I had a similar situation last
night! I was riding my 4 yr old (Canadian Sport Horse), and we were about
1/2 mile from home. We were on our abandoned railroad track that is about
4 feet wide with bushes and trees on either side when she suddenly got very
"light" and was passaging. I could tell she could hear something in the
woods and I figured it was probably deer, so I wasn't too worried. Now
right in front of us was an old apple tree with it gnarled skin mangling limbs
hanging over the trail, so I leant forward to duck under them.
Now remember that she was already a bit
light on her feet, so I was riding with contact, and not just lolly-gagging
along on the buckle.
Just as I leant forward she made the
first lunge for the bolt. As I was straightening up and grabbing to shorter the
reins ALOT more she was making the second stride in the bolt. By the time
I was actually upright she was on the third stride and we were
GONE!
I have been riding for almost 40 years
and this is my first bolt! I could feel the blind panic for the first
15-20 strides. I was just reading on
another list about "bolting", and they say that you have 2 strides to get
control, if they hit the third stride they are gone. She actually "ran out" of her back Renegades.
they were still on, but the soles of the boots were now facing her head infront
of her pasterns. After about 20 strides I could feel a change in her blind
bolting to "we are now running". At this point I had regained my wits and
instead of trying to haul the lower jaw off of her, I was using a pulley rein
and release, pull, release, pull release. I couldn't circle as we would
have gone crashing through thick trees. I was desperately hoping that I
was going to be able to get her stopped by the time I hit the road. I had
visions of us bolting infront of oncoming traffic. after about 200m we
were in a hand gallop, and from there I was able to get her trot just as we hit
the pavement and I had enough area to circle her to a stop.
We were both shaking by this time.
She was blowing that high pitch warning that they do when danger is around, and
I was trying to calm her down soothingly.
Not an experience I would EVER care to
repeat. Very frightening to have no control over a 1200lb animal that is
running blindly for its life. Thank God her brain re-engaged in a short
period and we were able to avert any disasters.
"My" moral of the story. To
remember that she is a green baby, to remember that she not going to react
predictably, and to be a little more attentive when she becomes "lite and airy"
when she is nervous. She gave me a one second warning about the
bolt. Unfortunately I was bent over trying to avoid getting my face tore
off on the apple tree. A disastrous timing mixture that lead to the
opportunity for a bolt to occur. There have been other times where she has
scooted forward like a mountain lion was launching upon her back, but I have
always been in an upright position during those scoots and was able to avert any
further forward motion within the first stride.
I will pay more attention in the
future!!!
DL and Solara
Jeff and Donna Lee Cole Turning Point
Stables Browns Flat, NB
