Hello
For 5 or 6 times, after I went for an trail ride, I put my 4 year old daughter on my horse and lead her back to where I dismount. Saturday morning I did it again and as soon as I turn to lead her my horse started to freak out. I couldn't control him, he was rearing and turning and pulling hard on the lead so I left the lead. My daughter let go of the saddle and just before my horse turn and ran off she fell off. Thanks to our Heavenly Father nothing happened to her. My question is why after a few times of lead did my horse suddenly decide to do this?
For a few years he walked on his own but he has a really good temperament but it seems that for some reason he freaks out sometimes.
For 5 or 6 times, after I went for an trail ride, I put my 4 year old daughter on my horse and lead her back to where I dismount. Saturday morning I did it again and as soon as I turn to lead her my horse started to freak out. I couldn't control him, he was rearing and turning and pulling hard on the lead so I left the lead. My daughter let go of the saddle and just before my horse turn and ran off she fell off. Thanks to our Heavenly Father nothing happened to her. My question is why after a few times of lead did my horse suddenly decide to do this?
For a few years he walked on his own but he has a really good temperament but it seems that for some reason he freaks out sometimes.
I am glad your daughter is alright, it must have been scary for you.
It could have been a number of things. My first idea after reading you was that maybe your horse saw or heard something you didn't. The horses' hearing range is much larger than our own so a lot of times we don't understand why our horses get scared because we can't hear anything but they can. If you had done the same thing before in the same place without any reaction from your horse i guess it could explain it.
Could also be a smell, someone burning something, or the wind if there was any rustling the leaves...
Glad to hear that your daughter was ok.
The same has happened to me, though with many differences.
My horse, at the time was about 3 years old. I had trained him myself and had backed him about 10 times at this point.
I hired a trainer to get me further in training as I am a novice.
When being led by the trainer, my horse bolted and I fell off... this happened twice on the same day whilst being led by the trainer.
Not understanding why this had happened, I wrote about it here in the forum. One member called Bud from USA wrote back to me, and I will just share the highlights of his answer.
1. Trainer was new, Shilo ( my horse) was not used to her.
2. We had chosen to work in another place - not where I usually work alone with him, this was due to mud and water in my training area.
3. He was away from the flock- Shilo shares with 2 ponies.
4. I had ridden Shilo alone without any assistance before, had never had anyone lead me.
5. The trainer, as I found out later, and after being injured from a fall, didn’t trust Shilo.
Shilo could sense that she was nervous. ( I got rid of the trainer VERY quickly)
They are the main points, and as Bud put it, Shilo’s cup of worry was full and spilled over.
I don’t know if you can recognize any of these points in the situation with your horse?.
Hope this helps.
Dionne.- Denmark
I believe that something you are doing whilst leading is different and is making your horse nervous. I’m just a novice trainer so I won’t try and say that I am correct, It just fits with my experience(s)
Dionne
Thank you so much for the feedback, much appreciated. I will take all in mind and work out what triggers this behavior and work from there on. I do have a dually halter and will also try with an experience rider while leading.
All the best
Sigrid
These things are hard to pinpoint sometimes to put any rhyme or reason as to why this happens in horse behavior. I do not think that your daughter had anything to do with the sequence of events other than being the person in the saddle at the time. In reading through the your dialogue, the first place that I would look into would be your horses` body for issues of discomfort; ie; saddle fit, girth pinch. in his mouth for bit soreness if you rode in a bit. Look at the roof of his mouth and also for lip pinch marks, and , of course his teeth.. I mention these areas first with the idea that your horse thought that he was finished with carrying a rider when you dismounted and balked when your daughter was placed on him because he was in pain. He could have put up with pain during your ride and didn`t want deal with anymore discomfort. For saddle fit problems ,look for any white hairs around the withers or on the sides where the back of the saddle covers the flank.
If,, in your observation, you believe that pain was NOT cause of his outrage, then I would put some time with leading him from the ground around your riding area. This could be thought as a spirit walk between you two. While walking, I would focus COMPLETELY on him with your thoughts, Go inside and find a way to have a conversation--HEART TO HEART. Ask him questions and wait for the answers. Horses need our authenticity. When we are authentic, our body language presents itself with clarity and WITHOUT MIXED MESSAGES..
. After a few consecutive days of these walks and talks, your horse will see you in a different light. I would be very cautious at first with the schooling with regard to his head placement as shone in the dually halter exercises. Let him enjoy a little freedom as he stops to munch on grass. Take the roll of leadership, but on a give and take basis. He doesn't have to pass a dressage test of leading. Remember that you are building a relationship for both of you and later on for your daughter. This will represent the first steps in getting your horse to take care of you as a rider and to keep you safe. Horses are very caring animals and sometimes we have to show them, through the time spent, that we can be caring also.
I hope this will help
Bud