# TERRIFYING - Random Bolting



## Colby Jack Seige (Feb 1, 2016)

Hay yall! So yesterday I was out riding with two other girls (which CJ and I do very often) on a short little trail. We were going past the barn and going to go to a trail the other way when one of the girls says she wants to change her saddle. No problem! I said the third girl and I would jump in the arena while she tacked up no issue. 

Well, there was a big issue. While girl #2 was putting the saddle on, CJ and I were walking and I asked for a trot (just using my energy, we do this often, I just become more active in my movement in the saddle) and girl #3 was just standing on the other end of the arena looking at her phone on her horse. I felt CJ trot a few steps, then almost leave me behind. When I say we were going fast, I mean I thought I was going to die. I definitely could have died. I immediately lost both my stirrups, but just held on the best I could. Once he got the girl #3 on her horse, he slowed down with perfect little canter trot walk halt transitions. I've only been riding for a year (I got CJ January 4, 2016 as a Christmas present, I picked him out), so this kind of thing has never in my life happened to me, so I didn't start pulling on him or saying woah or any of the cues he knows to slow down, I was pretty much in shock. I chalked it up to something I probably did, and went on with my ride. 

THEN... girl #2 came out and decided to do a little arena work with her horse as well, so we just kept on going. I stopped jumping after he bolted, figured I would work on being veeeeeery slow. Girl#2's horse and CJ are pasture buddies, jic you were wondering. He likes the other horse as well. In exactly the same place, tracking left again theyre both walking in the same place that girl #3 had been standing the first time he bolted. This time I wasn't telling him to do anything, we were just walking, working on being away from the group. Well he bolts again, even faster this time. Again I lose my stirrups, but manage to stay on. I grab mane, but again, I don't have a lot of experience with this, and I knew he was going to stop when he got over there, and he did. This time I knew that he was doing this on his own. I gave him some very stern pops in the mouth and made him back up straight about 10 yards. I made him stand and watch the two other girls canter, when they went down to a walk, I made him trot, very very very slow trot to catch up. Once I was comfortable with that I made them stand in the same place that they had been when he bolted, and I asked for canter just before I got to them, brought him down, and asked for canter in the place he started bolting each time. He did perfectly fine then, and although he got a little quick, that often happens with a canter transition on him, he's just a little green. 

This guy was a barrel racer before I got him so when I say fast I really mean it. At least 25 mph (about 40 kph). He's NEVER done something like this before. He had little kids on him that were having their first lesson, so I feel like I've done something to ruin my boy  I told the barn manager about it (we're very close, girl #3 is her daughter) and she said that it probably wasn't anything I did, she brought up the cold and the wind, and the fact that he could still be in "trail mode" and knowing he needed to be with the other horses, etc. I'm going back out today, and the whole day, no jumping, I'm gonna make him see them trotting, cantering, etc. in front of him and make him walk, when they walk, make him canter/trot, and hopefully by the end when they canter, I make him canter a ton behind them. 

Like I said he is a very gentle horse, never bucks, nothing. He's also very smart, he picks things up no problem. I just have no clue what I've done to him.

Edit: CJ spooks at nothing. It didn't feel like a spook either. There were people walking to come pet the horses w their kids, but they always come by, and like I said CJ was a kid's horse. He knew they were just standing there, and we had passed them several times with no problem. My only issue with them is they heard my shrill scream and saw this big old scary horse running away from me. I can't believe I stayed on, I have no clue how I did it.


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## BlindHorseEnthusiast4582 (Apr 11, 2016)

While I don't really liked where you said you gave him "pops in the mouth", because that makes me think you jerked on the bit? Correct me if I'm wrong there.

As far as everything else, I've never had a horse bolt on me, but I think making him do what he didn't want to do as punishment was the right move. The first time I ever had one going off of where I asked, I just kinda froze and didn't correct them. I've gotten better (been riding about a year and a half, so not much longer than you). 

