Re: [RC] need advice about spooking/bolting - Karen Everhart
Hi Alexis -
I am sure this was a frightening experience. Thank goodness you did
not report any injuries to yourself, the horse or anyone else.
From an arm chair many miles away it sounds like you have at least 2 holes
in his training. The first is a lack of lots and lots of desensitizing to
things that cause horses to bolt; especially things that just "appear"
from the horses point of view. The other is a hole in the
responsiveness to your cues, at least to the emergency stop and perhaps even the
"head down" cue, as it is called by John Lyons. The emergency stop
disengages the hind quarters and the horse, though still moving, simply moves in
a circle until ready to stop. The head down cue is, essentially, a
response to your chosen cue, which immediately helps the horse calm down.
In my humble opinion, folk often take horses into unfamiliar situations
(unfamiliar is relative, as the horse gets to decide what is unfamiliar) and
then are ill prepared for the response of the horse. We get in a hurry to
"get on down the trail" instead of doing the necessary homework ,ad nauseum, to
prepare the horse appropriately.
For example, contact any law enforcement organizations about the hundreds
of hours and even 'years' that are put into a horses' training before it is
allowed into the community to patrol or do crowd control, etc. Unlike many
of us who trail ride, they understand that they cannot shortcut the training and
desensitization without someone getting hurt.
Count your blessing that this was an event you could walk away from safely
and back up as far as needed to fill in the holes you and your horse need.
Good luck!
Karen Everhart MEd Co-founder and Executive Director Rainbow Meadows
Rescue and Retirement, Inc. Serving the equine companions who have so loyally
served us... www.rainbowmeadowsranch.com 620-725-3402
Owner/Operator Horse Calls - Equine Management Solutions Centered
Riding Instructor Distance Horse Conditioning and Training www.horsecalls.com 316-648-5082
I'd like advice from people who have experience
with horses who spook and bolt. I had a near-death experience last week when
Samurai spooked at some cyclists as we were trying to cross a road. He ended
up veering into traffic and nearly colliding with an SUV. However, if I hadn't
asked him to cross a busy road w/ approaching bikes, this never would have
happened... Definitely operator error.
