Bolting Horses...!

[Christina@Flambards]

:blink: Hullo all!
I've been pratising all those halt manouvres and am beginning to feel a little more competent - however...last week saw me come a cropper during a group riding session in the school's arena. I'm delighted to be in the company of such experienced riders which is why it was so excruciating to be the only one hanging on for dear life instead of actually riding.
I know it's wrong to blame the horse but lovely old Shona (imposing Highland mare) positively hates other horses and during a rising trot on the track she began snapping at the others and tried to break into what felt like a gallop. Clearly she was competing with the other horses and despite enouragement from my instructor, I couldn't control her. The harder I pulled on her reins, the more she got the bit between her teeth - if you know what I mean. In the end I managed to slow her down by 'working the contact' on both sides as suggested by my instructor.
Honestly folks - it scared the bejesus out of me and I'm dreading what this weekend will bring. The worst thing was the fact that I was clearly spoiling everyone else's enjoyment because Shona and I were an obvious liability. In the end I swapped horses with a more experienced rider but she struggled too despite bringing about some sort of law and order (secretly pleased it wasn't just me..).
So - here I am again - riding hat in hand for some tips on:
a) keeping my horse under control when she starts to bolt
B) conveying to my horse the fact that I am in control not her
I know the answer might be another horse but I'm really keen to stick with Shona.

Many thanks as ever - sorry to impose again!
 :blink:  

[Heather]

No problem, Christina, but am moving the topic to the Horse Training forum. This forum is only for help in navigating the site, or suggestions to improve it, so I am afraid that by posting here, you wont get replies to help you!

So go to the horse training forum for answers to your thread.

Heather

[Cloud_cirrus]

Is Shona a school horse?  If she is then I would see if you can switch to a different horse for a few weeks to get your confidence back.  Highlands are physically strong horses and I think you mentioned in another post that she has issues being in groups with other horses?

If you can't switch for some reason and your schooling area has walls then I would use them.  There is nothing like bouncing off a wall for reminding a horse that stop really does mean stop.  It may sound a bit harsh but at the end of the day your safety is most important and it doesn't seem like the school is really taking this into account.

Tracey

[Cobstar]

Would it be possible to have some private lessons on Shona to work through some of the issues? And then perhaps move on to a lesson with one or two other riders to build up your confidence re controlling her in a group situation?

If not, you'd probably find it more helpful to ride a horse that is more amenable in a group situation so that you can practice your riding skills and improve your confidence.

Some horses are difficult in a group situation and it is the responsibility of the instructor to ensure the safety of the group and if necessary have a horse removed.

We've all been in situations where we've found ourselves out of control on a horse - it happens to even Olympic level riders.  I can remember one private lesson when I rode a new mare to me and as soon as I got in the saddle she started jogging and I was sure she was going to take off with me.  She was very stiff and it was virtually impossible to bend her in and direction, which didn't help.  My initial reaction was to get off and give up - but the instructor encouraged me to stay with it. We spent a lot of the lesson in walk getting her to go at the pace I wanted and in the direction I wanted - by the end of the session we were trotting under control too.  And the next time I rode her, we were able to reestablish the basics quickly and make much more progress during the lesson.

[Heather]

Excelllent advice Maria, but it never ceases to amaze me that these school horses are so sour and usually badly schooled that novice riders have to resort to these tactics to stop or whatever. It is far from uncommon at riding schools,yet so unnecessry if the horses are properly trained and chosen or the job.

Having had Highlands in my own school, I would say that many are totally unsuited to riding school work. They are very intelligent, easily bored, and soon find ways round  working if they get a chance! They need constant variety if kept for school work, and most ridng schools dont give them this.

If Christina can have some private lessons on the pony as you suggest, it may well help, but my first concern is just WHAT is she going to learn?

Christina, can you pm me?

Heather

[Mossy]

Rather you than me trying to stop a determined Highland! As Heather says, they are opinionated, strong, stiff necked and intelligent. Moss sets his neck and I have a dickens of a job to influence his will, we had a tanty this morning about turn on the forehand. I would seriously suggest a change of horse to restore your confidence, and then go back to battle with a loveable but strong headed Highland, let alone one with "issues".
[ A determined Highland does not teach you to ask nicely. If I rode my mare with the same determination that I sometimes have to command Mossy, Conn and I would very soon be visiting Heather    However once you have gained their respect they are great little characters]

[Anna B]

Hi Christina,

I don't have any experience of Highlands, but I sympathise with you - being on a bolting horse is terrifying, and worse if you don't know what to do, which is what happened the first time my horse bolted with me.  

Since then, the best advice I have been given is to try to keep your weight back, not grip with your legs, and try to get the horse to circle by being stronger in one rein than the other.  If you are pulling hard on both reins the horse tends to just pull against you.  

It's hard, as my natural reaction is to lean forward (bad habit that I have), grip with my legs and pull - everything you're NOT meant to do!!  It's only happened to me once since, and I managed to let my head rule my body's reaction this time!

One other thing, be careful about running the horse into a wall.  I tried this with a high hedge (too high to jump!) when my horse bolted in a field, and he was beginning to slow down when he shied at the last minute & I flew over his shoulder!

