|
|
Cat Collector
Posts: 1430
  
| I currently have a horse that likes to bolt, it wont buck or do anything stupid but seems to get scared when i kick it or make it do a little harder work and bolts from underneath of me, any suggestions on what i can do to stop this or any exercises that would help.
She is currently being rode in a snaffle and split reins, if that matters.
| |
| | |
 Too Skinny
Posts: 8009
 
Location: LA Lower Alabama | what do you do when this happens? | |
| | |
Cat Collector
Posts: 1430
| Well it depends how fast my reflexes are after almost crapping myself lol... I just pull her down into a circle (incase she does try and buck) or i slam her butt into the ground! | |
| | |
 The Bling Princess
Posts: 3411
Location: North Dakota | I have a horse that his first reaction was to get the hell out of dodge and I've found with him it takes consistent ground work to get him to not do it. If I do my groundwork and he's nonreactive on the ground then riding is simple, easy, calm, doesn't bolt. If I get lazy about doing my ground work he becomes reactive and will "flee" the situation.
Edited by WYOTurn-n-Burn 2013-12-10 5:09 PM
| |
| | |
Cat Collector
Posts: 1430
| WYOTurn-n-Burn - 2013-12-10 4:07 PM
I have a horse that his natural reaction is to get the hell out of dodge and I've found with him it takes consistent ground work to get him to not do it. If I do my groundwork and he's nonreactive on the ground then riding is simple, easy, calm, doesn't bolt. If I get lazy about doing my ground work he becomes reactive and will "flee" the situation.
what do you do for ground work?
I have a flag pole i use, also i filled a milk jug with rocks and have that on the end of a stick, it only bothers her at first then she settles in, I lunge her both ways for a while, tie her head around but I constantly keep her feet moving unless i am using the flag and bucket of rocks. | |
| | |
 The Rose of Rodeo...
Posts: 2560
Location: Where we still run to look when the siren goes by. | School him when he does it. Make him work and see that trying to bolt = a lot of work!
I’ve had a lot of ponies that will try to run away out of orneriness or spooking and the fastest thing to make them quit that I’ve found is keep them running. They soon figure out bolting isn’t a lot of fun and A LOT of work. That makes for a good pony that won’t run away with kids 
Of course, all horses are wired different and some are too fragile minded for that and it’s best then to do a lot of slow/trotting WORK – reverse arcs, serpentines, circles back and forth etc. Enough to get them out of breath and want to take a rest. Then you can reward them with a rest and make standing and chilling pretty appealing..
Make them use their brain 
Edited by Rodeo Rose 2013-12-10 6:15 PM
| |
| | |
Expert
Posts: 1694
Location: Willows, CA | A great friend of mine Ray Hunt used to say that a horse can't do anything without getting ready to do it. You need to be aware when things are starting to go south and give the horse something else to do. In general they don't just bolt, they get bothered, show it, and then react. If you are aware that this is happening you will not be caught off guard. If you feel what is going on under you, you can direct that energy into something more useful. Once it happens, turn it into work if you are in a safe place to do so. If you can keep him running until it seems like it was a bad idea to the horse, eventually it will not seem like such a good idea to him. Ray again, "make the right thing easy and the wrong thing difficult". | |
| | |
The Rose of Rodeo...
Posts: 2560
Location: Where we still run to look when the siren goes by. | winwillows - 2013-12-10 5:53 PM A great friend of mine Ray Hunt used to say that a horse can't do anything without getting ready to do it. You need to be aware when things are starting to go south and give the horse something else to do. In general they don't just bolt, they get bothered, show it, and then react. If you are aware that this is happening you will not be caught off guard. If you feel what is going on under you, you can direct that energy into something more useful. Once it happens, turn it into work if you are in a safe place to do so. If you can keep him running until it seems like it was a bad idea to the horse, eventually it will not seem like such a good idea to him. Ray again, "make the right thing easy and the wrong thing difficult".
a busy mind doesn't have time to think about doing naughty things. | |
| | |
  Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | WYOTurn-n-Burn - 2013-12-10 5:07 PM I have a horse that his first reaction was to get the hell out of dodge and I've found with him it takes consistent ground work to get him to not do it. If I do my groundwork and he's nonreactive on the ground then riding is simple, easy, calm, doesn't bolt. If I get lazy about doing my ground work he becomes reactive and will "flee" the situation.
