Catching a difficult pony

[bigbrownheavyhorse]

I need a bit of advice...

I work as a freelance groom doing yard work at this yard twice a week. They have bought a two year old Dartmoor who is not very socialised or trusting. His owners are just about able to catch him, stroke him etc.

I work on my own on the yard (with the owners living nearby but working) so I have to be able to get his headcollar on, turn him out, and bring him in, but he doesn’t trust me - I have only been able to catch him once and I can’t even get near him in his stable. I can call the owners to either bring him in or out but they can’t wait around whilst I muck him out to do both.

On one hand it would make my life a whole lot easier working with him to trust me, but on the other hand I feel as if it’s not my job to socialise their horse and I don’t have the time in the day to work with him as well as doing the rest of the yard work. It does bother me and make me feel inexperienced that I can’t do such a simple task.

Any advice or opinions?

 

[Quigleyandme]

I think I would leave a field safe headcollar on him all the time with a short piece of knotted bailer twine attached. Use food to bribe him and quietly fuss and praise him when you are able to catch the string.

 

[rextherobber]

I think it's unreasonable of the owners to expect you to be able to catch him, when they barely can. If I was employing someone to help me with my horses, I would have them at a point where it was possible for other people to manage them safely and easily before I asked. Absolutely not your job to train their horse, and time is money...

 

[tallyho!]

Oh bless him. At 2yo whether they’ve been socialised or not they all become a bit teenagerish. He needs to bond with someone and if it’s not the owners it does make me wonder why they bought him. Since you’re only there twice a week it doesn’t make it your responsibility I’d agree. Maybe on the days you are there, keep on asking the owners to get him and you just try giving him a treat or two and soon enough he’ll learn to look out for you and remember you as the treat lady. You’ll just have to work together on this one until he does trust you...

 

[twiggy2]

As a freelance groom I was usually paid to work with the difficult ones, as long as the owners appreciated it takes as long as it takes I never saw a problem and just got in with what was on my list for the day

 

[Berpisc]

The trouble is, time is what the handler needs to build trust so they owners need to be prepared to pay you for your time taken to build trust or put the time in themselves then work with you to improve the pony's confidence (as well as safe headcollar and string as above).

 

[J&S]

I agree with Berpisc. Time is your problem. you are probably giving off slightly impatient "vibes" because you are worried about getting everything done in time. They must make allowances for you to work quietly and slowly with their youngster so that he and othe handlers will benefit in the long run.

 

[Polos Mum]

What did the owners say when you discussed the problem with them?

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Bit unreasonable expecting you to train him unless they are giving you a decent wage, it is almost like they bought them and said here you deal with them. You are at risk without a decent insurance dealing with un handled ponies. Here if I cannot catch livery horses in within a certain time, they have to catch them in. I am not wasting my time chasing horses round the field when I have the rest of the yard to do and dee poo before it gets dark.

OP I hope you are on a good wage, and be careful around these two. They need to get field safe headcollars, and maybe a coral near the main gate to herd them into to catch them. Personally I would think twice about this job, your safety is important.

 

[bigbrownheavyhorse]

I think I would leave a field safe headcollar on him all the time with a short piece of knotted bailer twine attached. Use food to bribe him and quietly fuss and praise him when you are able to catch the string.

Thank you, I have spoken to the owners about keeping his headcollar on but they seem a bit useless with it. With the praise and fuss, wouldn’t that be difficult as he sort of freaks out if I get too close to him and try to touch him?

 

[bigbrownheavyhorse]

What did the owners say when you discussed the problem with them?

They just say ‘give us a call if you have any problems’. The husband of the couple who owns them then comes down, shows me what to do, and leaves. It’s not that I don’t know what to do, it’s that the horse doesn’t trust me as much as he does the man and I don’t have the time to work with him

 

[ihatework]

Speak to the owners and ask what they want/expect you to do.

