Royalpavilion
New User
I haven’t been able to catch her for a week now. Incredibly annoying! She’s always come to the gate for food previously but now she won’t even do that! Any ideas welcome please!
Can’t catch horse!
- Thread starter Royalpavilion
- Start date
Sasana Skye
Well-Known Member
Could you tell us a bit more about her and your situation?
What size field? Size of herd? What she does in particular which means that you can't catch her and what you've already tried etc..
What size field? Size of herd? What she does in particular which means that you can't catch her and what you've already tried etc..
HashRouge
Well-Known Member
Yes all of this would be useful to know! I have a very tricky to catch gelding (I once didn't touch him for three months) and I catch him by herding him into a smaller paddock then making it even smaller round him until he gives up and lets me catch him. This has to be done slowly so he doesn't try to jump! I've got this down to a fine art now and actually he doesn't seem to think about jumping anymore as he's used to this routine! However, this works well for me as I keep him in a pair with my other horse, so I don't have a whole herd to worry about. It might not work if yours is out in a big group. I know other people have had success with trailing the horse - you basically keep walking after them, not chasing them but not really letting them stop to graze, until the horse gives up. Needs persistence though, and doesn't work as well if your field is huge!
Royalpavilion
New User
Sure!
She’s on her own in a 2 acre paddock
She’s a fit competition horse. She will make her way into a corner of the field and as I edge closer she will turn her backside on me and either just wander away or throw in a squeal and gallop away.
Sometimes I can pat her but as soon as I try to slip the head collar on she will flick her head and body away!! Aghhhhhh
She’s on her own in a 2 acre paddock
She’s a fit competition horse. She will make her way into a corner of the field and as I edge closer she will turn her backside on me and either just wander away or throw in a squeal and gallop away.
Sometimes I can pat her but as soon as I try to slip the head collar on she will flick her head and body away!! Aghhhhhh
Royalpavilion
New User
Trouble is it is so time consuming and as I don’t have the time!
9tails
Well-Known Member
You're going to have to make the time, most problems with horses are caused by rushing and impatience.
Sail_away
Well-Known Member
If you can get close enough to pat her her then you could try slipping the lead rope round her neck so you’ve got a bit more control over her while you put the head collar on.
But if she’s on her own then why not just get a big bucket of feed, rattle it around and see if she comes for that. Probably best to just let her have some feed the first few times and not catch her, then try slipping the head collar on when she’s eating. Obviously if you’re going to ride her after don’t give her masses of hard feed.
Sorry - just read your post again and it said that you’ve tried food, how much? Is there anything that’s irresistible to her? A carrot or an apple is one thing but her whole dinner might tempt her a little more.
But if she’s on her own then why not just get a big bucket of feed, rattle it around and see if she comes for that. Probably best to just let her have some feed the first few times and not catch her, then try slipping the head collar on when she’s eating. Obviously if you’re going to ride her after don’t give her masses of hard feed.
Sorry - just read your post again and it said that you’ve tried food, how much? Is there anything that’s irresistible to her? A carrot or an apple is one thing but her whole dinner might tempt her a little more.
PapaverFollis
Well-Known Member
You need to spend time to save time unfortunately. My mare us never consistently difficult to catch but every so often has an off day (in season or good grass usually). On those days all plans go out of the window and catching takes as long as it takes (it never actually takes so long that I have to change plans but mentally I let them all go and just focus on the catching). Which is why it has never escalated into her being difficult to catch everyday I'm sure! Most days she actually canters up the field to me now.
When she has been difficult I do a mixture of advance and retreat and using a food reward. I.e. Follow her when she walks away and walk away from her when she stops... get the timing right and they end up following you round the field. Once in range I give her a treat then walk away again. Usually within not really very long at all she's trotting round after me squealing for her next treat. If she's being really awkward I find I have to not let her stop and graze while I'm trying to catch her, so just enough driving her on to prevent grazing but not so much that it becomes chasing round the field. But backing off when she stops and looks at me. I've also trained her to "target" her headcollar with her face so eventually that behaviour over-rides the desire not to be caught and she can't help herself coming over and plonking her head in the offered headcollar. Again, she gets a treat for that.
You need to establish a good routine and give her as much turnout as possible too.
When she has been difficult I do a mixture of advance and retreat and using a food reward. I.e. Follow her when she walks away and walk away from her when she stops... get the timing right and they end up following you round the field. Once in range I give her a treat then walk away again. Usually within not really very long at all she's trotting round after me squealing for her next treat. If she's being really awkward I find I have to not let her stop and graze while I'm trying to catch her, so just enough driving her on to prevent grazing but not so much that it becomes chasing round the field. But backing off when she stops and looks at me. I've also trained her to "target" her headcollar with her face so eventually that behaviour over-rides the desire not to be caught and she can't help herself coming over and plonking her head in the offered headcollar. Again, she gets a treat for that.
