Can't catch my horse!

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hanmay

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I've got a 16.3, 15yo sports horse gelding who's becoming more unruly to catch and he's too clever for me to trick!
He's had moments in the past where he tries it on but in the end I manage to get him in. In winter he's not a problem because of the crap conditions but now its warm and the grass is shooting up, he never wants to come in.
I've had him out at night this past week because its been far too hot for him to be out in the day. However when the yard girls go up in the morning to bring him in, he'll back up and walk away. At first he'll just back up and stick his head up in the air and with him being 16.3 and me 5'3, he knows I can't reach him. He then starts getting grumpy and will try and turn his bum on you and does little rears and stomps the ground.
He's in individual turnout so I don't have to worry about other horses when I try to catch him. However I'm moving yards at the end of this month and on the new yard he'll be in a herd with 4 other geldings. They do have individual turnout but its limited to a couple of hours a day so I can imagine he'd be a massive pain to bring in!
He's tempted with food (carrots, treats, even grass that I've picked) but he quickly clicks on if you make a move to grab him.
It's frustrating because one morning he'll walk up to me like butter wouldn't melt and the the next day he'll turn into the devil! He can be intimidating when he starts stomping around so to someone that isn't used to it, it can be scary so I don't want anyone on the new yard to have the wrong impression of him!
Has anyone got any tips on reining in the mischievous monster?
 
Leave headcollar on with (very) short leadrope attached so he's grabable without fussing.
 
AFB said:
Leave headcollar on with (very) short leadrope attached so he's grabable without fussing.
Click to expand...

A fieldsafe headcollar. You'll have no problem catching him if he has hung himself on a fence post :(.

Look at it from his point of view - why would he WANT to be caught? Are you a quiet, confident fair owner who actually likes him, and whose company he enjoys? Is he coming in for something nice or just work.
And organise a smaller area for him temporarily until you have trained him to be caught, by quietly persisting in keeping him moving, a bit like join up if you know what that is. Keep him moving until he turns to face you then take the pressure off and approach him quietly
 
I had a very nervous and difficult to catch mare easily caught within a few weeks. You need patience and time! First spend as much time in the field as you can ,mucking out etc. and doing odd tasks so he knows you are there but not trying to catch him .Have some sliced carrot in your pocket and ignore him even when he nosies up to you and dont attempt to "grab" him .You want to confuse him so sometimes you catch him and sometimes you dont and leave the field, but the carrot which he will smell without seeing it will always be there to keep him interested. Obviously you want to catch him whenever you want but it always pays to go in the field and out again without doing anything some days but always taking a halter which he can see you holding.
The aim is for the horse always to come to you first.Chasing or trying to grab them is a waste of time. With sliced carrot in pocket I would have halter in one hand prob. skip in other and gradually without looking at the horse and acting busy doing something else move around nearer the horse never face on by which time carrot was scented.I would take it out my pocket still not eyeballing or facing the horse and pretend to eat it.When the horse came over I would move away until it was following me by my side,sometimes I would give it some carrot, praise and go away,or sometimes I would offer it only when it was very close by my side and I could put the rope gently over the neck while she was eating,lots of praise more carrot,slip rest of halter slowly on ,more carrot and praise. I practiced this over a few weeks and she got used to the routine and soon had her caught in minutes every time by going over the same series of moves with her always coming to me.It was lovely to have her confidence and trust to allow me to do this. Lead from field and the most important a reward when out of field, haynet etc.I know someone who had great difficulty catching their horse and when they did it was tacked up and worked right away.I can see its point. You want the horse to come to you because he knows something nice is going to happen when he is out the field to make it worth his while being caught. Of course when other horses are around with food in your pocket in the field you have to be careful too.
 
JillA said:
A fieldsafe headcollar. You'll have no problem catching him if he has hung himself on a fence post :(.

Look at it from his point of view - why would he WANT to be caught? Are you a quiet, confident fair owner who actually likes him, and whose company he enjoys? Is he coming in for something nice or just work.
And organise a smaller area for him temporarily until you have trained him to be caught, by quietly persisting in keeping him moving, a bit like join up if you know what that is. Keep him moving until he turns to face you then take the pressure off and approach him quietly
Click to expand...