All it takes is a bit of consistent time. 30 mins a day. Likely only take a week or two. Leave a headcollar on. See if they want to pay you extra to do this and if not then they need to deal with pony

 

[bigbrownheavyhorse]

Bit unreasonable expecting you to train him unless they are giving you a decent wage, it is almost like they bought them and said here you deal with them. You are at risk without a decent insurance dealing with un handled ponies. Here if I cannot catch livery horses in within a certain time, they have to catch them in. I am not wasting my time chasing horses round the field when I have the rest of the yard to do and dee poo before it gets dark.

OP I hope you are on a good wage, and be careful around these two. They need to get field safe headcollars, and maybe a coral near the main gate to herd them into to catch them. Personally I would think twice about this job, your safety is important.

Thank you, they are a couple who are quite tight with how much they pay me, yet they keep buying horses I agree and usually just spend a certain amount of time seeing if he will come to me before calling them to get him in. I’ve always been wary with this couple but can’t afford to leave the yard atm due to a lack of work.

 

[bigbrownheavyhorse]

Speak to the owners and ask what they want/expect you to do.

All it takes is a bit of consistent time. 30 mins a day. Likely only take a week or two. Leave a headcollar on. See if they want to pay you extra to do this and if not then they need to deal with pony

I have a feeling that they will just say to give them a call if I need help really but I will speak to them. I already work there until sunset as it is and there is no lighting on the yard. Every time I arrive earlier than usual (to allow some time for catching this pony) they make a comment about how early I am - makes me think they don’t realise how long it can take for me to catch him!

 

[Polos Mum]

Perhaps just say that while the pony is still unsettled that they should do him or let you make changes to allow you to do it within the time they pay you for (headcollar on / take food in).

If they are happy to pop out and get him in and would rather do that than pay you extra then that should work for you and them.

 

[Boulty]

This is absolutely not solving the problem but how secure is the yard & how close are the stable & field? Could you just open the stable door & field gate & let him make his own way (or would he follow another horse)? Ditto bringing in (could you leave him until last & let the other horses lure him towards the gate?) Oh & definitely a candidate for a field safe headcollar... Just a thought if you've not got much extra time to spend on him

 

[Shysmum]

Will he be caught via a bucket of feed? That's what I'd try first, along with the field safe headcollar.

 

[Morgan123]

I agree owners are being unreasonable. What's the route from field to stable like, any chance you can just bribe him along with bucket of feed without actually catching him? He would then learn you're a lovely human!!!

 

[bigbrownheavyhorse]

The route from field to stable isn’t too bad, but if he decides to wander there’s no chance of catching him. He doesn’t seem very good oriented unfortunately, I’ve tried holding his feed for him to get used to me but he won’t have any of it, and even treats he’s very wary taking.

 

[paddy555]

I have had a lot of feral Dartmoors. I appreciate you cannot stop working for them because you need to work for that yard. I have found working on food works best, if his owners are not there then something he likes in a bucket. In the stable instead of trying to catch him try the headcollar over the bucket technique which I (and others) use to train ferals. I totally appreciate it is not your job and your time is lacking but you will have to invest a small amount of time to sort the problem even though it is not your fault and you will not get paid for your extra time. . Get him keen on a bucket, sit on a bucket, put the feed bucket between your knees with the headcollar (all buckles undone) over the bucket, head goes in the bucket, headcollar fastened and you have your pony.

this doesn't take long to learn. The person who taught me demonstrated with a totally wild and seriously mishandled by humans feral in 20 minutes. I am sure yours will be quicker.
Coming in with a bucket. Some of my ferals came as rescues and had been seriously mishandled. I didn't try to catch them just turn up at the field with a noisy bucket of nuts. Leave the field gate open (go back and fasten it later) just slowly walk and keep rattling. It doesn't take much for you to do this, dump bucket in stable, get out of the way and pony soon learns to go in. Don't expect him to eat out of the bucket on the way in whilst you try and catch him.