I agree with this and I also agree make bolting/spooking = tons of work.
As far as ground work to do, IMO ground work isn't about getting them tired out but getting their mind -- get that inside eye on you and no hint of white showing on that inside eye. Their body language should relax and they should want to stay with you.
It doesn't have to be fast work, but just lots of changes in direction and fine, minute control of those feet -- can you make just one foot move by how you handle the rope or do you have to do more? If you have to do more, you're not there yet.
Moving them around laterally from the ground by just stepping into them and not having to touch them.
Another thing that seems to help with a horse like this is lots and lots of ponying and just bumping their sides.
Too, if you can get them super soft in their face, the whole bolting thing goes MUCH MUCH easier. If you have to pull to get the nose around, then it's time to work harder on softness -- you want to only have to pick up, not pull, to get that nose around.
Also pay real close attention to your body language. With a horse like this, our natural tendency is to tense up and that only makes a horse like this MUCH worse. They're sensitive horses and because of that, they pick up on extremely subtle changes in your body language and react accordingly. Make sure you're completely relaxed and loose with no tension at all in your body. When you cue, relax your cues as well. Start out with the lightest cue and give them a chance to react from there. They're very sensitive to that as well. | |
| | |
Expert
Posts: 1543
Location: MI | Karlaw - 2013-12-10 5:09 PM
WYOTurn-n-Burn - 2013-12-10 4:07 PM
I have a horse that his natural reaction is to get the hell out of dodge and I've found with him it takes consistent ground work to get him to not do it. If I do my groundwork and he's nonreactive on the ground then riding is simple, easy, calm, doesn't bolt. If I get lazy about doing my ground work he becomes reactive and will "flee" the situation.
what do you do for ground work?
I have a flag pole i use, also i filled a milk jug with rocks and have that on the end of a stick, it only bothers her at first then she settles in, I lunge her both ways for a while, tie her head around but I constantly keep her feet moving unless i am using the flag and bucket of rocks.
You may already do this, but the trainer I sent my colt to this past summer also used a stick with a flag on the end. At first desensitized it to him standing, but then also moving. My colt didn't like it moving, but the trainer said that he should be able to keep moving at a walk, trot, etc. with the flag moving around his legs and body without it bothering him. Made sense. I generally thought about the horse being able to tolerate stuff standing, but really, it shouldn't bother them no matter what. He also desensitized with a rope in the saddle, waving around his body and legs while he was in the saddle. | |
| | |
 Born not Made
Posts: 2931
Location: North Dakota | Along with desensitizing and ground work that others have mentioned, I just want to add that CIRCLES are your friend.
I had very similar problems with my horse Red. I've never had a horse that would downright bolt until I got him. I worked with a trainer on him and it helped me to get some ideas on how to prevent the bolt from happeningn. He would stop, freeze, and stare at something that bothered him. After a few seconds, he'd bolt. So I learned that the very instant he noticed something scary, I had to "Get in his mind" immediately. For him, it was simple as asking him to turn in a very small circle and give, give, give me his nose and his eye. Doesn't matter if he's walking, trotting, or loping, but I've just got to circle him small and get his nose and his eye.
He hasn't bolted since I started doing that. It's really nice because I kind of use it as my "calm down" cue for him. Any time he is getting nervous, and not only when he's going to bolt, but I will do that technique with him. And he now knows it's the calm down cue and relax. Works wonders. | |
| | |
| Take your spurs off ... | |
| | |
Cat Collector
Posts: 1430
| Thanks everyone.
