A little annoyed - but am I overreacting ... a bit long

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pnap

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Okay so Jack has now been out for 3 days now. I turned him out on Sunday as it was rather a nice day and asked that he be brought in that night. Get a text about half five last night to ask if I'm coming up to yard as he's been a bit of a beggar and running rings round anyone that tries to catch him. I say yes I was hoping to ride and ask why he wasn't brought in last night. Response was they spent an hour and 40 mins trying to catch him and he was having none of it. They'd been trying to catch him most of yesterday afternoon as well and he was still letting them get so close then cantering off and circling round them splattering mud all over the place. So I said okay just leave him then - but that's been 3 days now and last night was really wet and windy. He's in a heavyweight turnout and there's plenty of haylage in the field so I'm not really worried in that respect. I would catch him myself but by the time I get home from work it's pitch dark and he's in the furthest away field which is about 25mins walk over 2 other saturated fields and I don't want to get stuck in the dark. Do you think he's just decided he needs a couple of days off and will come in when he's good and ready - or should I skive off work early and go get him myself? I should probably add that I have only ever had bother catching him once in 2 years and every other time he's easy to get in at night.
 
are you on full livery or diy?

if its full then i would be VERY anoyed if they hadnt brought my horse in!!!!!

if its diy and they were just doing it as a favour for you then cant really complain as much.

TBH i would go up there and catch him - if it took 2 mins or 2 hours. When i first got Indy it took me 5 hours to catch her once, in the torrential rain we had in the summer, but there was no way i was going to let her get away with not being caught!!!!
 
Maybe ask them to try at a completely different time of day, those that can become excitable at around dinner time when they see others disappearing from the paddocks often come in like lambs at lunchtime
 
Yeah probably should have mentioned I'm on full livery at the moment. I just don't want it to become a game - he's only ever given me the runaround once. TBH I reckon that after last nights weather he'll be ready for a night in a nice deep bed.
 
If you are on full livery i take it that you are also paying for your stable, hard feed, mucking out etc. In which case you havent had it for 2/3 days through no fault of your own so you should have a discounted bill IMHO

You pay for them to bring your horse in and they should do it. If they cant catch your pony then they need to tell you that - not just leave him out
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Really annoys me does stuff like this - I can only go up a couple of times a week to see mine but i always go up when its time to bring in so i can see how she is (she has had problems being caught and led in the past)
 
What are you annoyed about - the fact that your horse has been a bugger to catch, or that you may have to go and do it yourself.....?
 
once i start with a horse that won't catch i don't stop, it has to come in or else it has won, i would go up myself and catch him, maybe he doesn't like the people catching him or something.

just don't give up and he'll soon learn. i hope they aren't charging u when they don't bring him in
 
I guess I'm annoyed that I'm paying for services unrendered. I have no qualms whatsoever about going to get him in myself and normally would - it's just that during the week it's pitch dark by the time I get up to the yard and to be honest I just want to ride and give him a nice feed etc. I don't particularly want to trek across quagmire fields in the pitch black to get him when I've paid for the privilege of getting someone to do it for me. I guess I'm also annoyed that they didn't tell me on Sunday that he was being difficult and I could have gone up then or before work on Monday so that I could ride last night. I suppose I'm also slightly annoyed at him being a b*ggar and whilst I don't blame them for giving up I really don't want this to become a regular occurence.
 
i blame them for giving up - they have just made a rod for their own (and your) backs. He will now be under the impression that he can avaoid getting caught and what normally takes 5 mins will now have to be organised like full scale war LOL

You should not be paying fror what they have been unable to do - I most def wouldnt!!!!
 
TBH, full livery or not, horses that won't be caught are the spawn of Satan and they are a complete waste of time to anyone so the yard workers get my sympathy vote, begger your horse I'm afraid!
Whether he is normally good to catch or not as the case may be, you can't ask them to waste any more time on him trying to catch him; while they're all doing that, there are other horses and owners who are getting short shrift because of him or the grooms have to work longer to get everything done and you wouldn't appreciate being billed for their extra time I wouldn't think.
Yes, all horses can be prats sometimes, it sounds like he's having a ball. If it was me, I'd catch (try) him myself (with many grovelling apologies to the staff) and next time turn him out in the nude, he might not play pranks next time and if he does he only has himself to blame for being wet and cold. Horses are meant to survive without rugs so I wouldn't worry about it.
Sorry if that sounds sarky, I have been on the receiving end in similar situations and if you still have a yard full of work to be done, the boss is moaning for the time you're wasting, you still can't catch it and you end up not finishing until very late, it is absolutely soul destroying especially if the bloody horse is just pulling your leg, walks straight up to the owner with a 'did you want me?' expression on, you feel like shooting the damn thing yourself!
After this escapade I would be seriously thinking of changing turnout to night time so he can be brought in for breakfast and the day so he's ready for you, at least until the clocks change and you can get back to normal.
 
