My trusted horse bolted today on the trail

[Serigraph]

[QUOTE=Mersy;5364500]
Any predators roaming in the area?[/QUOTE]

Interesting that you asked this. I have not see anything out of the usual, but my dogs are really nuts about sniffing this area where my horse spooked and they usually don’t care. The dog that spooked my horse that day also was totally unfazed that we were even there he was so busy with his nose to the ground and he is a frady cat type of dog.

Another interesting note is that I came home today to find him colicking. I definitely think something is up in his belly. He’s back on the UG.

[Serigraph]

[QUOTE=BigHorseLittleHorse;5364747]
How long have you had the horse? It’s possible that he had a traumatic event in his past with a white dog…

My last horse and I were attacked by a black pit bull on trail, which left my horse bleeding from the mouth. Luckily he was not seriously injured, but for the rest of his life (10+ years), he was terrified of black dogs. Having seen what happened to cause that fear, I couldn’t blame him…

ETA: This was a bombproof, trustworthy horse who carted babies around and used to plant himself across the trail, unprompted, to stop my mom’s horse when he bolted. But every time he saw a black dog…[/QUOTE]

I’ve had him a little over 2 years. I don’t know that something happened in his past with a white dog, but I have a Dalmatian that is lightly spotted and he sees my dog every day without issue.

So sorry that happened to your horse…how scary!

[Serigraph]

[QUOTE=Kyzteke;5366712]

So, you learn. Don’t let it affect the relationship. He forgives your Humaness alot, I’m sure. You forgive his Horsieness.[/QUOTE]

LOL. Of course I forgive him, I adore this horse.

I might add to that dressage does not make him tense, the opposite. But in a situation where he is already tense, asking him to do stuff would only intensify his tension.

We were trotting up the hill and he had a really nice working trot, stretching with his head down then at the top of the hill was the white dog. So it may have been he was in a zone then got totally freaked out. Either way, when he’s gotten scared or spooked before he’s over it in few seconds. This time was different.

[hundredacres]

[QUOTE=Serigraph;5363961]
I can roll with a lot of things that horses do, but bolting down a hill at full gallop with no regards to rider…No. That is just dangerous.

I know my horses pretty well. They live at home. I ride them all the time. This was very atypical. I know he’s a horse, but still…

He is a dressage horse. He understands the aids and is mostly very obedient. If I were to ask him something in a moment like this, he’d explode even more. Has a hot streak that is not soothed with more work if he’s tense.

Thanks for suggestions though. I guess we’ll work on the one rein stop.[/QUOTE]

I feel your pain in this post serigraph. I came off on a spin and bolt about 2 months ago. I’m ashamed to admit, I haven’t been on that horse again. He’s a steady eddy but it really shook me - and like your horse he was terrified when I caught up to him. In our case the “thing” that scared him was a goose, but as he spun, the saddle slipped so I bailed (I had a friend slip underneath a horse and was almost paralyzed…I literally thought about it in those split seconds). Making matters worse, the sideways saddle “got him” and “chased” him up to the barn. I did try to get on him after he calmed down but he bolted again, that time in the arena :(.

I’m just trying to work through it, trying to remind myself that it happens, and I could have, should have, been better prepared, more alert, not used that new girth on the trail, etc.

I don’t have any advice, I just wanted to share that I sensed the same frustration and trepidation I’m feeling, in your post. I’m glad you weren’t seriously hurt and I hope you work through it and hit the trails soon.

[katarine]

I think what happened, just happened. Horses can get into a zone and react very badly being startled in that moment: coupled with your report of the dogs being all goofy about that spot, might layer in predator or dead smell you can’t pick up on. Like my friend’s gelding who can pick up pig at a far distance- and he’s irrationally bothered by pigs. Go figure LOL.

You know this horse, this was an aberration: the only thing I can say, is that personally I feel safer astride than alongside: I can ride a lot better than I can manage getting run over or run off with/dragged. I can ride fast, but dang if I can run that fast, too

I’m sorry he startled you…but I think I would suggest you do what you can to put it past you, including riding in that area with a buddy a few times for ‘couples courage’ before trying it again solo, for his heart and mind as well as your own.

[Simbalism]

Last summer, I was riding with a group(maybe 10) and we had a turkey sighting. As in a huge turkey flew up out of tall grass into lead mare’s face resulting in her freaking and bucking her rider off while she continued to buck across the field. This freaked a young horse who ran thru an aged barb wire fence and thru his rider right in front of me and another rider. The young horse then spun and ran into a fence post (very old fence) and snapped off the post and was dragging barb wire thru the under brush. My very steady TB mare had enough. She and the horse next to us both spun and bolted. The other mare proceeded to run into my mare who has a personal space bubble. My mare scooted to the side and I slid off. My mare had never done anything like this in the past, and has never offered to do so again. I just figured it was a group of circumstances that would not likely happen again. Needless to say though, my mare did not head for the hills when I fell off and lost hold of the reins. When I turned over, she was standing with her head and neck over me.