One thing I do know is that you haven't ruined him with just one bad ride. It happened, you handled it, and now move on like nothing has happened. A friend of mine rides a former barrel racer, and he's definitely more horse than I could handle, but your guys sounds like a great horse. We all have bad days.


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## ApuetsoT (Aug 22, 2014)

Neeeeever punish a horse by popping them in the mouth. As the saying goes, heaven on their mouth, hell on their sides. 

Sounds like he was being a bit buddy sour and took advantage of the situation. Work is the best solution. Hard work near where he wants to run to(buddies), then stop and rest away from them.


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## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

Agree- acting buddy sour. And be careful with backing as a punishment. Horses can and will go very fast backward and it is more terrifying than going fast forward! 

You need to spend more time in the arena with these friends and anticipate the surge forward. Turn him away and work him as he gets closer to the other horses. He has to learn that doing this means work work and more work.


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## Colby Jack Seige (Feb 1, 2016)

BlindHorseEnthusiast4582 said:


> While I don't really liked where you said you gave him "pops in the mouth", because that makes me think you jerked on the bit? Correct me if I'm wrong there.
> 
> As far as everything else, I've never had a horse bolt on me, but I think making him do what he didn't want to do as punishment was the right move. The first time I ever had one going off of where I asked, I just kinda froze and didn't correct them. I've gotten better (been riding about a year and a half, so not much longer than you).
> 
> One thing I do know is that you haven't ruined him with just one bad ride. It happened, you handled it, and now move on like nothing has happened. A friend of mine rides a formal barrel racer, and he's definitely more horse than I could handle, but your guys sounds like a great horse. We all have bad days.





ApuetsoT said:


> Neeeeever punish a horse by popping them in the mouth. As the saying goes, heaven on their mouth, hell on their sides.
> 
> Sounds like he was being a bit buddy sour and took advantage of the situation. Work is the best solution. Hard work near where he wants to run to(buddies), then stop and rest away from them.


I guess I didn't really "pop" him... he has issues w accepting the bit so I'm always very cautious with his mouth. I jiggled the reins and pulled my fingers really quick when he stopped. Like strong, quick half halts.


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## Colby Jack Seige (Feb 1, 2016)

carshon said:


> Agree- acting buddy sour. And be careful with backing as a punishment. Horses can and will go very fast backward and it is more terrifying than going fast forward!
> 
> You need to spend more time in the arena with these friends and anticipate the surge forward. Turn him away and work him as he gets closer to the other horses. He has to learn that doing this means work work and more work.


I definitely know what you mean about backing up... the first time I fell off of him was because he just turned out of the gate at a trot (I had only been riding a couple months) and the gate got stuck in between my leg and the saddle. He felt that we were "stuck" and backed up as fast as I think a horse could, and I just went tumbling off his front LOL


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

Well, I am glad you handled the situation and didn't fall off, and brought him back down. As for popping him in the mouth, well, I'm sure that aggravated him. Sounds like he got buddy sour, I agree with the above advice. That's good you are going to continue working through this with him, hopefully he doesn't do it again. Bravo for staying on!

Redz has 'bolted off' before. I found that pulling him into a circle works best. Gets him focused on me & he knows better than to run off like that. I just keep doing circles & he calms himself down. Have to sit back and relax, and 'blob' it. Can't act tense or he will sense that. 

Definitely keep working at this with him & those friends of yours so he gets used to it. Working through it is the best option.


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## Colby Jack Seige (Feb 1, 2016)

PoptartShop said:


> Well, I am glad you handled the situation and didn't fall off, and brought him back down. As for popping him in the mouth, well, I'm sure that aggravated him. Sounds like he got buddy sour, I agree with the above advice. That's good you are going to continue working through this with him, hopefully he doesn't do it again. Bravo for staying on!
> 
> Redz has 'bolted off' before. I found that pulling him into a circle works best. Gets him focused on me & he knows better than to run off like that. I just keep doing circles & he calms himself down. Have to sit back and relax, and 'blob' it. Can't act tense or he will sense that.
> 
> Definitely keep working at this with him & those friends of yours so he gets used to it. Working through it is the best option.


