my sister and i went on a trail ride both horses were doing great on the way home my sister was in front the horse was walking fin the suddnely started to run full speed ahead my sister did enrything to make him stop then she fell off and he kept running and started running down the street to home i got off my horse and ran after him finaly he stoped turned around and came to me. why did that all happen?
2006-12-10 05:11:14 · 17 answers · asked by Allie b 1 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
Sounds like he either saw or heard something scary and just took off. Next time maybe have her try to turn the horse so that he has to slow down. But all she could do was hang on.
I hope your sister is ok.
2006-12-10 08:07:29 · answer #1 · answered by watdahellrudoin 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Could be anything- I have a dead calm horse- that will only spook if there is black colored squirrel (those evil monsters :) or a green barrel. Horses are prey animals and if they see or smell something that doesn't seem right, they will try to run to safety. If your horse is a running bolter (as yours is) what you want to try to do is turn him in a circle. He can't go as fast if he doesn't get anywhere. After you get them in a circle instead of a straightaway, they usually will quit it. I think the longest I have ever had a spooky runner in a circle was 4 rotations.
2006-12-10 16:04:06 · answer #2 · answered by D 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When they're on their way home, some horses will bolt for the barn because they know there's food there.
If your horse starts trying to run away from you and you can't get it to stop, try to pull his nose to your knee by pulling one rein up as short as possible. This will generally slow them down, because they can't run as well in that position.
"Bolting
A horse may run off with a rider because he’s frightened of something, and wants to get away from it. Others bolt when you’re going fast and they get excited. Bolting is dangerous. When a horse is out of control, he can trip in a hole or run into a fence. If you’re riding a bolting horse, the first thing you must do is circle, circle and circle! Shorten one rein and physically pull the horse’s head towards your knee. He won’t be able to run if you’re circling, and he’ll have to slow down.
If a horse is a bolter, don’t ride him with a loose rein. Always keep enough contact so that you can stop him quickly if he decides to take off at top speed. You may also need to use a stronger bit, so when you pull on the reins he pays attention to your hands."
http://www.youngrider.com/youngrider/detail.aspx?aid=13062&cid=3734&search=
2006-12-10 13:27:13 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Was it windy, were you riding in long grass/brush that could have whipped against his legs or belly, does his tack fit properly with no sharp edges on the bit or nails/tacks under the saddle? I once found a tack poking out of the saddle and through the blanket that scratched the back of the horse I was riding.
Remember, horses are flight animals... they run first and ask questions later!
I hope your sister is OK!
2006-12-10 13:19:10 · answer #4 · answered by dogandcatluvr 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It could be something you would not even think. I have had horses bolt for a number of reasons and sometimes it is something ordinary in your face, but to the horse it is scary because it is waving around in the breeze a bit. Remember, they have no concept of why things flap around and they think it could harm them, so they bolt.
Sometimes it could be that they see or smell something that you are not aware of.. A snake, cat or other scary predator (in their minds) I ride in the desert a lot and I can tell you, if there is a snake nearby, my horse stops dead and won't move until it passes. So it could really be anything that causes a horse to react
2006-12-10 13:17:49 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Something must have spooked him. Another idea, if you have ever let a horse run or pick up the pace when your close to home, they may try it again because home represents food. Try it again and make sure he doesn't do it again. If he tries to, you have a little work ahead of you.
2006-12-10 13:21:16 · answer #6 · answered by berningme 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
spooked by something maybe he was in a hurry to get home. Sometimes if the horse steps wrong he will bolt. There are many reasons I hope your sister is okay.
2006-12-10 13:17:09 · answer #7 · answered by sabledane 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Honestly, it sounds like he just ran off with her. If only one horse takes off, that's the most logical assumption. You know, sometimes they just do that. I had a pony and a horse as a kid that both would take the oppourtunity to test me if it came along, and most likely, your sister's horse was in a testing kind of mood.
2006-12-10 13:18:35 · answer #8 · answered by *~*AlexisClaire*~* 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Something may have happened that he spooked at that you didn't notice. Or else he knew he could take advantage of his rider and did so. Either way, it happens to all of us and it's no reason to quit riding. Just take lessons and get more experiance so you will be able to control the situation! Good luck
2006-12-10 13:15:46 · answer #9 · answered by lucygoosey33414 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if the horse only wanted to go home, he wouldnt have come back to you. so you can rule out barn sourness...something mustve scared him enough to flat out bolt. your sister probabaly fell off because she wasnt prepared initially for this, lost her balance, etc. ive worked with enough horses to know it doesnt take much for some to bolt. the funniest one i was ever on...the one who had never been out on a trail -so sticks, rocks, shadows were very scary...i had a metallic happy birthday ballon on a stick come skipping up the road towards us one day...yippeeee....talk about a rodeo:)
2006-12-10 23:12:58 · answer #10 · answered by desertwhisperarabians 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