Headcollar or No headcollar?

Lozzybell

Lozzybell

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Me and my other half decided to get a pony for our 3 children, just a pony that they can ride when they want not to show or anything. So we looked at this gorgeous welsh B 12.2hh he was great with they children (they rode him) they only thing was that the owners said he can be hard to catch. As in he doesn't always come to they gate and wait for you like my other horses but he will trot off if you walk towards him.
So should we keep the headcollar on him when he goes in the field or not?
I am not a beginner at owning horses, I've had one all my life but they have always been easy to catch.
Thanks
~LozzyBell
 
My pony is extreamly hard to catch - she goes out in a grazing muzzle though and these are designed to come apart if they get caught. I would try a field safe headcoller.
Obviously if they have something on you have something to grab but if they don't want to come in it doesnt make a difference - as I well know!!!lol.

My pony is in a 14 acre field so if she wont come in - she wont come in! Nothing can tempt her - it all depends on what mood shes in!! lol.

My two boys come to call but Pixie is a nightmare! I have tried every trick under the sun!

I cant even understand her as she only comes in for a feed & groom and maybe a short hack now and again! How bad is that???lol

Sometimes I can catch her every day for weeks then suddenly I wont be able to catch her for a week? Strange little pony but I love her to bits! She is very independant!
 
I'll have to ask the current owners if he's ok with a field safe halter. As my friend had a pony that was hard to catch so she got it a field safe halter but it broke it?
I feel sorry for you, mine and my other halfs horses(Scout,Tiffany & Hermia) are complete angels to catch
 
That's the idea of a field safe, if it gets caught on something it breaks and horse is free.

A headcollar might not make any difference at all, just try and make coming in as fun as possible, don't just bring him in to be worked. Go out with treats so when he gets caught he's being praised. This might help a bit but I have often found bad catchers are never the easiest. :)
 
Lozzybell said:
As my friend had a pony that was hard to catch so she got it a field safe halter but it broke it?
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They are designed to have a fairly low breaking point so that if a horse gets caught up it will break and not cause injury. You can replace the rubber ring so they are very reusable.
 
Either a field-safe or cheap leather, with strap attached. Do not use an ordinary nylon one thouh, as if it should get caught, it is unlikely to break.
 
Maybe I didn't explain enough? My friends pony broke the nylon I don't think that is meant to happen?
And Kokopelli the current owners tried that but it did nothing.

Thanks for your suggestions though
~LozzyBell
 
I've had horses that have broken nylon ones, and I've had a leather one that didn't break!

If its just a little thing, it may be better to put it in a small fields anyway, or if not, in a grazing muzzle, which may make it better to catch!

My mare can be funny to catch. Initially, I gave her a little treat every time I caught her - visible - ie, in a treat bag that I could get out of my pocket and rustle as I got near her. I don't like losing a battle, so generally go with something to load the odds in my favour!
 
I had to use a field safe head collar for my previous horse. I used to take another headcollar with me and when I caught him I'd put the other one over the top.
 
I think I'm going to take the gamble and get the pony and just keep it with a leather halter on all the time. Obviously the pony won't be in the same paddock as the big horses or they may squish him. But he'll be in a paddock next to them..
 
A pony that arrived on loan at the yard I do some work at with a difficult to catch warning from owner. We first put it in a small fenced hard standing we have for the first day and the girl who has it on loan spent all day popping in and out giving lots of fuss (but not treats). Without a head collar he then went out in the field with it's field mate who is very easy to catch, again the girl spent a load of time in the field, let pony come to her rather then her going to him. When ever anybody went in the field to do anything they gave him a fuss, the easy to catch field mate helped allot as they got on well and would hang out together and you could go to them and stroke the hard to catch one although he would still be off if you moved to try and catch him. After just a week of this you could then move to put a head collar on, we put a field safe one on and then just left without bringing in after giving a fuss. The next step was clipping on a lead rope and just leading him about the field a bit before letting him go again, after a month he was as good as gold to be caught and will now come up to the gate on his own.
while doing all this of cause he did still need to be brought in to be worked etc but each time he had to be caught it got easier and less stressful for all, he was brought in not only to be worked but to be groomed and walked around the farm. We didn't use food as a treat just lots of attention, he thrived (still does) on the positive attention having not had the best start in life. Like you would a small child just rewarded the good behavior and ignored the bad (as long as not dangerous and in this case it was simply him legging it when faced with a head collar and lead rope!).
The field we used is about an acre so not huge but still a pain to hike around, if you can I would put him in with an easy to catch chilled out field mate and maybe tape off a smaller area of your field depending on how bad to catch this pony really is.
I hope it goes well with the pony, just take your time to build up a strong and trusting bond, IMO the worst thing to do with a pony that can be hard to catch is rush it or loose patience, a month or so of working on this can feel a long time but you will hopefully have many happy years with your pony and what is a month or two really? Good luck!
 
Thanks, the kids are really looking forward to getting there own pony. I might borrow a friends pony if she doesn't mind. It's only a little Shetland I have in mind that she has...
 
Dancing queen, I have decided to keep a leather head collar on him but if he's ok after a while I will take it off him
 
Lozzybell said:
Dancing queen, I have decided to keep a leather head collar on him but if he's ok after a while I will take it off him
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Ok, I hope he stays safe. i have seen a horse dead in the field when he caught his rear hoof in the headcollar trying to scratch his face. Not a nice thing to discover and so easily preventable.
 
When I have to leave a headcollar on I buy one of the cheapest flimsiest ones as the thread they use for the stitching is so poor that the head collar comes apart.

On hard to catch horses I use a piece of bicycle inner tube attached to the ring to help to grab.

Have ponys back checked over by a chiro as some won't be caught because they are uncomfortable.
 
Chiro came out today to see him, she said he's fine and there's nothing wrong with his back. Anyway getting the pony in 2 days, I'll post pictures of him tomorrow!!
 
Here is 2 pics (old owner riding him)

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If he is hard to catch then I would say yes. But as others have said, make sure you use a field-safe one or a leather one.

None of mine wear head collars in the field but they are all good to catch.
 
rachmacypixie111 said:
My pony is extreamly hard to catch - she goes out in a grazing muzzle though and these are designed to come apart if they get caught. I would try a field safe headcoller.
Obviously if they have something on you have something to grab but if they don't want to come in it doesnt make a difference - as I well know!!!lol.

My pony is in a 14 acre field so if she wont come in - she wont come in! Nothing can tempt her - it all depends on what mood shes in!! lol.

My two boys come to call but Pixie is a nightmare! I have tried every trick under the sun!

I cant even understand her as she only comes in for a feed & groom and maybe a short hack now and again! How bad is that???lol

Sometimes I can catch her every day for weeks then suddenly I wont be able to catch her for a week? Strange little pony but I love her to bits! She is very independant!
Click to expand...

My sec a is like this will be fine to catch for months then have a week of being a bugger letting me stroke is nose but if i attempt to get closer he's off, it seems today i have found a weekness- wine gums! He was all over me and neither of mine are usually that fussed on treats. so I know in future to keep a packet of Maynards in the tack room.

OP maybe he will get better as he settles? If to take the other in will he then want to come in? Nothing to add it took about 10 months to get the pony catching but like I said he can still have him moments although I do know that if I get all the other in then he will come ...

Just seen pictures- what a cracker!
 
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