Yeah the barn manager and I have been working on the "one rein stop" just as a safety thing, and I can do it at a canter but I was pretty shaken up haha. I can guarantee that if he does it today, however, I'll get het nose to touch my boot.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

agree with others as to what has been said.
Good that you are working on the one rein stop, providing you do it correctly, running your hand down the one rein, and taking his head away.
Also try to feel when he is starting to get up tight, tense, and then do some exercises that get his mind back on you. For a horse to bolt, he has to keep engaged, able to brace on the reins,so if you can work him in some turns, circles, using a set release, set release, he can't take hold of that bit and bolt


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## Colby Jack Seige (Feb 1, 2016)

Smilie said:


> agree with others as to what has been said.
> Good that you are working on the one rein stop, providing you do it correctly, running your hand down the one rein, and taking his head away.
> Also try to feel when he is starting to get up tight, tense, and then do some exercises that get his mind back on you. For a horse to bolt, he has to keep engaged, able to brace on the reins,so if you can work him in some turns, circles, using a set release, set release, he can't take hold of that bit and bolt


my only real issue w the one rein stop is that sometimes i forget to let go of the other rein... just habit, i've seen horses get their leg wrapped up and thats always been a big fear of mine


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Watch the vidoes I posted under the horse riding forum and spooking thread.
They will give you a better idea as to how it is done correctly, although, since you are riding with closed reins, that could be a problem.
Western split reins, are longer, and riding with a bridge, versus reins that are closed, I think is more effective for this application, and why perhaps it is a method used more on western horses


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I agree that the way to prevent a bolt is to never let it get started. but, that's hindsight. and , sometimes you just don't see the warning signs, or they are hardly evident at all.

when a person experiences such an intense few moments of fear, to the level that you feel your life is threatened, their adrenalin goes very high, so one's reactions afterward can become more intense than usual. if a horse bolted under me, and I snapped him a few times in the mouth as a result of my fear, I would not spend too much time beating myself up about it. in fact, if I'd been asking him to stop with the reins, and he wasn't listening at all, some short snaps might help get his attention back on the reins.

I had a horse bolt under me out on the trail once. I remember looking down and seeing the bushes and stumps fly by, and thinking, 'if I fall on a stump, I'll die' so, I thought, "just stay on. that's all you have to do" But, when the hrose finally stopped (I'd been hauling hard on his mouth. no room on narrow , treed trail for circling), I was so angry at him , that I took my crop and cracked him one on the top of his head. I was yelling, too.

Now, I don't say that to say, "ok, do like I did". I am not proud of whacking a hrose on the top of his head. no, what I am saying is that a person can lose it. it happened. the horse knew why I did that. he smartened up and it never happened again. and, I hope I never lose my temper to such an extent again, but when you are that scared, a bit of loss of emotional control is to be expected.


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

A bolt is scary! Figuring out the cause can be a bit of work. Personally, I start by making sure there is no pain. Tack needs to fit. A chiro checkup wouldn't hurt. Then it may just be saddle time and getting to know each other better. Bolting cannot be allowed and professional help should be sought if you are unable to solve the issue yourself. 
Good luck to you and stay safe.


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## RemingtonDiva (Nov 12, 2016)

It reads to me like he was just buddy sour the first time so he ran back to his mate. Then because he got away with it, he did it again. Sounds like you are lucky in that your boy is doing it because he can. I would go back to really hammering home those one rein stops, disengage him. Work him at a trot in tight random circles if he goes to do it. Make running back to his mate on the other side of the arena the hardest thing to do. The thing with a one rein stop is it has to be a reflex not an after thought. Every time you get on him flex him and disengage him over and over. Do it all the time randomly, when in the arena, or on the trail. He needs to know that you can take his head at any time. And if he tries to run off to his mate, you are going to a) stop him and b) make him work harder.

