Can anyone help me catch & load a v timid pony near Horsham?

catembi

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Very random post, but please hear me out - all workable suggestions sincerely welcomed.

A family was looking for a pony/ponies to loan for the summer, so I lent them my Shetland and my Dartmoor, T. They don't want T any more as they say they can't catch her. I did tell them beforehand that I have never been able to catch her but that she will follow food into an enclosed space & is then fine to head collar, and from that point on is fine. (She had a very bad start as a foal & is timid rather than naughty re being caught.) I now need to go & get her, but it sounds as if they have thoroughly upset her. There is a small enclosed area in front of the field that's maybe 5 m by 6 m, but I won't even be able to catch her in that if she's upset.

So I would very, very much appreciate either 1) a competent person with experience of timid ponies to meet me there & help me catch her (she should load fine as I used to take her out n about most w'ends) or 2) a competent person/people to catch her, load her & then transport her to me to save me going down there. We are 112 miles north, 3 miles from Keysoe. Happy to pay whatever the going rate is.

(Yes, I know that I shouldn't have lent them the pony in the first place, but they sounded competent, seemed competent when I met them & I thought the ponies would have a lovely time being spoiled and fussed over all summer & that the 4 daughters would have a lovely time riding. I also put a lot of hours into schooling the Shetland to make sure she would be ready for them to ride etc etc. No good deed goes unpunished... What's done is done, I need to get my pony back and I won't be able to catch her alone. O/h would be more hindrance than help.)

Aaaarrrrgggghhhh, why is everything always such a hassle...?! Anyway, as I said, all ideas & suggestions welcome.
 

Equi

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If she will follow food could you just pop a bucket in the back of the trailer and let her plod on up? Perhaps catch the other one first and walk them through the box making a big fuss about the meal bucket. Will still need two people tho
 

ycbm

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Would help in a shot if I was near, C, I hope you get things sorted.
.
 

catembi

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Thank you for all the suggestions! No date set yet. It’s just infuriating as I only dropped everyone off a couple of weeks ago! And they didn’t even offer diesel money for a nearly 6 hour round trip. They are down a one track road and *could* do all sorts of things like make a pen, but don’t seem inclined to put in any effort! She is a nice pony too! She will load fine but it’s the catching! And I don’t want to be stuck there for hours looking like an idiot. She doesn’t bite or kick...she is just timid.
 

chaps89

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I would contact Kelly at South East horse transport
She does/did a lot of work with the police and charities with rescue/abandoned ponies so would recommend her both as a handler and transporter.
Failing that, Tarrsteps (used to be on here and can be found on FB under Tarrsteps services) would likely cover that area to assist with catching and loading if you can do/arrange transport, she's VERY good.
 

millikins

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Again I'm not far, about 30 mins from Horsham if you go for the collecting option. I can't do anything this week but will be off next. Are you picking up the Shetland too, do they deserve her?
 

Jayzee

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Another who is local and happy to help. A friend of mine runs a horse transport business from the Sussex area and usually has space to do travelling (has a stallion box), let me know if you would like the contact number.
 

catembi

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I would feel bad taking back the Shetland from 4 daughters. They do NOT deserve her at all...all that bloody bareback schooling to make sure she had some manners & I bought them a pink grooming kit in a pink box as I would have felt bad leaving them with a selection of my manky old brushes. Shetland is v bright & inquisitive & I think she's bored stupid at home (when not being thoroughly squished by me...) so I was hoping she'd have a lovely time being shared on hacks etc. She is just 6 & it seems a waste of her life to have nothing to do except try to work out how to escape from my fields. Who would like a Shetland photo...?!
 

catembi

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Jayzee, would your friend have lots of friends to try to catch the pony, or the patience to catch the pony? The catching is the issue - once caught, she will load. I used to take her all over completely alone. Well, me driving; her in the back! Loaded & unloaded myself with no help.
 
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