Catching a horse who plays hide and seek...

[Charley80]

Hi,

I'd be so grateful if anybody has suggestions on how to catch my mare. She's 22 and I've had her 6 years.

Has always been a bit of a pain to catch but I developed a very effective free lungeing technique at my old yard (small paddock shared w one other). Was stabled at night, out in the day.

Thanks to arthritic onset, after hours of visiting stables, I had to move her to a new yard with 40 acre fields so that she can mostly live out, coming in for 7 hours or so in the day. The herd go out together, about 15 horses. She's been there 3 weeks and seems very settled in every other way.

No problems in the week when the yard staff bring her in and I put her out. Despite leaving her head collar on all the time, weekends are mixed...last Saturday she tanked off halfway across the field whilst I was leading her out. I got my heavy duty head collar on instead and she came fine on the second attempt. Next day she walked herself out of the field without a head collar. Yesterday walked straight up, lead rope on and out of the field. Today, playing hide and seek behind the other horses so I couldn't even get close to grab the headcollar. Walked after her for an hour, then tried sending her away and moving on (v hard in huge field with herd around) then gave up. I know I shouldn't have given up but I have an Achilles injury and traipsing through the snow was hurting!

I'm stuck for ideas as the free lungeing prob isn't going to work when she's surrounded by a herd, she just grabs treats and runs off or won't cone to get them because she doesn't want to be caught, and there are no other fields she can go in. I suspect she didn't want to leave the two mares she's friends with (I think they were already in when she's come in fine before), so do I just accept that my life will be at the mercy of when someone else decides to bring in, or is there something I haven't though of yet?

 

[be positive]

No real answers I am afraid as after 6 years you have not really solved the issue just worked around it with the previously restricted field so now she has a huge area, different routine and new friends she has reverted to being completely in control, if she is good during the week when they all come in together then she is happy in that routine but has quickly realised the weekends are different and is not going to play ball.

I think you either have to accept she will come in with the others or will have to go back to your old method of walking her down which if it works properly should not need doing more than once or twice, having a fenced off area in a corner to run her into may work if allowed, making sure when she does come in it is for her benefit so a good feed ready as a reward and not riding immediately may help, I have had a few that were tricky to catch and usually the best method is to spend time when you have all day and just catch, reward and let go until they want to come to you every time they see you, a few sessions with no pressure to bring them in tends to make a difference but at 22 she may take longer especially as her routine is not consistent.

 

[Morgan123]

If she is easy enough for the yard staff to catch, why is she difficult for you? E.g. do you always ride her when you catch her?
It is possible to solve catching problems properly by working out what caused them in the first place, but it takes a bit of time (e.g. lots of time spent hanging out in the field, giving carrot and walking away etc, and making sure it's nice in the yard - e.g. sometimes you bring her in, give a carrot and put her straight back out - don't bring in when yard is busy/stressy, etc etc). Like be positive I've had this work with a few diff horses, but it takes quite a lot of patience.

 

[Charley80]

If she is easy enough for the yard staff to catch, why is she difficult for you? E.g. do you always ride her when you catch her?
It is possible to solve catching problems properly by working out what caused them in the first place, but it takes a bit of time (e.g. lots of time spent hanging out in the field, giving carrot and walking away etc, and making sure it's nice in the yard - e.g. sometimes you bring her in, give a carrot and put her straight back out - don't bring in when yard is busy/stressy, etc etc). Like be positive I've had this work with a few diff horses, but it takes quite a lot of patience.

Hi,
Thanks for the reply.

At the last place she was easiest for me to catch, rather than anyone else. At that point I did always ride her when I brought in as she lived a 90 min round journey away so I only got up there 4 times a week and she was on 5 day full livery.

Now I'm the one who has the problem getting her rather than the yard staff and I have wondered if now that she's in such a lovely field that the thought of being ridden is less attractive! I can't think of any other reason; she always gets hay, a bad feed and treats when she comes in, plus brushing and loads of fuss. The yard is a small private place so always quiet. I asked the yard girl today and she said she often gets her in before her mates as well, so it's not that! It's funny because now I'm up there every day, I don't ride every time I see her, but I don't get the opportunity to bring in that often because the yard routine involves her coming in mid morning whilst I'm at work. So the only time I can bring in is weekends which also is when I have most time to ride; she needs to be ridden to stop her getting stiff from the arthritis, vets advice.

it feels like a bit of a catch22.

I spend a lot of time in the field during summer but have to be careful when the weather is very cold as I have an underactive thyroid. I think to tide me over until I can get into the field more often, I'll change her weekend routine a bit. Try and ride 3 times in the week, and not ride at weekends for a bit. Then reintroduce riding at the weekend but before turnout, rather than after bring in. See how that goes...?