HELP! How to catch an untouched Shetland?

[SuperCoblet]

A friend of mine has asked me to go along with her to help catch a Shetland that is free to a good home to whoever can catch her.
The problem is she's in a large field and she runs through electric tape, so we can't really fence her off. She's scared if people and doesn't come to a bucket of food.
I'm really at a loss on what to do? I was thinking a lunge like and somehow loop it around her neck as we can't get close enough for a long enough time to get a headcollar on it so maybe a lunge line to keep her close enough to slip one on? Or make a human barrier too?

Please help!

 

[Enfys]

Sounds as if you are either going to have to dart her, or make a pen to herd her in to.

Gate panels would be best.

Does she have companions that she will follow? If not, give her one.

Will she follow a ridden horse into a smaller area? If you are going to make a pen it will be easier to herd/tempt her using horses rather than on foot.

I know what I'd do.

Good Luck

 

[BigRed]

Crikey - good luck with that one. Is there no way the pony can be coralled into a small paddock or yard - without frightening it too much ?

Alternatively all the other horses need to be removed. there is more likelihood of getting her to follow the last one into a pen of some sort.

 

[SuperCoblet]

Nope it's literally just a field :/
I'm not sure about companions as I haven't been there myself yet

 

[MrsMozart]

Large fishing net?

Sorry, the only thing I can think of is a funnel into a coral, but if the pony runs through electric fencing then it would have to be fence panels.

We have one pony that, when he's on the run, nothing stops him, but luckily as soon as he sees a feed bucket and the other horses are settled, he'll calm down.

Not an easy one!

 

[Gracie21]

Crates or similar..? and someone to catch. try and get it into a corner, then herd it in with the crates until you make a wall..then the one person goes in (or two) and jump on it (not literally)

 

[SuperCoblet]

Will have to are what's available once were up there, but I have a feeling we will end up darting her then taking her home into a stable!

 

[Littlelegs]

Preferably get her somewhere smaller, ideally I'd do it on another horse, & just keep her moving till she gives in. And when you are close enough get a leadrope round her neck. I'm not saying it from a monty Roberts join up perspective. Just as someone who's childhood friend had a pony who was uncatchable April to Oct. If it was dry enough, we would also chase it in a jeep. Not at 40mph, just to keep it moving. Eventually driving a vehicle in was usually enough to get it straight off.
The other thing that works, if they get passer bys feeding them is pretending to be one, I have caught a few who will eat from strangers hands over the fence by having a concealed rope to get round their neck.

 

[SuperCoblet]

Apparently theyve tried sedation and she faught it and it didn't do anything?!?!

 

[SuperCoblet]

Anyone have a rough idea how much darting would cost?

 

[hayinamanger]

I'd say that the only way would be to give the pony a quiet companion, leave them together for a couple of weeks, during that time catch and groom the companion, ignoring the Shetland, let companion go. He will see that humans aren't so scary and eventually he may follow his new pal into a yard. Again, I'd just groom the other pony and put them out again, do this for several days, then it may be possible to bring the companion into a stable and the Shetland will follow.

 

[jools123]

contact local horse rescue, they may be able to get a group of people who are willing to help and mat have some experience with this sort of thing-give a donation in return everyones happy. hopefully it will be safer with more people too

 

[wallykissmas]

As someone said contact local rescue, I know darting can be expensive as it needs a licence and not many people or vets have it. Could try a few vets for costs too.

 

[Honey08]

I'd say that the only way would be to give the pony a quiet companion, leave them together for a couple of weeks, during that time catch and groom the companion, ignoring the Shetland, let companion go. He will see that humans aren't so scary and eventually he may follow his new pal into a yard. Again, I'd just groom the other pony and put them out again, do this for several days, then it may be possible to bring the companion into a stable and the Shetland will follow.

A companion would be the way forward - even just taking another horse over every day to visit the pony and make friends.

I would fence off a corner of the field with straw bales perhaps, to make a smaller "pen" area, and try and get the pony to follow the other horse in there..

 

[SuperCoblet]

None of us have a horse suitable for a companion and it's 45 minutes away

 

[Dry Rot]

I once bought a mare in an auction like that and didn't realise the problem until it was too late!

I watched her and saw that she used regular paths in the field. So I set up a noose on the end of a long stick and gently ran her into it so the rope came free and trailed behind her as she ran on. I was then able to get hold of the end of the rope and very carefully and gently work my way up it to the pony...

Good luck! You'll need it!

BTW, I sold that pony to a man who bought it as a present for his wife. I assume they are now divorced!

 

[Ibblebibble]

when we were moving a friends uncatchable coblet down to my place we had him in a smaller pen and put the trailer in the pen, parked a car on one side of the ramp so he couldn't escape that way and then slowly herded him onto the trailer, took a while and about 5 of us but eventually his only option was to go on the trailer. once we got him to my place we backed the trailer up to a pen in front of the stable and let him out.

i would enlist the help of as many people as you can, make some kind of 'funnel' towards an open trailer and slowly herd the shettie in, make sure trailer is empty of partitions and breast bars, as soon as it's in get the ramp up and the top doors shut as well just in case.

 

[Patterdale]

I had this once but with a 2yo section d. So a Shetland will be a piece of cake!!

