anyone ever been on a run away horse?

[Linda]

I've had several attempt to run off. Pulling their head around and spurring the heck out of the off side - I mean lift your leg and hit with the spur, then do it again for as long as it takes to get their attention. Funny, that spur seems to get their attention when nothing else will. We have a mare that is as sweet as can be, but she was used as a pack horse most of her life before we bought her. She's a dream to ride . . .. unless another horse suddenly takes off. Past training kicks in and she thinks she needs to hurry up and catch up to the other horse. We were on a cattle drive one day up on the mountain not long after we bought her. We were in an open area when one of the teen girls who had ridden all of her life suddenly took off after a cow that quit the herd. The cow was running through deadfall in a thick aspen forest. The teen didn't seem to have a problem with running full tilt through that forest, but I did. If I hadn't had spurs on and hadn't started kicking with that spur as hard as I could at the same time I pulled the horse around, we would have been running through that forest trying to catch the other horse. She's not so bad at it now, as we don't use her to pack, and I've spent quite a bit of time ground training and riding her.

With all of our horses, lots of ground work and lots of hours in the saddle have made them pretty dependable. I've also found that working with a colt to by circling whenever it steps out of the gait you want it to use helps bunches if that colt ever decides to spook and run off. They are used to circling and seem to pay more attention to it when you ask/demand it of them under extreme circumstances.

I'll take a runaway horse any day over one that rears. Haven't had that problem with any of our horses, but I've seen it in others. There's little that's more dangerous than a rearing horse.

 

[rngr]

Oh I wouldn't say if you have never been on a run away horse you have not ridden enough. My father in law rode for 70 years and only had a couple run aways.

I've fallen off, been kicked ect. Don't enjoy any of it anymore. Takes to long to recover now....

 

[kathy]

i was 8 when my nightmare experience happened. went riding with this older gal and when we were coming out of the hills, my mare just took off, tried to rub me off on a fence and headed right for the highway(no freeway then) lucky for me the woman caught up to me and got her stopped. I swore I'd never get on again, yea right! I've never been without a horse to this day and that's been 40 yrs ago. You just keep on going!

 

[tapeworm]

Linda::"Funny, that spur seems to get their attention when nothing else will. "

Linda it sure is nice to hear a lady talk about using spurs. Seems like to many folks now days think thats just cruel...judishous use of a spur is about manners and respect...not being cruel..same as spanking kids
Thank you Linda...good to hear

 

[cowgirl580]

i've had a couple run away with me also. was riding our 'wild' horse one day when he decided to freak as we went out the corral gate. took off up the hill, rared when we hit the fence at the top, took off full speed for the river. not one of my favorite memories. he stopped by the river. good thing too. it's a 3'-5' drop from there into the river. didn't have a problem with him the rest of the ride.

the scariest thing that ever happened to me with a horse was actually when i was about 6 or so, i had a horse latch onto my shoulder with his teeth and lift me off the ground. the horse didn't break any skin, but it sure scared the dicken's outta me.

 

[msscamp]

While I would prefer neither, I will take a runaway over a horse that will go over backwards with you any day of the week!

 

[sweetyp]

I actualy prefer a horse to rear than to bolt. Though I must admit thats because I worked in a horse show for two years in the north of france. I was trained to stay on a rearing horse while waving to the crowd. Though i have to say that the stalion I was working with was VERY well train and I trusted him totaly but I have to admit that the first few time I was very frightened. and I came off lots of time and it hurts like hell but like milkmaid said if you haven't had all this happen before you've never riden. I actualy teach my colts to do this now (but strictly on my commande) that way they tend not to do it if that want to give you hell. They see as working and not as a way of playing up. though I would not recommande this to anyone who isn't used to being on a rearing horse. I was trained by one of the best training in france. and on a very good horse (especialy for a stalion) and this is some thing that if you get wrong you have real trouble putting right. you have to know what your doing or come off every time you want to get on your horse.
The horse also has to know his commands very welll or you will just confuse him. the main problem that I come across is teaching them the difference between when you want them to rear and when you want them to go backwards. the controls are almost identical and if you get it wrong to tend to go flying of your horse when all you want to do is go backwards.

 

[sweetyp]

msscamp can i just ask what kind of dog it is under you name when you post a reply? my mother in law wants to know, she's a dog lover. :?:

 

[msscamp]

It's an American Eskimo. I have 3 of them. Very smart dogs - too smart sometimes.

 

[vthorse]

I learned from a Clinton Anderson tape this:when you need to stop a horse quickly, slide your hand down one rein and pull head towards you.
I've practiced this on my horse as he walked, and it worked. I haven't gotten him into a running walk yet, so haven't tried it.
I tried the "yanking" head around years ago on a different horse, and she just kept running away with her head cranked.
One thing to remember is always ride with people you trust to not gallop away from you without giving you warning and/or checking to be sure you will be safe.

