help cant catch the horse!!!

hi

does any one have any idea on how to cathc my horse!!! he been turned out in a new field for the past week, and i been only been back from work experience for the pat 3 days!! my friend had no problems catchin him till ssunday when it took her 1hr to catch him and they had to bring ever other horse in before she could get him!!! he now been doing it to me for the past 3 days and yesterday even after brining every thing else in it still took me 20 mins to catch him!!! i tried food, leaving his head collar on and nothing is working!! he is c checky type and run rpound u in circles! any ideas???

sorry it long
 

YorkshireLass

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If he is he is playing 'catch the pony' which horses think is a wonderful game... such fun!

Chase him away, then go and fuss the other horses. Go in with the attitude that you don't want to catch him. Then you are not playing the game.... have the head collar and lead rope in you pocket, along with some nuts. Carry on sending him away. Eventualy he will be desparate to be in your company.... then out comes the headcollar!

Once you have got him, give him the nuts and let him go. Leave it for the day.

Afterwards, make sure that he gets caught and bought in for no other reason than food and grooming, then put back out. Then he will associate being caught with nice things, he won't think he is going to be imprisoned in a stable or made to work. If a horse is only caught for work or stabling, you can understand why they don't like it.
 
I had this problem and just ended up sending her away until she stood for me to catch her, then she recieves a carrot. Over time she now associates being caught with food, when I go in she looks at my pocket. This has been the only way with her. If I forget my carrot for a day she will be caught, but the next day she won't want to be, they learn and remember at a remarkable speed!!
 
when i had a problem with catching i followed my mare around the field and if she tried to eat then id send her on - ie if you wont be caught then you have to work and you're not allowed to eat - and on the first go it usually takes a lttle while for you to catch them and also for them to pick it up but as soon as they realise that not being caught is hard work for them they stop it pretty quickly
smirk.gif
 
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