Good luck,

Anna

 

[Pam K]

It's helpful to know how to brace your back against a horse that's tanking off with you!  I always teach my horses to slow down when I sqeeze my knees and thighs, sit up tall and squeeze alternate reins.  If you can teach them this in the school when they're quiet, you can use a more forceful version of it if you need to.  Ideally of course we'd all like to be able to use just our thighs/seat, but when horses take off they tend to ignore subtle aids.

Out on a hack if they try to take off (which doesn't happen often, I hasten to say!) I brace my back by sitting tall and pushing my tummy forwards, and clamping my elbows against my hips, taking a firm hold of the reins, but keep doing the alternate squeezes if possible.  Don't be tempted to take a solid pull as they just pull against you.  Release the reins every so often to prevent pulling, but keep squeezng with your thighs.  Do this until they calm down.  Above all, don't tip forward and don't panic!

In a real emergency you can do what jockeys are taught to do (or so I've been told), which isn't particularly nice, but might just prevent an accident.  Fix one hand at the base of the neck (hold onto some mane if that helps), lower the other hand and alternately pull and release, quite hard if necessary.  This usually stops them if nothing else does.

I find that riding schools tend not to teach people how to deal with horses getting strong, and unfortunately people often don't realise they need to know how to do it until they've had a nasty experience.

[stranger]

Well-being 'picky' I think one should point out that the mare was NOT bolting with you. Bolting means running away flat out in a blind panic, not getting out of hand in an enclosed space and trying to canter rather than trot.  It sounds to me as if she knew EXACTLY what she was doing-the monkey-definitely not in a blind panic.

However-being or feeling out of control is uncomfortable and nerve-wracking, whereever it occurs and whatever and whereever you are riding.  

Its so easy to say that the more tense and nervous the rider becomes the harder it is to make the horse relaxed and obedient so relax--but of course its not that easy to do.  One trick is to remember to BREATHE.  Very often when things get scary, people tend to hold their breath and not breathe.  So when it all starts to go wrong and before you start getting into an arguement with the horse-let your breath go in a huge 'whooosh' through your mouth and then breath in again and 'whoosh' out again.  This will do two things.  A. It will give you some nice fresh oxygen to fuel your mind and muscles and B.  It will drop your stomach muscles and strengthen your seat-and make you feel safer in the saddle.

I have to agree though that a Highland is not the easiest of horses to 'argue' with.  They are strong physically and strong willed as well.  

This may sound silly-but you might well be better off on something with a bit of thorougbred or arab blood in it, as, contrary to common belief, this type are often more obliging and forgiving than some of the native breeds as well as being narrower over the shoulders and with better and more natural self balance-and subsequently easier to keep control of.

[Christina@Flambards]

Good morning - so glad I couldn't get to sleep and decided to check the results of my thread. I can't tell you how miserable it was to have felt so knocked back by Sunday's events - not least since there was at least one child there expertly cantering in perfect arcs while Shona and I behaved like something out of a pantomime... It's very reassuring to hear about your experiences and I'm taking it all on board...
  Thanks..

[mrsmurchin]

Christina,

Please don't beat yourself up about feeling incompetent.  I've been riding for approx 15 years, more off than on until I got my first horse 4 years ago, with the majority of that time being on riding school horses having lessons.  It's not until these past 12 months that everything has started to come together for me.  It coincides with me 'finding' classical riding, this forum and getting a confidence-giving horse.  I feel like my eyes have been opened and can't believe that I had all that tuition, spent all that money and learnt less than I have since I've started reading every book I can get my hands on.  I too felt useless when little girls where cantering around confidently whilst I couldn't even get my pony (small adult syndrome!) into canter, compounded with the instructor telling me to get off to show me how its done (no wonder I had no confidence about my riding skills)!

I had a lunge lesson in December at a classical riding school and I can honestly say I learnt more in that half an hour than I had ever learnt at all the (BHS) schools I'd been to.  If you can, try and find a school with instructors that you click with and also have really good school masters, it will save you a lot of pain and humiliation in the long run, I just wish I'd found mine sooner!

Just remember, you are not alone and are in the best place for advice (this forum has been invaluable to me).

Elaine.

[Christina@Flambards]

Elaine - thanks for the uplifting email. Perhaps it's symptomatic of the riding school I'm attached to that I feel as frustrated as I do. I'm a teacher myself (English - explains the verbosity doesn't it..) and know something about the rewards of praise and encouragement. And yet I was actually told to mind my own business yesterday for suggesting to a nine year old that she catch her reins under her pony's muzzle rather than hang on just to the end as she was walking it back into its stall - it was giving her jip and refusing to cooperate. If nothing else this seemed common sense to me but you'd have thought I'd suggested she ride bare back on the wrong side of the road or something.
Anyway - it's been very rewarding sharing the experiences of other riders on this forum and I've been particularly impressed at the patience and generosity of people like yourself who have been sympathetic and encouraging to a total stranger. Like you I've been devouring books and articles on horse riding but when so much of it can be conflicting or downright inscrutable - especially to a novice like me who struggles with a lot of the jargon - it's of great value to know I can log in here and ask someone to explain it to me...in English.