 

[cypressfarms]

About 4 or 5 years ago I was just "getting" into Arabians and had a 5 year old gelding. He bolted on me on the first ride, but completely my fault. I tried to "run him out" like Tape was talking about, but my dad had saddled him for me earlier, the girth came loose and off I went. Learned a couple of things that day:

1. Arabians don't run out.

2. Always saddle your own horse.

3. Always ride a new horse in a new environment in a round pen first, to get em working and get over the jitters they have.

 

[flaboy+]

Ok, as a kid I had a horse called Billy Bowlegs. Don't know where the name came from. He was a paint. We would ride off into the sunset just fine until he decided it was time to go home. He would just turn and take off. I was just along for the ride after that. I tried every conceivable bit and hack I could find. Nothing worked. I could ride but he was just stronger than me. So many times I rode him back to the barn at his request. As I got stronger I was able to turn him with the one rein method and both hands on that rein. He then took to scraping me off on tree's and low hanging limbs. I finally got a real horse but I tell you I learned how to REALLY ride on that horse.

 

[Texas Ranch Man]

Ive been Bucked Off, Ive Jumped Off, Ive been Reared over onto, and had a Horse step into a hole and fall. The last one hurt the worst and provided me a lifetime sholder injury. I still ride regular and probobly will for ever. The one thing I will never do again is buy a Green Broke Horse. I would rather spend the extra money to possibly avoid as many spills. Like everyone else said "I dont heal as fast as I used to." But I do love to ride. As a matter of fact we are going to look at another Horse this weekend for my 17 yr old Son. A 20 yr old Solid Broke App Gelding, according to the owner. Well see.

 

[rross]

I've found it is better to do the proper ground work so that they don't run off! I had to learn the hard way, I had a big rough 5yr. old gelding that I was starting, he had about 30 days on him. One day he got mad and ran off, so I thought well hell run off and let him go 1 1/2 miles later we came to a steep brushy draw, the wreck was on. I learned that they can gallop just as fast with their head turned to one side as they can normally they just don't see as well. It took another close call or two and I learned what I was doing wrong and changed my starting methods. I look at it this way; when you take their head away that is your E-BRAKE! There has to be a positive reaction when you take their ahead away or to the side{they dis-engage their back-end} and start to circle. Needless to say I spend alot more time on the ground with those colts in a halter than I used too.

 

[born2run]

Didn't read all these posts, so no doubt you guys have had some "interesting" rides, more so than the one that stands out to me.

Was bringing my mare back from a local stud. He wasn't all that far away, maybe 4 miles max, so I rode her back home. She'd been gone 1 month, and was in a big hurry to get home. Once we got on the last 1/4 mile I lost control of her...she grabbed the bit and I was literally a passenger. I had the common sense to just hang onto we hit the pavement. Did the "pully rein" when she couldn't get traction because of her shoes. Not the smartest nor safest idea, but I did regain control. That mare has made me think fast many, many times. Too smart...that one.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

I've found it is better to do the proper ground work so that they don't run off! I had to learn the hard way, I had a big rough 5yr. old gelding that I was starting, he had about 30 days on him. One day he got mad and ran off, so I thought well be nice run off and let him go 1 1/2 miles later we came to a steep brushy draw, the wreck was on. I learned that they can gallop just as fast with their head turned to one side as they can normally they just don't see as well. It took another close call or two and I learned what I was doing wrong and changed my starting methods. I look at it this way; when you take their head away that is your E-BRAKE! There has to be a positive reaction when you take their ahead away or to the side{they dis-engage their back-end} and start to circle. Needless to say I spend alot more time on the ground with those colts in a halter than I used too.

The older you get the more time youll spend on the ground work it starts to become a little less boring ;-)

 

[rross]

This horse had alot of ground work done, maybe not the right kind. The horse in question was very mentally challenged to begin with. He brought alot of baggage with him when I bought him. I realized I was never going to get anywhere so I sold him.

 

[shorthorn cowgirl]

I had a horse run away before. The weird neighbors went down their and opened are gate. we did'nt now! I went down to feed and notice she was'nt down their. So we hopped on the four wheelers and drove around looking for her. Luckily we found her about 1 mile down. She found some other horses

 

[Saltydawg]

I was always "the idiot down the road" who would jump on everyone's green horses and "ride" them lol.

Been on and off horses more than I care to recall lol....never been hurt though (knock on wood).

I'm approaching 40 yr's old though so tend to be a little more cautious than in my younger days hehe......I'll still teach a horse to behave though .

 

[LonghornRanch]

When I was young, tried to invent new ways to fall off a horse. I think I had plastic bones back then. Now my back hurts just looking at a horse.