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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1062
 
Location: Probably On the Road to the Next Barrel Race! | Gotta 6 yo OTT that has now learned to RUN. I ride a short shank Bozo hack on her, just cannot get her stopped, to the point of being dangerous. Will stop at a closed gate, but most around here are not closed. I'm switching up my curb chain to one with more bite, and have considered going to the long shank Bozo, but don't want to inhibit her from running...she's hard to stop, and I've never even hit her yet coming home...I'm concerned, and yea a little scared... ideas? |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 415
| I've read that bleeders have trouble stopping, my mare started doing that so she's getting a BAL done |
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 A Barrel Of Monkeys
Posts: 12972
  
Location: Texas | A Bozo is not going to stop a horse that doesn't want to. If you want to continue using a hackamore, I'd suggest an Ed Wright chain nose. (It's only as severe as your hands.) |
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 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| Scope and BAL for bleeding. Then after that check for pelvic problems. Then after that and an all clear change to something you can get ahold of her jaw and break it off (figuratively, not literally but maybe...you know?) if she puts you in danger. Worry about your safety first. If she's going to kill you going to a closed gate or bolting from an alleyway no matter what you put on her face, quit her.
Thoroughbreds are (wind wise), just picking up steam by the time they get all the way home. You need to be in control. A quick stop maybe? I've seen some very nice horses and runs with those, I don't have the hands for it, but if you're a hackamore person you might be a quick crossover.
Stay safe. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 929
| Have you tried a bit on her? What does she do with it? Most track horses are taught to run INTO pressure and pull down. I had one that would run off with you if you pulled back...but would drop to a trot if you dropped your reins.
Of course, do not do this if you feel you are getting run off with. Like someone said, if you have the hands for a quick stop, this might be the ticket. Good luck and stay safe. |
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  Whack and Roll
Posts: 6342
Location: NE Texas | It's not just bleeders that will begin doing this. Any respiratory issue, COPD, IAD, allergies creating constricted airways, soft palate displacement can also cause this reaction in a horse. I have a horse who was displacing his soft palate due to respiratory issues that became very severe in a very short time. If you have a proper foundation on this mare, and this behavior is new, i'd say that you definitely need to be suspect of respiratory issues. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | CrossCreek - 2016-05-26 10:50 PM Gotta 6 yo OTT that has now learned to RUN. I ride a short shank Bozo hack on her, just cannot get her stopped, to the point of being dangerous. Will stop at a closed gate, but most around here are not closed. I'm switching up my curb chain to one with more bite, and have considered going to the long shank Bozo, but don't want to inhibit her from running...she's hard to stop, and I've never even hit her yet coming home...I'm concerned, and yea a little scared... ideas?
If your concerned about stopping this horse, then I would have her checked over by Vet and make sure shes not a bleeder are in pain anywhere, then I would go to something that has a bit more stopping power like a Pozzi hack or a Jim Warrner hack, maybe a bit, befor you are someone else gets hurt. |
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 Three in a Bikini
Posts: 2035
| I have one like this...
I run him in a Jim Warner long shank combo hack.
This allows me to be pretty gentle through the run but strong when needed.
I also DO NOT run him at an open gate. I have a buddy close the gate. If this is not an option I will assess the area. If it is dangerous outside of the arena I will not run. If it is more of a catch pen situation I will run but I do not whip him home. |
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Nut Case Expert
Posts: 9305
Location: Tulsa, Ok | First eleminate any physical issues that may be causing or adding to the issues. Second, make sure you have head gear that will get the horses attention. Third, be sure you are asking for a stop in a manner that works. All the time I see people pulling straight back which just causes the horse to brace on the bit and run harder. The request needs to be bump and release and repeat with the pressure and sharpness increasing with each repitition until the desired response is received. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 516
| After ruling out physical issues, have you addressed training issues? Can you stop from a dead run at home? Or is this just an issue when at an event? Have you done runs at events where you make sure she sits on her butt when she gets to the end? |
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 Expert
Posts: 1218
Location: South MS | I would put a a draw gag and German martingale on at home and fix the stopping without being at a show.
I agree to rule out all soundness issues. My bleeder never gave me problems stopping it was going in that I had problems.
Try a ladybug hack. Fix the stop and then go back to a lighter bit for the runs once she stops. I would rather have too much bit then not enough. |
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 I Prefer to Live in Fantasy Land
Posts: 64864
Location: In the Hills of Texas | I had a horse that would do this and he ended up having sore hocks but it took some time for him to know it wasn't going to hurt when he stopped. I went to a Bozo hack but the trick is you have to keep checking and releasing it for it to work to stop them. A horse will run through a Bozo when you give constant pressure and is why it works well while running the pattern.
Meant to add...a race horse is taught to take the bit and run with pressure, on some OTT horses, giving them their heads and sitting deep into your saddle and saying whoa works. You need to practice this at home and make it a habit. I never pick up or pull on the reins to stop my horses. As soon as I go to sit down deep they stop.
Edited by Nevertooold 2016-05-28 10:34 AM
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 Georgia Peach
Posts: 8338
Location: Georgia |
This could very well be a soreness issue...or it could be a "I don't wanna" issue. I have a mare that is very responsive and respectful but she LOVES to run and does not want to slow it down coming out of the arena. In a closed gate situation I've had her slide into gates which is not cool. Ive had her looked over several times so at this point I've come to the conclusion that she just doesnt want to stop. A few months ago it became apparently dangerous. We were running out of a pen with a downhill slope and when I circled her she slipped (not necessarily her fault) and we both took a hard fall. Since then we have been working on stops and being respectful of the bit. We ran at the same pen a few days ago and she was much better. We were at a slow lope when we exited the alley which was a wonderful change. Concerning the bit issue, I used to run this mare ina hackamore but she was pretty bad about stopping. I now run her in a light shank bit and it helps pull her speed back down. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 898
Location: Idaho | Have her checked for pain. Used to have a gelding that would do this.. When I first got him I Had to put a super strong bit on him (Josey million dollar bit- mind you, the strongest bit in my barn besides that is a Charmayne James Ryan bit..I had to go buy it just for him) just to gain control of him and let him know that that was NOT acceptable behavior. Where I used to run, we always had closed fences and he'd run you into a fence if he didn't want to stop. After a while, I started getting him checked out from the vet and found out he had ulcers. Within a week of starting to treat him.. it was AMAZING the difference. He was so relaxed and calm, he was a completely different horse. I eventually dropped him from the Josey bit to a Carol Goosetree simplicity double gag.. and he worked great. Found out he didn't like barrels either, so eventually just sold him as a trail horse. But definitely take her to a vet, she's probably trying to tell you something. |
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