Hard to catch *aaarggh* - deal breaker?

I once couldn't catch my horse for 3 months!!! He moved to a new yard where there was a mixed herd and one horse was VERY riggy and used to chase mine away everytime I went to catch him. He was then too scared to come near me even when the riggy horse had left. It wasn't until he tried to jump the fence but didn't quite make it and got stuck and had to be cut out. Took along time to gain his trust so I could start catching him again.
 
Can be fixed, so if horse is okay otherwise, would not bother me, but yes very frustrating. Also the less time you have, the harder they are to catch.

A good NH instructor would sort this. But once horse is more settled in new location and with you it may not be an issue. Was the horse hard to catch at old home?

I had a friend though and she had a horse that was difficult to catch and did put a fair bit of time and effort into it, but while it improved, it never was good. She did eventually sell it, but it also had other issues she was not happy with.

Someon mentioned this may be a bargaining point to get price down, I certainly would discuss with owner.
 
I think if you feel fantastic on the horse's back and safe with him on the ground then it shouldn't be a deal breaker. It can be resolved and as others have pointed out, it could be a bargaining chip.
 
Super_Kat said:
Stick a 20 foot rope on it.... Jobs a good'un
Click to expand...

I have one who knows exactly where the end of that rope is and won't let you with touching distance of it. He'll let you scratch his bum and even pick up his feet but get within grabbing distance of the rope? Not a chance.

You can usually get him by taking all of the other horses in sight away - usually, not always.

Reducing the size of his pen is pointless, he jumps out if he feels threatened, or barges through, if you trap him and he feels REALLY threatened he will warn you and then double barrel you.

He is so bad that although he can easily be got in and out of his stable through routine, when his headcollar became dislodged recently we couldn't catch him in his stable for around 48 hours. Touch him, stroke him, pick feet up all fine, get a grip of his headcollar to take it off? Just no way.

I've owned him for 10 years now, he has never been beaten up with us, or treated aggressively in any way but in a stressed situation or, as in the recent case, when he thinks he's been bad, he just can't bring himself to let you catch him. You can see him wanting to but he just can't get over his bad experiences.

We were talking about it today and my daughter says she just wishes she could meet the person or persons that put this fear into him. I don't think she wants to shake their hands and congratulate them.


So after all that, if the horse was being naughty by not being caught then I'd deal with it, but if it was like my old boy it would have to be pretty damned special for me to make the decision to buy.
 
It would be a deal breaker for me I'm afraid. My sister's gelding goes through periods of refusing to be caught in summer and it is honestly the most frustrating thing ever! He's never been mistreated, generally loves people and is the cuddliest, soppiest horse I've ever met, but if he's not in the mood to be caught you honestly have no chance of getting him. He'll often come right up to you but as soon as you try to clip a lead rope on to his headcollar he lunges backwards and legs it down the field. He almost dislocated my arm earlier in the summer because I actually had hold of his headcollar when he decided he'd changed his mind about coming in! There's not really any way round it - all through the winter he's perfect to catch, when they start going out 24/7 he'll be a nightmare for a few weeks and then get over it, but then he has periods all through the summer where he won't be caught. He can be fine for weeks then suddenly decide he's not coming in and there's nothing my sister can do about it! There've been a fair few days over the summer where she's been unable to ride or do what she'd planned because she can't get him out of the field.
Don't trust that it will be easy to retrain him etc. Maybe with some horses it is, if there is an obvious reason for it, or if you have your own land and can put them out with just one other horse and then bring them in at the same time, but often it's just a vice, like wind sucking or weaving and you'll never be able to stop them doing it.
 
Have you spoken to the owners about it? Was he like that when they first got him? If he was it may simply be a case of him getting to know and trust you, after all a week ago you were a total stranger to him!

I always make sure my horses have a reward waiting in the stable when they have been caught. Usually a couple of carrots and a handful of hay in the haynet and (touch wood) I've never had a problem yet. If he is perfect (and safe) in every other way I would go for him, there's no such thing as the 100% perfect horse, you usually have to compromise on something Have a word with an NH practitioner and see if they think they could help you.

Good luck.
 
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