[jeano]

When you trail ride, its always SOMETHING. I have two steady eddies and my riding buddy has a horse that’s pretty unflappable, but the day the buddy’s horse saw a big wet buzzard that was sitting on a dead branch about 5 feet off the ground rise to its full perched height and shake the rain off those big wet wings, I’m telling you that unflappable trail horse came unglued, propped, and spun, something he had NEVER done. Whereas the horse I was riding, who was not so close to the winged menance, merely propped in sympathy and wasnt terribly worried by the buzzard.

My now unflappable mare used to be a confirmed prop and spinner and I’ve been off her many times, including one memorable fall involving the neighbor’s large, foolish, and rapidly approaching from the woods White Dog.

The same mare can now merely flinch a little when Bubba erupts from hiding. She’s had coyotes materialize from behind a clump of grass practically under her feet and not reacted much. But if the neighbor kids have a bonfire in their field and leave a partially burnt branch in a pile of ashes, she goes on red alert until she’s safely past it. Always something.

[Serigraph]

Wow, thanks for the stories. Makes me feel better knowing even the good ones have their moments.

I plan to take him back out as soon as my foot is OK to ride again. We’ll see how it goes. I’m guessing it will be a total non production.

Any more tips for keeping safe in case your trusted horse has a very unexpected meltdown?

[IFG]

Could there have been something like a bear, wildcat, or coyote in the woods that your horse could smell, but you could not see?

[EqTrainer]

Serigraph, I just saw this I am glad you are both ok. It sounds like he was just truly, truly scared, for whatever reason. The few times I have been on a horse who was truly terrified, I got off immediately also. They are flight animals and will flee when they cannot control themselves, better to be able to let them go than you BOTH end up injured.

He is a good horse, sometimes things just happen… Maybe you can start up again with someone on your other boy so he is not “alone”? That can really help. But most likely it was just an incident, hope you are both feeling better.

[Serigraph]

EqTrainer;5369141 The few times I have been on a horse who was truly terrified, I got off immediately also. They are flight animals and will flee when they cannot control themselves, better to be able to let them go than you BOTH end up injured.

Yeah, I’m glad my instincts said get off. Had I tried to stay on when he was barrelling downhill thru a very narrow path with large trees that I need to duck under, I could have ended up being the headless horsewoman.

[Calamber]

[QUOTE=Serigraph;5360230]
I’m not solely a trail rider, do mainly dressage, but I love to take my horses out on the 80 acres behind my house. I do this as often as possible - few times a week.

Today I was trotting up a hill and at the top of the hill was my neighbor’s white dog. My horse spooked and took off into the woods. I get that the dog took him off guard and that he spooked and even that he went in the woods. But once I got control of him, the dog was still visible and my horse would not settle down - which is very uncharacteristic of him. So I decided to dismount and in the process my horse bolted down the hill and back home and I was left on the ground in the woods.

I know he’s a horse, but I’m bummed b/c this horse just does not do stupid stuff like today and I now have a sprained ankle.

He’s been on edge lately too - snorting at our dogs and starring at the neighbors kids like they are monsters. I am resuming some Ulcergard tonight. He seemed to have a bad reaction to a PowerPac a while ago and I started him on UG, but didn’t do the whole round since I saw improvement.

Any ideas of how to “train” him not to do this again? Esp when it’s never happened in 2 years?[/QUOTE]

If he has been on edge lately that is a clue that something may be wrong which cannot be addressed by retraining. The key thing you mentioned and sort of skipped over was the bad reaction to a PowerPac, what do you mean by that? Have you had his vision checked, this could be something serious caused by a chemical overdose/imbalance, possible causing vision disturbances/hallucinations, who knows what but I would start working from something which occurred as a result of the PowerPac.

[Serigraph]

[QUOTE=Calamber;5369509]
If he has been on edge lately thatis a clue that something may wrong which cannot be addressed by retraining. The key thing you mentioned and sort of skipped over was the bad reaction to a PowerPac, what do you mean by that? Have you had his vision checked, this could be something serious caused by a chemical overdose/imbalance, possible causing vision disturbances/hallucinations, who knows what but I would start working from something which occurred as a result of the PowerPac.[/QUOTE]

I’m watching him carefully. No have not had his vision checked as of yet. I suspect it’s stomach irritation as he’s better on the UG. I will do the full round this time and see where we end up.

[DressageJava]

I take my horse out all the time and she encounters all kinds of dogs, lots who run right up to us and yap endlessly until we’re out of sight. But she could never care less. Well the other day I went to the barn and on limited time, just took my mare out for some grass- ya know, horse luxury. Well a boarder at the lower barn of the property (place where I board has two large barns), was walking up the path towards us with my horse’s pasture mate, Charlie…And her white dog was in tow. Now my horse and Charlie are best buds and I’m sure she knew who he was right away. She wasn’t terrified of the human, for sure. But I have NEVER seen my horse react that way to a dog. My level headed, scared of nothing mare went spastic about this dog who literally never took a step ahead of her owner. By far the most well behaved dog I have seen. My horse was blowing hard, pawing, making attempts to whirl around back to the barn. The owner made her dog sit down and let me bring my mare right up and she stuck her whole muzzle in the dog’s fur and snorted so hard. Dog didn’t budge. Horse did. She just wouldn’t settle down around this pure white dog. And interestingly enough, the owner shrugged it off and said most horses always behave that way about her pup.