I do keep her mind busy, she really does not give a warning to when she will do it, its never the same situation twice. I could be trotting a circle and bammmb there she goes, or i could just be walking a straight line or letting her rest in the corner. I do a lot of ground work with her, a lot of circles, roll backs , indirect circles.... and the list goes on. Shes not a nasty mare at all, no buck.. thank god just wants to get the heck our of dodge every once in a while LOL.... | |
| | |
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 816
| winwillows - 2013-12-10 6:53 PM
A great friend of mine Ray Hunt used to say that a horse can't do anything without getting ready to do it. You need to be aware when things are starting to go south and give the horse something else to do. In general they don't just bolt, they get bothered, show it, and then react. If you are aware that this is happening you will not be caught off guard. If you feel what is going on under you, you can direct that energy into something more useful. Once it happens, turn it into work if you are in a safe place to do so. If you can keep him running until it seems like it was a bad idea to the horse, eventually it will not seem like such a good idea to him. Ray again, "make the right thing easy and the wrong thing difficult".
Great Advice!! | |
| | |
Expert
Posts: 2531
Location: WI | Best thing that worked for mine was to keep his feet moving - if he bolted I would make him go faster and do some circles, rollbacks, etc. He was off the track and had a hard time sharing the arena with a team of Icelandic ponies doing their pace or whatever mock 10 and heading right at him - lol, that was interesting! | |
| | |
Cat Collector
Posts: 1430
| thanks everyone, last night she was a gem and did not try and bolt like usual. I am starting to think it is the end of my split reins that are hitting her, im going to try and put a german martingale on her and see if she still tries it. As well as do more ground work than i normally do. | |
| | |
Expert
Posts: 1694
Location: Willows, CA | Not trying to be critical here, so please don't take it the wrong way, but they always tell you. Sometimes it can just be very difficult to recognize it. You have to be with them attention wise 100% of the time. That is the hardest thing to do, but makes a different horse in the long run. | |
| | |
Queen Bean of Ponyland
Posts: 24953
Location: WYOMING | Karlaw - 2013-12-11 3:01 PM thanks everyone, last night she was a gem and did not try and bolt like usual. I am starting to think it is the end of my split reins that are hitting her, im going to try and put a german martingale on her and see if she still tries it. As well as do more ground work than i normally do.
Ive had the rein ends freak them out before. I take them to the roundpen and reinforce desensitization by hanging things at different heights off the saddle.
Throwing a GM on one that has not been properly introduced to having their head restricted can get you in trouble too.
| |
| | |
 Expert
Posts: 1432
Location: Never in one place long | Karlaw - 2013-12-11 10:53 AM
Thanks everyone.
I do keep her mind busy, she really does not give a warning to when she will do it, its never the same situation twice. I could be trotting a circle and bammmb there she goes, or i could just be walking a straight line or letting her rest in the corner. I do a lot of ground work with her, a lot of circles, roll backs , indirect circles.... and the list goes on. Shes not a nasty mare at all, no buck.. thank god just wants to get the heck our of dodge every once in a while LOL....
I trained a horse like this once and he truly did NOT give warning... it was the WEIRDEST horse I have ever riden, no warning and he would snap, he was down right dangerous. I never could feel very safe on him and told his owners this. He was one of those horses you CONSTANTLY had to be on the gaurd with. I never could tell what set him off. He would spook when I'd go out to feed him for goodness sakes! I hope the horse gets out of this bad habit but I do understand that some horses just don't give warning... some will tense up and some just go crazy out of no where. | |
| | |
Cat Collector
Posts: 1430
| I have her in the round pen before i ride, i leave a bridal on the saddle as well as a plastic bag so they flap around like crazy and it doesnt bother her, i make as much noise as i can, flop around pop up barrels and nothing bothers her that way.