You need to establish a good routine and give her as much turnout as possible too.
fburton
Well-Known Member
The only sure-fire catching method is to train the horse to want to be caught.
Sasana Skye
Well-Known Member
This is in my experience the easiest type of non-catcher to catch but it will take a huge time investment first.
What I would do is save it for a day off or a weekend when you have time and continue to follow her quietly whenever she runs or walks away from you - do not chase, and for the love of all that is holy please don't get mad at her. The theory is they eventually give in because they can't do what they want to do which is chill out and eat grass and realise that you aren't going away.
You need to be persistent and not leave the field without having caught her, make it a pleasant experience for her once you have with treats, dinner a scratch or whatever and then let her go out again and repeat, repeat, repeat - this has taken me 4 hours in one sitting before. Sorry but it's just one of those things that requires some patience.
This can't continue, if there's an emergency or you have the vet or farrier or whatever due your horse needs to be caught.
My mare came to me head shy and frightened of head collars, I solved that and she was perfect to catch but then I got cocky and made the stupid mistake of trying to put a fly mask on her in the field and that was it then I couldn't get within 50 yards of her for a week. I just followed her around in a totally nonthreatening manner and it took time but now she's perfect again although I still always put the lead rope around her neck first just in case.
What I would do is save it for a day off or a weekend when you have time and continue to follow her quietly whenever she runs or walks away from you - do not chase, and for the love of all that is holy please don't get mad at her. The theory is they eventually give in because they can't do what they want to do which is chill out and eat grass and realise that you aren't going away.
You need to be persistent and not leave the field without having caught her, make it a pleasant experience for her once you have with treats, dinner a scratch or whatever and then let her go out again and repeat, repeat, repeat - this has taken me 4 hours in one sitting before. Sorry but it's just one of those things that requires some patience.
This can't continue, if there's an emergency or you have the vet or farrier or whatever due your horse needs to be caught.
My mare came to me head shy and frightened of head collars, I solved that and she was perfect to catch but then I got cocky and made the stupid mistake of trying to put a fly mask on her in the field and that was it then I couldn't get within 50 yards of her for a week. I just followed her around in a totally nonthreatening manner and it took time but now she's perfect again although I still always put the lead rope around her neck first just in case.
Ambers Echo
Still wittering on
Echo the above: advance retreat or pressure/release for an anxious/unsure horse. The idea being they control how close you get. If they glance at you - stop & look away. If they take a step towards you take a step back. On the other hand if they look away or move off, then advance. So pressure is on when they are doing the wrong thing and off when they are doing the right thing. I do try to not trigger them moving off at all if possible. Ie get to the edge of their comfort zone and play around with pressure/release there. You can be quite subtle with it - eye contact or not, a soft inviting body posture or a more direct firm, sending one. Crouch down or stand tall.
With a horse or pony who simply does not want to come in and is not scared ( and I am certain about that) then I put a lot more pressure on! They essentially have a choice to be free lunged in a field or to be caught and stand quietly in a stable. So I do drive them away - a la join-up - and offer them ways out every so often by stopping and allowing them to approach or stay still to be caught. Generally the 'trot round a field with no grazing' option loses its appeal quite quickly. And definitely don't get cross! You do need to make sure you have time to see it through though. I have never needed more than an hour but would be prepared to stay in the field literally all day if I had to! I have been known to rearrange appointments for later on because I am SO determined that I will not leave a field without catching a horse if I have gone in to catch one. If a horse it really tricky I will catch, pet then walk away. And I might do that 3 or 4 times in a day. Then catch, lead 5 steps, unhalter and walk away. Then catch and treat and release. With all horses I occasionally surprise them with an unexpected treat or a feed in their stable and just turnn them back out so they never know whether there is something in it for them to come in.
Good luck. It is a very frustrating problem to have.
With a horse or pony who simply does not want to come in and is not scared ( and I am certain about that) then I put a lot more pressure on! They essentially have a choice to be free lunged in a field or to be caught and stand quietly in a stable. So I do drive them away - a la join-up - and offer them ways out every so often by stopping and allowing them to approach or stay still to be caught. Generally the 'trot round a field with no grazing' option loses its appeal quite quickly. And definitely don't get cross! You do need to make sure you have time to see it through though. I have never needed more than an hour but would be prepared to stay in the field literally all day if I had to! I have been known to rearrange appointments for later on because I am SO determined that I will not leave a field without catching a horse if I have gone in to catch one. If a horse it really tricky I will catch, pet then walk away. And I might do that 3 or 4 times in a day. Then catch, lead 5 steps, unhalter and walk away. Then catch and treat and release. With all horses I occasionally surprise them with an unexpected treat or a feed in their stable and just turnn them back out so they never know whether there is something in it for them to come in.
Good luck. It is a very frustrating problem to have.
Royalpavilion
New User
Some great advice there!
Thanks
Thanks