Even after the dog was long gone and we switched up where she was grazing, my mare wouldn’t even put her head down for grass. After I gently scolded her vocally for not listening to my aid to “backup,” she REARED. And this is a horse who everyone at the barn calls, “miss cool-as-a-cucumber.”

Now a lot of people have suggestions and different speculations. I had a full vet check done on my horse in September and her eyes and ears and perfect. All I can say is you had a moment where your horse acted instinctually for a reason you may never discover. Don’t be discouraged or feel bummed because your horse acted up. I feel the same way every now and then when my mare does something out of character, but they are so in tuned to their instincts. It’s just a reminder that no matter how well you know your horse, remember to always ride EVERY STRIDE. I would continue to take your horse out like normal. Just remember not to feel nervous because your horse will pick it up. I’m sure he will do his horsie best to take good care of you. =]

[Calamber]

[QUOTE=Serigraph;5369520]
I’m watching him carefully. No have not had his vision checked as of yet. I suspect it’s stomach irritation as he’s better on the UG. I will do the full round this time and see where we end up.[/QUOTE]

What happened as a result of the PowerPac? Perhaps others can be helped if you share what you observed. I am not trying to take you to task here but a very trusty horse who starts acting on edge with children and dogs, and who in the past has not had that kind of uneasiness and fear needs to be looked at in a different way than that he just became stupid. He did something so dangerous as to spook into a bolt and then when you got off of him, he was frightened enough to pull away and run. I had that happen all of one time when I was on a trail ride by myself and had to dismount to open a field gate that was electric fence and brushed him by accident. He bolted and that was understandable. Your horse bolting at a white dog and then being that frightened that he pulls away from you while in hand and on the ground is a different matter. Have you ever had any real confidence issues with him before under any other circumstances?

I have encountered white dogs, white cats, white cows, white mules and white horses while on the trail. I have never heard of a horse having a white phobia. Dr. Ben K Green said that wild horses could be lured by a grey mule and he proved it by doing so. I wish he were alive so that I could ask him if he ever knew of horses being spooked by white animals. I do know that some racehorses are spooked by white outrider ponies when they first see them but then again, they are fit racehorses who are prone to acting pretty weird sometimes. Maybe we have a new syndrome here!
Horses…you gotta love em. It sounds like you are on the right track with the UG though.

[Chall]

@Calamber;5369835

. I have never heard of a horse having a white phobia…

I’ve had a horse spoke at my gray Arab, and the owner confirmed grays were his horse’s bug-a-boo.

[carla54]

My steady eddie trail horse started spooking suddenly one year on the trail at white/light things and dark stumps. He had never done that before. Turns out he was having eyesight issues, periodic opthamelia (SP?). He showed no other symptoms, just the uncharacteristic spooking. Once he was treated and got used to it, he quit spooking. (we were able to stop the progression of the disease with treatment). He’s 35 now and is doing fine, just getting a little slower.

[QH_Gal]

Guess we all been there too. My steady eddy gelding spooks at bicycles. Don’t know why, long as I have had him nothing has ever happened to him involving one but when he see’s one he turns into a snorting fool! I too have gotten off to console him and try to reassure him that the person on the bike, who would NOT stop as he came toward me, wasn’t going to eat him…

Good luck and be safe!

[Calamber]

I had not read all of your posts Serigraph and did not see that he was colicking the next day. I guess I just do not ride horses out on the trail who are easily rattled because while I have horses spook at white objects (who hasn’t?) and even white animals unexpectedly. I have never had one run off in such terror as I explained. I definitely feel safer on the ground than on one that feels as if it is going to explode, but I have almost exclusively ridden horses off the track and they have had all kinds of stimuli to have gotten them through the most terrifying thing of all as far as I am concerned which is the starting gate. I always maintain that if a horse has managed to keep it’s nerve and brain intact after training and racing they are one of the safest animals to ride on trails. That and good hunting/packing horses or ranch horses.

I hope you can get through this and be able to relax with him but it sounds like he needs some extended time with the UG, grass and alfalfa to heal his painful tummy.

There is a new book by Rick Pelicano called something like
“Better than Bombproofing Your Horse”. If it is promises to do better than the last book, it is well worth reading.

[Serigraph]

[QUOTE=Calamber;5371167]

There is a new book by Rick Pelicano called something like
“Better than Bombproofing Your Horse”. If it is promises to do better than the last book, it is well worth reading.[/QUOTE]

Thanks, I will check that out, might even purchase it - it’d be good for my greenie too.