I understand that initial freeze though. The first time I had a horse bolt on me It was the scariest thing I had ever experienced. I remember I had, had other horses kinda trot off or go to canter off and after maybe the 2nd time I asked they came back. I would think oh wow that was almost a disaster. But when it actually really happened, when in the space of a second my girl went from a relaxed walk to galloping "in a panic" across an open field and I realised that It did not matter how much I pulled on those reins she was not stopping OMG I felt sick with fear. Its amazing how much goes through your head in the space of 20 seconds. When my mind came back to me, and I realised that I knew the whole area like the back of my hand I calmed down enough to form a plan. I was able to slowly circle her down to a one rein stop, avoiding all the ditches and pot holes. I could not tell you which one of us was shaking more, me or her. I sat there almost in tears with her head locked to my knee, she was still in such a panic she was actually disengaging herself. All I wanted to do was get the heck off her and get rid of her. But I knew if I got off her there, I would never get back on. I am risking her whole life as she will always have the name of a "bolter" Maybe for about 15 minutes I literally one reined her repeatedly until we were both relaxed enough to go for a walk out.


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## Colby Jack Seige (Feb 1, 2016)

*Update! *

I'm super pleased with how things have been going with CJ and I after the bolt. We really can chalk this up to my ignorance, not him being bad. To tell you the truth, I never really knew that being buddy sour was a thing until all of this happened. I mean, I knew that he liked to be with his buddies, but didn't know that it could become so dangerous so easily.

We've worked on it every day since, the first day I did no jumping, and yesterday I went to crossrails and a 2 foot (something he's comfortable with, and really enjoys doing). He had been doing so well that I wanted to let him jump a little as a reward. I know some people will tell me that jumping isn't a reward or whatever but I swear you can feel him just light right up when you start heading for a jump. 

Both days I had at least one other horse in the arena, his best buddy Romeo. If he was cantering, I would make him canter past the buddy, and if he even thought about slowing down when he was around his friends, I'd pull his face to my boot and make him trot in a little circle a couple times. I'd let him walk and take little breaks when we were away from the others, and work harder when we were near them. 

He's definitely shown improvement, and I don't think he'll be forgetting that bolting was a very bad thing to do. I knew after he bolted that I needed to stay on and work with him more, I couldn't just get off of him then. Someone at the barn suggested I take a break from riding him and I thought that was just crazy! If he bolts, then I stop riding as a result, and he gets to be lazy and stay in the pasture grazing, do you think that he'll learn that bolting = a vacation? ABSOLUTELY!! I mean I'm definitely no expert, as is apparent, but some people just amaze me.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

good job! your horse is waking up because you are coming into your own as a real 'pilot' instead of a passenger.


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## gunslinger (Sep 17, 2011)

Mr. Jack has bolted on my twice now....and there could have easily been a third time had I not realized that he was going to attempt it....

In all cases, I think his problem was fear...

The first time, a dirt bike approached....with the helmet, goggles, and vest, I'm sure Mr. Jack thought it was the biggest, baddest horse fly he'd ever seen......luckly, I had him on a short rein and "in the box"....we did circles for what seemed like a minute or so and I finally got him past it...

The second time....was with a large group of riders....and we were near the rear.....when a mountain bike approached.....he took me off the side of a mountain.....before I got him stopped.....

The third time was a couple of weeks ago.....a couple of big dogs came in on us....he has a dog at home and I didn't think this would bother him so I was a bit unprepared....still he shot straight ahead like a bottle rocket....

So...when I'm in a thicket...it's both hands on the reins.....his head "in the box", and heals down!

It's amazing how fast they can move, and how much ground they can cover before you can get the slack out of loose reins.....

I think he just need more riding and more experience....still, it's hard to relax on a horse that does that....


