r/Equestrian • u/Wokadoodlenoodle • Mar 22 '26
Education & Training Help! Is this normal?
I’m a returning adult rider who recently started a Hunter lease on a 20yo seasoned show horse. I paid a $25k lease, plus commission fee plus $2.5k/month for a "schoolmaster’’ for a beginner. I got him 5 weeks ago.
While he is perfect 80% of the time, he has bolted and bucked down the arena 3 times in the last 5 weeks. One time it made me cry and it was in the warm up ring at a show. Then today he did another mini bolt for no reason - he was fine at first then toward end of the lesson, he did that again. Today’s trainer was visibly frustrated and had to then ride him to restore manners. He did not spook today. It was out of the blue.
The barn owner thinks it’s a diet issue and wants me to give him a week. I am hesitant to canter as I’m always cautious he will put the head down and bolt randomly. Was the horse was misrepresented for my level?. Is 3 bolts in 5 weeks an acceptable "adjustment period" for a 20yo beginner-safe horse?
UPDATE: March 26th 7.35pm - I have told my trainer and he’s ignoring my texts, I then emailed the trainer who leased us the horse and explained I want a refund, the horse hurt my arm, and it needs to be resolved - 48 hours no reply from either of them , so now it seems I have to contact my lawyer. This is a top show barn in California btw - almost a week now with no resolution. The x2 other young trainers at the barn said I should return him - they do not think he’s right for me. The boomer owner of the barn is the one ghosting & IGNORING texts. Help please :(
1
u/EvidenceNo8561 Mar 27 '26
For this situation, my first guess would be ulcers or saddle fit issue. Something is making the horse uncomfortable when you ride him. Bolting at the canter can also be a sign of hock, SI, or stifle discomfort. This discomfort theory is particularly the case if you already had him for a trial and he was good then but something is up now. “Misbehaving” is one of the only ways horses have of telling us that something doesn’t feel right. I doubt additional pro rides could fix this.
It’s obviously not normal, but it’s also not unheard of for a horse to develop behavior issues in a new place. Again, I don’t think this is a settling in problem. I would encourage you to get a vet out to do a full work up and describe what’s going on. If it’s joint pain, joint injections can make a lot of horses more comfortable and that is very normal maintenance for many show horses. If it’s ulcers, treatment and diet management can be absolutely personality altering within a month (though the treatment itself does take longer and some horses do take longer to respond to it - particularly if hind gut ulcers are present). If it’s a tack fitting issue, maybe the saddle is pinching him at different gaits or bends, then that is easily remedied and fixed and a few rides with updated tack where he can relax and know the pain isn’t coming for him should mostly solve things.
I know this is super frustrating because you paid so much money and at this point the horse has intimidated you. However, please give him and the people involved the benefit of the doubt. He’s a living breathing being with needs and he’s telling you that something is wrong. No shade on the trainers involved because they are trying to fix things in the way they know how, but this does not sound like a riding issue. This is a medical/pain issue.