Get a long roll of plastic fencing, like that orange mesh stuff, a few people and walk across the field with it till you have it against the fence in a corner. Squash it in tight so it won't move, drop a halter on with a lunge line attached to each side, two people to hold it and then drag it into the waiting trailer.
Fast and effective.

Not ideal I know, but if you can't put it in a smaller area or get a companion, it's the quickest safest way I've done it.

Whatever you do will scare it, so you just need to get it over with quickly and safely.

When you get it home, drop the ramp straight into a stable/enclosed yard, leave a headcollar with 2 foot of rope on it (maybe less for a Shetland) and handle daily.
They soon come round, especially if they are younger.

My sec d is now backed and very very tame. We had to catch him from a 7 acre field and this was the only way we could do it.

Just be fast and businesslike. Imagine it's a cow or something and just get the job done.

Don't bother with food, all it will learn is how to get the food without being caught!

 

[varkie]

I would advise against trying to put a rope around it's neck, or a lunge line, without a proper enclosed space to do it. Otherwise it's highly possible that what you'll end up with is a pony careering round the field, having run through the flexible temporary barrier, and with a rope or lunge line attached to it's neck, and probably too terrified for you to get anywhere near. This could be a very dangerous, even fatal situation for the pony if this is a truly unhandled pony.

You really would do better to get the pony enclosed, then run it loose into a trailer, then deal with it once you get it home, with plenty of time.

It is possible to hire round pens, I'd suggest this would be a good idea, that way you can run it into a round pen, then put a trailer in one section, and run it into the trailer.

Other than this, darting would seem the other answer, but this is not going to be easy, and then you still have to be able to move the pony while sedated into an enclosed space or trailer, or to erect an enclosed space around the pony.

Another suggestion would be to get one of Kelly Marks Recommended Associates out to help you. They do deal with this kind of thing quite a bit I believe. Whereabouts are you?

Finally, I don't mean to be insulting, but if your friend does not have the experience to know how to deal with an unhandled pony in a field, is she experienced enough to take one on for handling purposes?

 

[Dry Rot]

The OP says this is a Shetland, free to good home to anyone who can catch her. I would think hiring a portable round pen a bit over kill.

I suppose it IS a mare? Shetlands are seldom worth the price of castration. As for the dangers of dragging a rope, we are talking about a pony not much bigger than a large dog so I suspect the dangers of getting injured in a pen, if it tries to jump out, would be far greater. Once roped, it should be possible for a few strong chaps to manhandle it into a trailer if it won't load voluntarily.

I do hope the OP will post a follow up as this sounds like an interesting one. Personally, I'd phone WHW first and see if they have any ideas as this is just the sort of thing they are experienced at doing.

 

[varkie]

I think you're under rating how strong shetlands are, especially unhandled ones. I have shetlands, and they are supposed to be the strongest equine, pound per pound. And they most definitely are incredibly strong.

Can it be physically manhandled? Possibly. But I equally knew one whom this was done to, and it practically broke her mentally. And even once they got her in a small space, pinned her down, and put a headcollar on her, the minute they tried to move her around, she reared up & flung herself over backwards - she was a danger to herself and them. The 'handling' they had given her had made her much, much worse. I have known another similar pony put in a similar situation, who then was found dead the next day, following a wrestling session - vets opinion was heart attack.

Personally I don't see that what it costs or whether it's free is in the least bit relevant. What is relevant is doing the right thing by the animal. If the right thing involves a hired round pen, then I don't see what the cost of the animal has to do with it.

And yes, personally, I am experienced at doing this, hence my advise. However, OP will have to decide for herself (or her friend will) what is the best route to follow.

 

[Patterdale]

Cost is usually the ruling factor in any decision.

Just herd it into a corner (easier with a long stretch of plastic fencing and multiple people) and chuck it in the trailer. Job done.

I've done this plenty of times before, it works. Messing around doesn't, neither do you need to spend a load of money

It won't be traumatised or scarred for life.

Coming from a farm perhaps I am a little more 'practical' with things like this but if it was a bullock or a calf this is how it would be handled, and it certainly wouldn't then have a heart attack and die!

Horses are amazing creatures yes, but they are animals and livestock at the end of the day and won't die for being manhandled when absolutely necessary.

Whatever you do will be traumatic to a degree, as it's unhandled, so you just need to make sure you are quick, safe and practical.

You've got all the time in the world once you get it home to feed it carrots

 

[Dry Rot]

I'd forgotten a Shetland abandoned on my farm some years ago. It was deposited here subject to a grazing agreement. We discovered it was a stallion when it made amorous advances to a friend of mine as we were walking down the field! The rate for a gelding or a mare was £10/week, for a stallion it was £400 for obvious reasons.

Anyway, to cut a long (and very funny) story short, I found someone to take it "free to good home". Three of us caught it and lifted it into the back of a Transit van. No problem.

As the new owner was tieing up the doors of the van, I asked the driver if this was the usual way he transported his ponies. He said he didn't own any ponies and had never met the purchaser before in his life. He'd just flagged him down and asked if he would do him a favour, not saying he wanted a pony transported!

Soon after that, the original owner turned up -- three months late -- demanding by way of a solicitor's letter "the balance of proceeds of sale". I drew his attention to two bounced cheques and 12 weeks outstanding rent for grazing at £400 a week and heard no more.

It could only happen in the Highlands!

 

[MileAMinute]

Make a noise like a carrot?!

Sorry, of no help, some great advice already been given, but good luck!