Advise needed - best way to deal with new pony..

[Meandtheboys]

Last night I purchased a wild 2yr old new forest cross he is uncut, badly in need of his feet doing ( probably never been touched ) and has a headcollar that has started to cut into his face.
Currently he is loose in a relatively small paddock with 4 other new forest ponies but the owner has not been able to get near him, so................best approach ideas please!!

1. Best method to catch him
2. Transporting him on his own or company - 10 miles ( lorry or trailer )
3. Do I turn him out in the field with my others and give him a chance to settle ( obviously investigate any injuries to the face from the headcollar ) or take him to some local stables for a month so that he can be handled straight away, feet, face and have him gelded?

Pony has a lovely kind eye and I actually got within meters of him last night and he was smelling my hands, no rush to move him so I did think do I go up each evening to try and bond a little with him - other ponies are far more dominating and I think he is a bit scared of them.

PS yes I am very experienced, 20yrs + experience and he has been bought as a lawnmower / companion for my youngster and would eventualy be sold / loaned to a nice home once broken( 2/3yrs time )

Thanks in advance for any replies

 

[JadeyyBabeyy]

ive just dealt with a suituation like this,
pony is very head shy, so we just spoke softly and let her come to us.
and crouched down so we were more inviting.
we had carrots/apples and started stroking her nose, then her neck, back etcc..
and then lead ropes round her neck just dangling, then we put the head collar on.
just one step at a time

 

[BSJAlove]

if im honest, id sedate him for all of that. if hes wild and has to be moved and have his injuries seen too, he will be super stressed out bless him.

 

[Mince Pie]

if im honest, id sedate him for all of that. if hes wild and has to be moved and have his injuries seen too, he will be super stressed out bless him.

Yup, would agree with that.

When I got my welsh she was barely handled (took 4 of us over half an hour to catch her in the stable!), when I got her back to the yard I kept her in. I turned her out in the sand school for a few hours a day and spent a lot of time just walking up to her, giving her a scratch/treat and walking away. In the stable I got her used to me touching her all over, running my hands down her legs etc.
After a few weeks I turned her out in a small paddock during the day, and then when she was used to me she went into the big field with the others.

 

[DuckToller]

I have a 20yr newfie who is the most stressed pony I have ever owned, still won't let someone catch him in the field, so they do have long memories.

I would probably agree with sedating for the initial handling as having the headcollar removed might hurt and holding his feet up for a long trim will be traumatic.

Mine is far more of a herd creature than any other pony I have, so perhaps it would be kinder to turn him out with yours and do everything gradually, although I can see the benefits of a month in a stable to bond with you. Lots of changes are hard for a 2yr old to handle, so I am going with take him home!

 

[Meandtheboys]

LLewelyn - thank-you........I am in no rush and hoping that he will bond with my 3yr old who is very friendly and adores interaction with people( they will be turned out together) My concern with the whole stable bit is a. other liveries and b. all too traumatic in a small space of time I could always do this if the slower approach does not work.

In regards to the head collar - would you try and get some calmer into some feed to try and get nearer him and assess any injuries?
I am hoping that I will be able to just make the headcollar larger ( adding a small clip lead for supporting catching ) and treat any sore rub marks accordingly.

Feet are bad but not quite reportable yet - so should I leave these a little bit longer after he has settled and had a little bit of handling?

Sorry for the q's but he deserves some tlc and I don't want a phsyco because I have pushed him so far, as I said he does have a very kind eye.