I think Donna is right about the green horse
aspect. Race horses (usually 2-3 year-olds) sometimes bolt. It is so
dangerous, they have "outriders(?)" stationed around the track to catch the
horses before they trip and maybe kill themselves and/or the rider.
I also congratulate her on being able to stay on
when her horse "scoots like a mountain lion was launching upon her back".
I have broken 4 bones when my middle horse scooted out from under
me.
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
