How do you maintain control of an out-of-control horse

Question

Last week I was riding a new horse for my lesson. When my trainer asked me to trot, I gave my horse a light tap with my heels and she went into a canter for two seconds and then immediately into a full gallop. I was in a small ring. The horse proceeded to jump over objects in the ring, rear up and buck.

I am a beginner, but I have done quite a bit of work with trotting and cantering. It took quite a while for the horse to stop. I tried pulling back on the reigns and turning the horse and nothing helped. In fact, the more I tried to stop her, the worse she got.

I know about the emergency dismount, but because I was in a small space and the horse was in a full gallop, I was sure to be injured if I attempted it. How should I handle this type of situation if it occurs again?

Answer 1

First of all, I'd find another place to ride. Our beginners would NEVER be put on a horse that has a history of such "antics". In fact, my coach refuses to buy a school horse simply because every couple of years he'll take off bolting. At this point, you should be concentrating on your riding, not on controlling a wacko horse!

That said, in the event that your horse bolts, you want to sit deep, and use a squeeze give motion on the rein. Do not pull, the horse will pull back and go faster. Stay calm, keep your heels deep, sit in the middle of your horse and just say to your horse "Steadddyy." I have the feeling that when you tried to turn your horse, you pulled on your inside rein to turn him. Although this is okay for beginners to do when they're first learning, later you should learn that this is a big no. Some horses might be riled up by this, and when they're already bolting, this would just make them even more panicked, because it pulls them off balance.

If your horse is out of control, galloping, what you want to do is a one rein stop. This is explained here: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?... It's sort of an "emergency break".

Good for you, though, you're not too freaked out or discouraged. You did the right thing when she bolted by trying to circle her!

EDIT TO ADD: Do not run a horse into the wall if he is bolting because of sheer panic. I've known horses that bolted out of fear, weren't thinking, ran smack into trees and killed themselves.

Answer 2

A fairly effective method that my daughters trainer taught her when her own horse would act up was to have her pull tightly on the reigns into a turn....     pull the reigns completely to the right or left, essentially pulling the horses head toward you and into a tight circle pattern.....    the horse can't run fast straight if it is in a turning position with its head.....    this has been very effective with my daughters horse and she hasn't had any incidents since!!!

Answer 3

search one rein stop questions on here... thats your only brakes in things like this... and find a new trainer.

Answer 4

Apparently this horse is sensitive... is she a x-racehorse? Next time try to just tighten your legs around her the tiniest bit to get her to trot ask your instructor about the horse that you'll be riding for the lesson and she will tell you how to handle it. i think maybe she might have had something stuck between the saddle or girth and her and it was rubbing or maybe the girth was pinching well, its best to talk to your riding instructor

Answer 5

I would agree with the others who said that a beginner should NOT be on a horse who would easily react the way yours did.  I can see a horse reacting that way if, say, it got attacked by bees, but not just because you asked it to go.

Obviously I wasn't there, so I can't know exactly what happened, but even if you DID use your heels instead of your calves, a beginner-level horse should NOT react that way.  

However, if for some reason it happens again, try turning the horse INTO the rail.  It uses both the one-rein stop and it forces the horse into a "wall" so it has to stop.  The one-rein stop is a very handy tool, but it's sometimes hard to engage, especially if you are trying to stay on!  Sometimes it's hard to get your brain to focus when you're just trying to stay on the horse, but just pull the horse around toward the rail (whichever direction that may be).  And, it might be tempting because of trying to hang on, but keep your legs off of the horse!

Answer 6

You should go threw the steps of asking, when riding a new horse. You just don't kick them for a trot, if you have no idea what they're going to do. Galloping probably resulted from you tensing up. Don't use an emergency dismount, with something like that or she'll just do it again. If you trust she won't jump over the fence, run her into the arena fence make sure your sitting back and hold on cause she might not stop till the absoute last second. And try to get her into a circle you;ll have to go from big to small, but it'll work eventullay.

Answer 7

This is what I always do if I need to stop my horse, which I rarely have to do, and it works every time. When he's galloping, lean forward towards the withers and wrap your arms around the neck and pull inward as hard as you can. It usually knocks the breath out of them for a few seconds but it doesn't hurt them at all. Then he should stop immediately.

Hope it works on your horse =]

Answer 8

you should use your leg not your heal to move to the next gait.

For second find a new place to ride why would they put you on a horse like that?

Pulling back does not help at all. Never does. Pulley rein might of worked but like you said small space so it wouldn't of.

A horse can't full gallop in a small area though.

try half halts next time, and hopefully your not put on the same horse. But points if you stayed on!  

Answer 9

If your trainer ever puts you on that same horse I would not get on and i would go home and look for a new place to ride anyone would know not to put a begginer on a horse like that

Answer 10

No beginner should ever be placed on a horse like this.  You should definitely check out other lesson programs around you.  A good lesson program will have horses for all levels of riders.  

Answer 11

Even though they act like it sometimes, horses aren't completely stupid, lol. They won't run into something without thinking about it first, and if they are turned to run into a wall, even the horse with the thickest skull will act in self-preservation and avoid running into it, even if it means screeching to a halt.

In case it happens again (we've all learned the hard way for something to do with riding), as you're coming into a corner, drive your horse directly into it. Keep turning the head into the corner if they try to get out of it, until they calm down. Use half-halts the whole time. In case you don't know about half-halts, they precede the cues that you're going to do a downward transition- massage the mouth with the reins, sit deeper in your seat, and lean back a little bit. This reminds them that you are there, and your heavier presence throughout the half-halts tends to bring them back from their hissy fit.