She has been in a german Martingale before and responds well to it, i just find i have a harder time riding her with a single rein than i do with split reins. I dont feel that she is dangerous, she will bolt then stop pretty quick after. I almost feel like i need to ride her outside (most of my riding is indoors because its dark out once i am off work) and if she bolts outside just push her and let her run. Its frustrating because she is a really nice mare. | |
| | |
 Double Standards Don't Fly
Posts: 1283
Location: At the barn | Best thing for a horse that has a good start but has developed this habit would be switching gears and putting them in high pressure training. Like roping. If you know anyone that rides cattle all day and pasture ropes that would be ideal. It will get all the BS out of them and make them start thinking before they react. Ground work won't cut this crap out it will take saddle work and lots of it. Being ridden on cattle and roped on will not give them idle time for bolting their mind will be on what's around them to a different degree than normal riding provides. | |
| | |
Cat Collector
Posts: 1430
| trotncowpony - 2013-12-11 2:10 PM
Best thing for a horse that has a good start but has developed this habit would be switching gears and putting them in high pressure training. Like roping. If you know anyone that rides cattle all day and pasture ropes that would be ideal. It will get all the BS out of them and make them start thinking before they react. Ground work won't cut this crap out it will take saddle work and lots of it. Being ridden on cattle and roped on will not give them idle time for bolting their mind will be on what's around them to a different degree than normal riding provides.
Thats exactly what I was thinking! I dont have anyone too close that has cattle but I can definitely put her on barrels and do a lot of "drills" sometimes i think she is just being a baby about things! | |
| | |
Too Skinny
Posts: 8009
Location: LA Lower Alabama | I bet if I walked up and tossed her lead at her butt she would freak out. I would do some Clinton Anderson desensitizing till she doesn't twitch at simple taps like the reins would be giving her. | |
| | |
Cat Collector
Posts: 1430
| cowgalsissy - 2013-12-11 2:50 PM
I bet if I walked up and tossed her lead at her butt she would freak out. I would do some Clinton Anderson desensitizing till she doesn't twitch at simple taps like the reins would be giving her.
i bet your wrong!
I started her with the CA videos, she works her butt off on the ground, does everything right. She works really well with the pressure and release!
Edited by Karlaw 2013-12-11 3:57 PM
| |
| | |
Expert
Posts: 1694
Location: Willows, CA | What is your feed program? Too much starch will elevate blood sugar and can contribute to a fractious attitude in some horses. You may think of looking elsewhere for the root of the problem. | |
| | |
Cat Collector
Posts: 1430
| winwillows - 2013-12-11 3:03 PM
What is your feed program? Too much starch will elevate blood sugar and can contribute to a fractious attitude in some horses. You may think of looking elsewhere for the root of the problem.
They are all on alfalfa mix bales, she gets only half a scoop of grain when i am done riding. | |
| | |
 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | winwillows - 2013-12-11 4:03 PM What is your feed program? Too much starch will elevate blood sugar and can contribute to a fractious attitude in some horses. You may think of looking elsewhere for the root of the problem.
I like this way of thinking, I have a gelding that would get high off his feed, and the more I did light work with him the hotter he got, so finally had enought of this mess threw him out to pasture for a while, clean out his system and started him on a different feed and now hes a whole different guy. I say check what you'ur feeding her, maybe change up her feed. Good luck | |
| | |
Cat Collector
Posts: 1430
| Southtxponygirl - 2013-12-11 3:40 PM
winwillows - 2013-12-11 4:03 PM What is your feed program? Too much starch will elevate blood sugar and can contribute to a fractious attitude in some horses. You may think of looking elsewhere for the root of the problem.
