Posted 2012-06-05 8:35 PM (#144577) Subject: Ideas for Horse Bolting with Bit?
Regular
Posts: 51 Location: VA
The post on "Trail Horse Tantrum" hit close to home. My wife got a 14.3 TWH 8 y/o gelding last year. Even though she is a timid rider, she rode him by herself on several trails and did well. This spring riding around the pasture from the barn, this horse would sneak eating grass. He learned that he could clamp down on the bit, keep his head low so she couldn't pull him up and bolt back 50 yards or so to the barn. This behavior started when we had a new horse here. The TWH is the dominate horse of our small 4 group and controls their movement. After a couple of times of running away, she refuses to ride again, although she has been riding for 20 years. I changed his bit to a D ring split snaffle from a shanked curb bit and worked on flexing him on the ground and saddle as well as lungeing him. He can't seem to clamp on this bit. After this, he tried the same behavior, but by keeping him in a tight circle, he gave this up. I see this as a barn sour/disrepect problem. Any suggestions?
Posted 2012-06-05 10:28 PM (#144582 - in reply to #144577) Subject: RE: Ideas for Horse Bolting with Bit?
Member
Posts: 20
Location: Jersey, GA
LOTS more ground work and round pen work. This horse has no respect for his handlers/riders. The flexing is good, first step to a one rein stop should he bolt again.
Ride him and STOP him with the one rein stop at the FIRST sign of an attempt to bolt. This is not a bit problem. It is a training/respect problem. If he still makes it back to the barn with you, then get off and do ground work, circle, C-patterns, backing, LOTS of moving his feet and getting his attention. Make running to the barn seem like a BAD place to be...if he goes there he has to WORK. Then mount up and ride off. If he acts up again then back to the barn and do MORE groundwork. It might seem tedious but it is effective. Make sure he has to work if he takes you to the barn.
Posted 2012-06-09 7:43 AM (#144687 - in reply to #144577) Subject: RE: Ideas for Horse Bolting with Bit?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 326 Location: central IL
Totally agree with tamianderson. Very well put. It's not a bit problem. My friend's new horse could run off sideways real fast (one rein stop?), and my gelding did same one time feeling way too good. And 99/100 rides, I never make being back at the barn a great place to be. I make them stand tied or do ground work even if it's only for 15 minutes. I never feed them right away.
It'll take consistent work, but hopefully get everyone a safe ride.
Posted 2012-06-14 3:23 PM (#144814 - in reply to #144577) Subject: RE: Ideas for Horse Bolting with Bit?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 376 Location: Missouri
Seems there are several of these this year.
I have one that I do not know if it's barn sour, or just plain people sour.
At any rate he acts barn sour when he decides he has had enough and has a fit wanting to get his way.
I had enough of it a few weeks ago, and took him out by himself and teased him into a tantrum wanting to go his way. As soon as he had his little fit wanting to go his way, I kicked him on, in the direction he wanted to go, only I made him go his direction as fast as he could. I don't usually gallup a gaited horse, but on this occasion we gallup full tilt, just as fast as he could go until he wanted to slow down. When he wanted to slow down I pushed him faster for another few minutes until he was wringing wet and blowing big time. I then stopped him, let him stand there for just a minute, then turned him around and we walked the direction I wanted to go. Took 3 times at this and it appears the problem is just about cured. He hasn't refused to go my way, yet. And if he does refuse, we practice the exhaustion routine again, and again, until he truly learns that my way is by far the easier way to go.
Ideas for Horse Bolting with Bit?
