorrectly the one-rein stop could be dangerous.

p.s. Most people stuff up lateral flexion by asking for too much too soon, and also by holding it for too long. Teach it gradually, take a little, release as soon as you get a tiny soft bend. Ask for a bit more when the horse understands. Hold it a little bit longer gradually as well, until the horse realises that all you want is for him to bring his head nicely towards you.