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I guess I'm annoyed that I'm paying for services unrendered

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Sorry, just read that he is on full livery.

But - gotta say it, if he won't be caught, I'd leave him out too. Full livery or no.......

However I would ring you and let you know what was going on, rather than sending you a text message at 5.00pm in the evening...
 
Can you ask them to make it easier on everyone by putting him in a closer field? Then they don't have to waste as much time trekking after him, and if he won't be caught by them at least its safer for you to catch him in the dark if he's closer?

Might be a nbit of a compromise.

But I would be peed off that they left him out and didn't tell you...
 
I completely understand why they left him - TBH I would as well if I'd already wasted so much time on trying to catch him and he was having none of it. They have a whole load of other horses on livery and a riding school to look after so I have no grievance with them if he's just playing silly beggars. Thinking about it now I am most annoyed with him - he's obviously happy as larry and doesn't want to come in cause he knows he's going to get worked. I'm off up there tonight to catch his ass and make him work. Then he can have a nice cosy bed and a nice big tea cause I'll then feel guilty no doubt
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I'm off up there tonight to catch his ass and make him work

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....... and re-inforce why it's so awful to come in
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When my friends horse was on livery (I was riding him on a intensive training month (two weeks I wasn't there just training him, then two weeks with me as well)) he was a pain for a few people who he would do what your guy does (or at least he would try to). The person tried to catch him and couldn't but was sure that I couldn't if he couldn't, anyway I went up to him and he tried it with me and I just walked to where I could tell he was headed though not following him and just mentioned to him that if he didn't stand still he would be out in the field naked with no hay and he would stay out until he wanted to some in and then I would leave him out for a few hours more until I was ready. I didn't do it that time (though he had had it done before now so knew the tone of voice and the posture) but he listened and stood still.

I think that the main thing was that he listened so make sure that you use the same tone of voice that you would use if you were lunging him or riding him.

Hope this helps
 
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They'd been trying to catch him most of yesterday afternoon as well and he was still letting them get so close then cantering off and circling round them splattering mud all over the place

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I think they have done much more than many yards could or would do, as they stil have other horses to look after, an not many peoplecan suddenly find 5 or 6 hrs free midweek to 'walk down' an uncatchable horse!


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'm annoyed that I'm paying for services unrendered

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The time they have spent more than makes up for not mucking out etc!

Id not worry but if I did want him in myselff, I'd go and try to catch himbefore it gets too dark,
 
I would be annoyed a bit that they left him..... only becasue they didnt tell you on sunday(that would of really annoyed me)
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... he may not have had suitable rugs etc on to stay out ....... having said that if its a busy yard then they probably dont have hours to waste trying to catch the cheeky monster!
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But if you pay for full livery... thye should be treating him as their own... and im sure they wouldnt leave their own horses out. Mine used to be a pain... and it takes time and effort but i bet they didnt try as hard to catch him as they are making out.
There are ways to catch a horse.... Especially if there was more than one person. I am the king of this.. my horse used to do it A LOT
You should definately invest some time into trying to break the habbit during your day off... or go up and find out if he does it with you at all.
I would try a bucket of feed (or just a few nuts in a sealed container for the noise) and leave a headcollar on and if that didnt work - then I used wear my horse out. I'd try catching him and if he cantered off i would take a lunge whip out and MAKE him canter about until he was submissive, bit of freeschooling if you like:-) (no hitting or anything though!) This incidentally worked with a horse that used to bomb off with me... i used to make him canter past his bombing off phase until tiredness kicked in. He thought twice the next time!
Electric fence a small part of field off for the time being if you can... makes it much easier to catch. Mine was out of the habbit in a week... so although it may take a bit more of your time... (maybe do it during a day off) but it would be worth it. When he does come in make it a REALLY good experience, so he wants to come in. Bit of grub and a groom (if he actually enjoys being groomed cos mine doesnt) You need to kick the habbit now as the people on the yard wont invest the time...
 
This is what I don't understand though - in the 2 years I've owned or loaned him he has never been so much as a slight nuisance to catch. (Well apart from the first time when he made a complete arse of me). So he's either decided 1. he wants a holiday and has decided to take one, 2. he doesn't like the girl who tried to catch him, 3. he's not coming in for anyone but his mummy. I just hope it's not going to turn into some sort of little game everytime now.
 
I don't think horses think in quite the same way you imagine he does! However, I agree with MFH - why not try night time turnout? I don't blame the livery staff for giving up trying to catch him, but they should have told you so you had the option to leave him out or try and get him in yourself. Horses that won't be caught are the most frustrating things on earth!
 
To be honset, the only thing I can see that you have reason to complain about, is the fact that they did not tell you earlier.
 
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