It might seem that a horse that bolts is the same as a runaway, but actually they are not exhibiting the same problem at all.<\/p>\n
Bolting is an extreme reaction to some type of incident.\u00a0 Here are some examples of bolting:<\/p>\n
All of these examples are different from a horse that is a runaway.\u00a0 Bolting can turn into a runaway, but in general bolting is self-limiting based on how long the horse’s discomfort or fear lasts.\u00a0 Just as rearing and bucking can be the “go to” response for a horse when faced with fear, pain, or confusion, bolting can be a favorite response as well.\u00a0 And just as bucking or rearing can turn into a habitual behavior, so can bolting.\u00a0 Like these other problem behaviors, the horse does not bolt because it is pleasant or easy for him.\u00a0 If the stimulus for bolting is removed, and\/or as the horse becomes more secure and accustomed to their training or environment, the behavior will lessen and disappear.<\/p>\n
A runaway is different.\u00a0 Essentially, a runaway is unresponsive to cues to slow down or stop for some reason.\u00a0 Sometimes a perceived runaway simply does not understand the cues being given by a different rider.\u00a0 Often, a runaway is too excited or overjoyed by a situation they have been underexposed to.\u00a0 For example, if you take three fit horses out to a beach and allow them to gallop, it may be that one or all of the horses will become competitive with the others and will not wish to slow down or stop when the rider asks in the usual way.\u00a0 Sometimes a runaway will not be going at a fast gait.\u00a0 A horse can keep trotting or walking while not responding to cues, and although in most cases the rider will be safer than if the horse was galloping, the rider is still powerless to stop the horse.<\/p>\n
There can be many reasons for a runaway.\u00a0 Sometimes after spooking, a horse will feel\u00a0it is best\u00a0to continue on toward home where the horse feels safe.\u00a0 It can happen that a horse is always ridden by riders that have a secure seat and use their body to push the horse forward into a balanced stop.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0With a\u00a0weaker rider or one that only pulls on the reins, the horse may perceive that the rider is only asking for a half halt, so will collect\u00a0some and continue on in the same gait.\u00a0 A horse might not be used to certain tack such as a new bit, and will push through it rather than stopping.\u00a0 Sometimes a horse will feel the footing is too unstable and that he must rush through instead of gathering himself to stop.\u00a0 On slippery ground, dropping to a lower gait can cause a horse to lose his balance.\u00a0 Horses instinctively know this, and so will avoid collecting or slowing when feeling unsteady.<\/p>\n
Sometimes a runaway will keep accelerating speed, but\u00a0occasionally the horse will maintain a steady gait that is simply faster than the one the rider wants.\u00a0 There are some horses that keep a “wild card” in their bag of tricks and on occasion take a new rider for a little spin.\u00a0 I know a horse who has learned to take the bit in his teeth when he wants to gallop on for longer than the rider wishes.\u00a0\u00a0I’ve ridden horses that would slow and stop reliably when cued; except when cantering or galloping alongside another horse that was not slowing or stopping.\u00a0 In\u00a0which case the horse would resolutely ignore the cues he normally responded well to and would wait until the other horse\u00a0showed signs of slowing.\u00a0 \u00a0The competition was of vital importance.<\/p>\n
If a horse has bolted on more than one occasion, it is extremely important to understand the reason for his\u00a0reaction and to rectify it.\u00a0 If there is no obvious cause, then assume there is an undiagnosed pain issue that must be discovered, whether from teeth, tack or musculoskeletal problems.\u00a0 Otherwise you\u00a0may end up with a horse with the habit of responding by bolting any time he is overwhelmed or confused.<\/p>\n
Runaways need appropriate tack, cueing and riders who can give clear commands that the horse understands.\u00a0 If an otherwise\u00a0responsive horse has a runaway episode due to a sudden change in rider or circumstances, just understand that he was “under ridered” (for some reason we say “over horsed,”\u00a0but true horsemen blame themselves for the issues they cause)\u00a0or lost his marbles due to over excitement.\u00a0 Lesson learned for the next time.<\/p>\n
The #1 most important thing you should know when faced with a horse that bolts or runs away is that every horse MUST know how to steer.\u00a0 A horse that steers poorly at the walk will feel like he has a neck made out of rigid steel at the gallop.\u00a0\u00a0However, it\u00a0is vital to understand that the horse’s ability to bend his neck has nothing to do with his ability to steer.\u00a0 You will discover this if you are ever on a horse running full tilt while looking you in the eye because someone taught him to “give” his neck but did not teach him the far more important trait of following his head by bending his body and keeping his hindquarters pushing forward through the bend.<\/p>\n
Now we come to why steering is more important than stopping:\u00a0 There will always be a time where a particular horse will not easily be stopped or slowed.\u00a0 In such a case, your safety depends entirely on whether you can steer the horse to safe footing, or away from the edge of a cliff, or alongside a busy road instead of across it, etc.\u00a0 Otherwise you are at the mercy of the horse’s judgment, which might be based on a brain that has turned to banana mush with fear.<\/p>\n
The #2 most important thing you need to know when faced with a horse that bolts or runs away is how to do a “Pulley Rein” stop.<\/p>\n