Help! How to catch a timid pony?

[MrsElle]

When I got Chad 4 weeks ago it soon became apparent that he was a b*gger to catch and that he is also a little headshy.

He was kept in a paddock next to a very busy public footpath before I got him and it wouldn’t surprise me if some little toerags tempted him with food then smacked him one. He will come when called but will stand at arms length away. If I walk towards him he will take a step back, keeping that arms length distance between us at all times. He never runs off, just backs off a step at a time to maintain the distance.

The only time I can get anywhere near him is when he has his head shoved in his feed bucket and then I have to walk very slowly and talk to him and not go near his head at first. I can get a headcollar on him only when he is eating although once tied up he is reasonably happy to stand there and be groomed, feet picked etc.

At the moment I go up to the field in the morning to check on them both and give them both a couple of carrots. He will canter across the field when he sees me but stops short at that arms distance away. He will stretch his neck out to take the carrot but snatches it off me so he can pull away from me quickly. If I hang on to it and don’t let him snatch it he will refuse it. I stood there for 25 minutes the other morning holding out the carrot but he wouldn’t come close enough to take it nicely so I gave up, put the carrot back in my pocket and left him to it.

He has got a history of being difficult to catch as the only time he used to be caught was to be ridden in a rather harsh bit with youngsters on board. I can only imagine that he associates being caught with being ridden which resulted in pain and discomfort.

I have been putting his head collar on in the evening when feeding him, then grooming him and leading him around for a short time before letting him go again. On occasion I will put it on and when he has finished eating just take it off again. The last couple of weeks he has been out when I have ridden Ellie, with me leading him from Ellie and he really seems to have enjoyed his outings. I was hoping that in four weeks I would see a slight improvement in him, but he is still exactly the same.

This weekend I am planning to ride him out for the first time since I got him, and it will be the first time he has been ridden in 8 months. He has new tack, and a nice new not too harsh egbutt snaffle bit. However, I am going to be limited as to when I can ride him as I will have to catch him when he is due his evening feed, let him stick his nose in it, put headcollar on and then take his feed off him.

Do you think there is anything more I can do to get him to trust me, or should I continue as I am and have a bit more patience? He is a stubborn fat cob, but he is also timid in lots of ways and I don’t want to push him too hard too soon.

 

[Cliqmo]

Sounds to me like you are doing everything right and fingers crossed for you that he will come good in time

 

[geronimostilton]

Could you fence off a smallish part of the field for him? You could do it away from the footpath perhaps

If he's a fat cob it shouldn't be a problem, the idea being to restrict his grazing a bit and you turn up with food, so you are seen as the 'good guy'.
I would then do as much 'catching him just to give him a treat' as possible.

 

[Maisy]

I would continue as you are, but just a thought....I would only put a small amount of feed in the bucket you use to catch him before you ride, and let him eat it all......

If you have time, I would sit in the field and let him come to you, for nothing more than a stroke and a treat.....

 

[Annagain]

When my old boy was going through an uncatchable phase(just really cheeky, not frightened!) I would take a bucket of feed, a chair and a book into the field (if he shares it you need to take the other horses out or they will pester you too much!). I would put the feed under the chair with a little bit of the bucket sticking out, sit down, read the book and ignore him. Before too long he'd be so interested in the food that he'd take the risk and come closer.

As I said mine was just playing games so maybe you need to start with the bucket next to the chair, and let him eat it all while you just sit next to him, then maybe progress to stroking his neck gently and moving up to his head. Sitting down can mean they're less threatened. It takes time though, so I wouldn't start unless you have the time to see it through.

 

[scarson]

I to have a timid horse she was and is with strange people still headshy. when we bought her we got told she may be hard to catch, we got told just to leave her headcoller on and we always have, when she did sumtimes not want to come in she wud not go away from me but just wouldnt let me get near her head! she wasnt bad the longest was 30 minutes because the day before the old owner came to see her and couldnt catch her and told her off really bad when she finally did and she just isnt a horse you can tell off. I used to often turn away from her and make myself not a threat when she wouldnt come to me when she finally did i would give her lots of pats and a polo, i often catch her and give her a polo because it does her no harm and she likes associating coming in wiv getting a polo! she is now fine as she trusts me 100% i can change rugs in the field without a leadrope or holding onto her, i hope he gets better and im sure he will with time and trust.

 

[Embob1]

I am in no way an expert, and the only experience I have had is from my old riding school yard.
2 mares used to hate being caught, were no problem when they were in, but they were just a nightmare to catch! Only way they could be caught was with several people with feed scoops and letting them decide who they wanted to go to and letting them eat from the scoop, then when they relaxed a bit, bringing a head collar into sight and slipping it on as quickly as possible - as soon as the headcollar was on, there were no problems!

Another thought is - if you have enough time, every time you go to the field, take a small scoop of feed, let him sniff it so he knows it's there, then bringing it back towards your body and wait for him to come to you and eat the food.
Once you have caught him, walk him round the entire field on the lead rein with you, do circles, change the direction, stop and start and basically get him used to being lead in a head collar - but in the comfort of his field. Give him a polo every so often while you're walking around, to keep him interested and so that he knows it isn't all bad, and there is something in it for him

Then after walking round - even just for 5-10mins, just let him go again, don't even take him out the gate! That way he will soon learn to associate being caught with having a wonder around the field with his mummy and getting treats.

Like I said, I'm no expert, but it's just a thought

good luck, and I hope you find something that works