I like this way of thinking, I have a gelding that would get high off his feed, and the more I did light work with him the hotter he got, so finally had enought of this mess threw him out to pasture for a while, clean out his system and started him on a different feed and now hes a whole different guy. I say check what you'ur feeding her, maybe change up her feed. Good luck
definitely worth a shot :) | |
| | |
The Bling Princess
Posts: 3411
Location: North Dakota | I do a lot on the ground. I flog him with feed bags, tarps, & the end of the rope. I taught him how to sidepass, roll back, arc around me while on the ground. I make him jump logs, cavaletties, barrels (no picnic tables-LOL). I have access to some fairly large coulees and so I work him in and out of those. When he is down in the coulee I stand above him and desensitze him. I circle drive him, move him between the rail and myself, lots of backing. I loop my rope around his front feet (seperately) and teach him how to come foward off pressure, I "drive" him around by tapping behind his wither with my handy stick, which works great for teaching them to load nicely into the trailer. I do all of this to both directions, constantly switching up direction.
Ground work is not meant to tire them out, it happens in the process, but its not my main focus. My main focus is to engage his brain. In my opinion saying that he needs a fast paced job at this point is setting you up for failure. He needs to learn to "slow his roll" and putting him into something that requires him to think fast when he's already in a reactive state of mind is a wreck waiting to happen. There will be a time for it, but its not now.
Also the feed program is another biggie. I have to be careful the amount of sugar I feed this horse. No sweet feeds, oats, rice bran, etc. It makes him way too silly. He gets beet pulp, some alfalfa pellets, BOSS, Omega Horseshine, and his Animal Element. The AE helps him tremendously as does our vitamin & mineral supplement (Equilix).
The more I ride this horse and work him the better he gets. Inconsistency will be your demise. Work them daily and with a purpose.
I also don't dril and drill and drill on this horse. Get in get what you need done and get out. He does not tolerate being picked on. HE LOVES obstacles. Give him an obstacle like the 4 barrel drill, or cones, or the logs and he humbles so quickly. For him it helps focus his attention.
I don't think a person can do too much ground work. It softens them up in mind and body. | |
| | |
Cat Collector
Posts: 1430
| WYOTurn-n-Burn - 2013-12-11 4:07 PM
I do a lot on the ground. I flog him with feed bags, tarps, & the end of the rope. I taught him how to sidepass, roll back, arc around me while on the ground. I make him jump logs, cavaletties, barrels (no picnic tables-LOL). I have access to some fairly large coulees and so I work him in and out of those. When he is down in the coulee I stand above him and desensitze him. I circle drive him, move him between the rail and myself, lots of backing. I loop my rope around his front feet (seperately) and teach him how to come foward off pressure, I "drive" him around by tapping behind his wither with my handy stick, which works great for teaching them to load nicely into the trailer. I do all of this to both directions, constantly switching up direction.
Ground work is not meant to tire them out, it happens in the process, but its not my main focus. My main focus is to engage his brain. In my opinion saying that he needs a fast paced job at this point is setting you up for failure. He needs to learn to "slow his roll" and putting him into something that requires him to think fast when he's already in a reactive state of mind is a wreck waiting to happen. There will be a time for it, but its not now.
Also the feed program is another biggie. I have to be careful the amount of sugar I feed this horse. No sweet feeds, oats, rice bran, etc. It makes him way too silly. He gets beet pulp, some alfalfa pellets, BOSS, Omega Horseshine, and his Animal Element. The AE helps him tremendously as does our vitamin & mineral supplement (Equilix).
The more I ride this horse and work him the better he gets. Inconsistency will be your demise. Work them daily and with a purpose.
I also don't dril and drill and drill on this horse. Get in get what you need done and get out. He does not tolerate being picked on. HE LOVES obstacles. Give him an obstacle like the 4 barrel drill, or cones, or the logs and he humbles so quickly. For him it helps focus his attention.