Sorry yes, I thought I'd be stating the obvious with Fieldsafe
 
Agree with the others, re fieldsafe headcollar with a bit of rope hanging off it. If he'll come to you for treats, you'll be able to gt hold f him if he's got a grab handle already installed.

I'd be dealing very firmly with the bum turning/rearing at you btw. That's seriously unacceptable. I rarely punish my horses, but anything that did either of the above would get a bloody good crack with a leadrope/bucket/whatever I had to hand.
 
hanmay said:
I've got a 16.3, 15yo sports horse gelding who's becoming more unruly to catch and he's too clever for me to trick!
He's had moments in the past where he tries it on but in the end I manage to get him in. In winter he's not a problem because of the crap conditions but now its warm and the grass is shooting up, he never wants to come in.
I've had him out at night this past week because its been far too hot for him to be out in the day. However when the yard girls go up in the morning to bring him in, he'll back up and walk away. At first he'll just back up and stick his head up in the air and with him being 16.3 and me 5'3, he knows I can't reach him. He then starts getting grumpy and will try and turn his bum on you and does little rears and stomps the ground.
He's in individual turnout so I don't have to worry about other horses when I try to catch him. However I'm moving yards at the end of this month and on the new yard he'll be in a herd with 4 other geldings. They do have individual turnout but its limited to a couple of hours a day so I can imagine he'd be a massive pain to bring in!
He's tempted with food (carrots, treats, even grass that I've picked) but he quickly clicks on if you make a move to grab him.
It's frustrating because one morning he'll walk up to me like butter wouldn't melt and the the next day he'll turn into the devil! He can be intimidating when he starts stomping around so to someone that isn't used to it, it can be scary so I don't want anyone on the new yard to have the wrong impression of him!
Has anyone got any tips on reining in the mischievous monster?
Click to expand...

One of my friends puts a muzzle on hers and she soon wants to be caught.


Have you tried a corral, as in tie a lunge line or rope to the fence and walk up behind and gradually usher him to an open gate.
learn to lasso him:D
 
mr Ted seems to have really good advice. remember to catch your horse or indeed do anything with them (like loading) you need to think about what is in it for them. having a carrot, apple or mint is a real incentive - choose something that your horse likes and make it worth them coming to you. don't always catch and bring in. you want them want to come to you even if they have only been out ten minutes and you need them in because you have forgotten the vet, farrier, dentist, etc is coming. give them a treat when you let them go into the field that will also help make you interesting. When I go to leave our yard I always without fail give my boy carrots and mints - it's his signal that mummy is going - he always has a treat when I arrive - he is not nippy but he does understand that he has a reason for wanting to spend time with me. good luck
 
claret09 said:
mr Ted seems to have really good advice. remember to catch your horse or indeed do anything with them (like loading) you need to think about what is in it for them. having a carrot, apple or mint is a real incentive - choose something that your horse likes and make it worth them coming to you. don't always catch and bring in. you want them want to come to you even if they have only been out ten minutes and you need them in because you have forgotten the vet, farrier, dentist, etc is coming. give them a treat when you let them go into the field that will also help make you interesting. When I go to leave our yard I always without fail give my boy carrots and mints - it's his signal that mummy is going - he always has a treat when I arrive - he is not nippy but he does understand that he has a reason for wanting to spend time with me. good luck
Click to expand...

Thanks for your comments claret09. I only give a reward once the halter is on for a difficult to catch horse as it has cooperated and is being rewarded.The nervous mare was an exception and she had a very difficult background and food was the only way to help her relax. I owned a wonderful Welsh pony who when I shouted on him would give a neigh and come trotting from away down the field leaving his friends and straight up to me. No titbits involved we just had a strong bond.He was a lovely character.
 
does he see it that way? I am not sure that a horse sees that he is co-operating so will be rewarded (I know where you are coming from but sometime you have to think outside the box). all horses are different - he may well have issues that you have no idea about - my boy has loading issues that go back to him being a youngster - he is 20 and I am still having to cope with this- he has never been mistreated by me -and I am sure you are the same but somewhere buried there are issues that he finds it really difficult to get beyond - he has never had a rough journey and in fact travels amazingly well but he can not be hurried to load or he will say that he can't cope - I don't have all the answers but I do know that I have had to learn to listen and try to work out what he is trying to tell me. there is always something underlying a problem - I don't want you to think that I am trying to preach sometimes we need to learn to compromise to win
 
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