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## Colby Jack Seige (Feb 1, 2016)

CJ is a green horse; not really to riding so much as the English side of riding. He was a kid's horse, and I know for a fact they didn't work him near as much as I do. I also know this is the first time in a year that he's ever clicked with another horse and had a buddy.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Where were your reins for all of this??

Agree, things happen. Everyone was ok and no he's not ruined so big breath. You worked him a little after which it sounds like you did very well with.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Good job!
I also agree that there can be true fear bolts, BUT, it is how quickly the horse comes back to you that counts
My examples.
Riding Smilie out in the winter hay field , next to us one year, when she was about three, as we were passing a tarped pile of square bales, several came tumbling out from under that tarp, with a coyote right behind them. He must have been mousing. Anyway, if there ever was a situation where it appeared like a predator was attacking-that was it. Sure, smilie took two huge jumps foreward, but when I yelled whoa,took her head away, she stopped
Another time, riding home, down our road, near dusk, I saw a car approaching, but since Smilie is very used to traffic, didn't even bother taking the slack out of my reins.
The car turned out to be an old jalopy , and did slow as it came up to us, but the minute that car passes, the driver gunned the motor, causing that car to back fire loudly several times. Even I jumped!. Yup, Smilie bolted forward a few strides, but stopped when I just sat down and said 'whoa'
I learned along time ago, how important it was to have a horse you can diffuse an attempted bolt on. I was still living back in Ontario, and home from college for the weekend. My parents had sold my horse, so I borrowed three horses from a neighbour across the highway from us, foe my two friends and I to ride
I did not know that the horse I was on, was a bolter. We had already gone for along ride, and were heading back, when for some reason, my one friend came galloping up behind me, and that was all it took for my horse to bolt. I realized very quickly that there was no hope in hell I would get her stopped before we reached the highway, so there were only two choices-hope that no car was passing when we galloped across that highway, or try to make the neighbour;s laneway at full gallop. I chose the latter. Horse slipped in the gravel, and rammed my shoulder and forhead into a tree, ejecting me backwards. Luckily I was young, escaping with a slight concussion and a dislocated shoulder
Decided right there, that I never again wanted to be on a horse in a full out bolt, unless it was a big plowed field!


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

Good for you for hanging on! 
And good job for not putting CJ up for the day and just letting him think this is a good way to get out of work. 
You did great!


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## Colby Jack Seige (Feb 1, 2016)

Yogiwick said:


> Where were your reins for all of this??
> 
> Agree, things happen. Everyone was ok and no he's not ruined so big breath. You worked him a little after which it sounds like you did very well with.


Balled up in my fists, but I was too stiff and worried about staying on to even attempt to sit deep and ask him to slow down, much less a one rein stop!


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Is it a bolt if you didn't even ask him to slow? (I'm just thinking "aloud" lol)

Honestly while I sympathize with how scary it must have been it sounds like a good learning experience overall. When things go bad it's important to keep your head and also have your body relax. As you can see that can be pretty much impossible! The more practice the better and if the situation turns out well even better! I think both you and the pony learned a lot


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## EmberScarlet (Oct 28, 2016)

Glad you worked him out of it.  It's better that way, trust me.


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## bellagris (Dec 6, 2010)

Very much agree with the others on the mouth popping. If this were me, I would make an exercise for him where his time around his buddies is hard work. Ask them to stand their horses and ride CJ around the arena at leisure -then ride towards them and make him work around them...really work, serpentines, cantering around them...not punishment because this is an exercise...but whatever it is that is currently the most work for you guys, do it...then ride away and let him rest away from the group. 

I use this concept often. Make the right thing easy and the wrong thing hard. You have to be prepared to meet a horse at their level of resistance in the moment, but it needs to be properly timed, make sense to them, and the reward needs to be immediate. So if he starts to take off over towards them while you are not asking him to -put the foot down and do your emergency stop and ride him the other way. That being said, it was the right thing you did to not let him make any decisions after that. Horses do things and test us constantly no matter how broke they are. If they were always perfect we wouldn't learn anything!!


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