I don't think a person can do too much ground work. It softens them up in mind and body.
thank you :) | |
| | |
Expert
Posts: 1694
Location: Willows, CA | I had a cutting horse that was very sensitive to grain based feeds. I think he would get nervous if there was a scoop of grain in the pickup. Take the grain away for w while and see if she changes a bit. If she does, go to a grain free diet. | |
| | |
 Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | I Ignore it and keep working her.. every muscle in her body and put her mind to work as well. I wouldnt do circles or cram her butt down. Id continue on and ignore her. she does it it sounds like to get a rise out of you. just her attitude to situations.. I wouldnt think scared of anything at all.the more you ignore it and continue the less she will feel its working..if you feel her face or neck tense start suppling her down..do lateral work.. lots of differant exercises.. not just 3 gaits and around arena ..I have learned the more we react the more they act.. | |
| | |
Cold hands and Warm Heart
Location: oklahoma | Get her eyesight checked. How old is she? Throwing it out there if it's not a being lazy problem, lol | |
| | |
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 929
| Rodeo Rose - 2013-12-10 3:13 PM
School him when he does it. Make him work and see that trying to bolt = a lot of work!
I’ve had a lot of ponies that will try to run away out of orneriness or spooking and the fastest thing to make them quit that I’ve found is keep them running. They soon figure out bolting isn’t a lot of fun and A LOT of work. That makes for a good pony that won’t run away with kids Of course, all horses are wired different and some are too fragile minded for that and it’s best then to do a lot of slow/trotting WORK – reverse arcs, serpentines, circles back and forth etc. Enough to get them out of breath and want to take a rest. Then you can reward them with a rest and make standing and chilling pretty appealing..
Make them use their brain
I had a great jumper that used to bolt, but only in the hack classes...so we never used him for that and only did over fences. Until...a clinician from the East Coast came to the farm and asked me why. When I told him he said "let's see what he does" and he sent me out on the rail. Sure enough...the horse took off. He wasn't dangerous...just RUNNING, so the trainer told the rest of the group to walk and let my horse "express himself." LOL. I let him run and run and run...until he was over it. He never did it again...it was too much work.
I recommend doing this as long as they are not going to hit the fence or they go nuts and cut in or something, too. | |
| | |
Cat Collector
Posts: 1430
| thanks again everyone. | |
| | |
 Expert
Posts: 1889
Location: Texas | WYOTurn-n-Burn - 2013-12-11 4:07 PM
I do a lot on the ground. I flog him with feed bags, tarps, & the end of the rope. I taught him how to sidepass, roll back, arc around me while on the ground. I make him jump logs, cavaletties, barrels (no picnic tables-LOL). I have access to some fairly large coulees and so I work him in and out of those. When he is down in the coulee I stand above him and desensitze him. I circle drive him, move him between the rail and myself, lots of backing. I loop my rope around his front feet (seperately) and teach him how to come foward off pressure, I "drive" him around by tapping behind his wither with my handy stick, which works great for teaching them to load nicely into the trailer. I do all of this to both directions, constantly switching up direction.
Ground work is not meant to tire them out, it happens in the process, but its not my main focus. My main focus is to engage his brain. In my opinion saying that he needs a fast paced job at this point is setting you up for failure. He needs to learn to "slow his roll" and putting him into something that requires him to think fast when he's already in a reactive state of mind is a wreck waiting to happen. There will be a time for it, but its not now.
Also the feed program is another biggie. I have to be careful the amount of sugar I feed this horse. No sweet feeds, oats, rice bran, etc. It makes him way too silly. He gets beet pulp, some alfalfa pellets, BOSS, Omega Horseshine, and his Animal Element. The AE helps him tremendously as does our vitamin & mineral supplement (Equilix).
The more I ride this horse and work him the better he gets. Inconsistency will be your demise. Work them daily and with a purpose.
I also don't dril and drill and drill on this horse. Get in get what you need done and get out. He does not tolerate being picked on. HE LOVES obstacles. Give him an obstacle like the 4 barrel drill, or cones, or the logs and he humbles so quickly. For him it helps focus his attention.
I don't think a person can do too much ground work. It softens them up in mind and body.
Great advice. Only thing I would add to this is to teach the one rein stop. In case your horse does decide to bolt again this helps gain control very quickly. | |
| |
|
horse that bolts