HA! GOT 'IM!

[spookypony]

Yesterday, I returned from two week's holidays in Germany; or should I say today? Our flight was due to land about 4pm, but just before touchdown, the pilot aborted because of a slippery runway, and took us via Edinburgh (no landing there) to Prestwick...where we sat to refuel, and then returned to Aberdeen for another attempt...aborted again, and back to Glasgow International...this time, they put us on buses, and I ended up getting home ca. 1am

. So no pony-ride in the snow, as had been planned.

Today, I went into the field with trepidation, since I'd taken the Spooky Pony's headcollar off before leaving on my trip---and he's a b()gger to catch without it

. Last year when I came back after Xmas, I spend two hours trying to catch him, and missed going hunting because of it.

Sure enough, he accepted his carrot, and then legged it at high speed before I managed to slip his headcollar on. Tail high, head high, snorting, he demonstrated how lovely his trot can actually be (except when I'm riding him, of course).

So I decided to get clever: he wasn't allowed to stop, or hide behind his friends. Every time he tried, I chased him off again. And after 15 mins of this, he gave up!!! I don't know if it was the deep snow, making him tired---usually, he's perfectly happy to bound around the field all by himself for ages---but his headcollar is now back on. So there!

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Classic way to catch an uncatchable ned is to "walk it down". Exactly as you said, you don't let the horse stop for a single minute. Might take you 5 hours the first time, but if you're totally and utterly consistent, it will be 3 hrs day 2, 10 mins day 3 and by the end of the week the horse will just stand there with a look on his face that would curdle milk. But he'll stand there! Well done you!