HELP I can't catch my pony in the field

[BethanT]

Ive got a 14.2 gelding which I have bought to reback and school. He was nervous of people when I first got him but after four weeks of one on one attention I was finally able to turn him out without headcoller no probs, even walking up to me in the field.

However, he has now decided that he doesn't want to be caught. Will allow me to go up to him and approaches us fine but turns and runs away when any attempt is made to put lead rope round his neck or headcoller on. Does anyone have any suggestions. Have tried food and enticing him to follow another horse. As I type I am sat in field with him grazing by my feet not scared at all but walks away if I go to put hand by his ears and eyes. Please can someone help!!!!

 

[DuckToller]

How many others are out with him? Can you catch and bring in the others so he is alone, and then you might find he will come in?

I have one that is tricky to catch and taking the others away usually means he comes to the gate and then lets me catch him. But I can never catch him in the field, annoyingly.

I did once keep chasing a pony that wouldn't be caught round and round the field, every time he stopped to graze I flapped my arms and made him move on, he lasted about 20 minutes and then gave up and stopped still. I went up, gave him a pat and a carrot, and let him go again so he associated being caught with a good experience. But that depends on the size of your field and your own stamina levels!

 

[BethanT]

At the min he is on his own as earlier we tried getting him to follow another but that meant leading him through another adjacent field in order to get to a carral type thing. The going up to him isn't the ptob it's the action of hands moving above him and he turns and runs away. I almost need a lasoe!

 

[Penny Less]

Im having the same problems, I have to coraal him in a corner with leccy tape, or som etimes he will let me walk up to him and pat him, but as soon as I go near his head hes off.
Something that has worked a couple of times before he cottoned on is getting near enough to pretend to look at his feet, run hand down a front leg and pick up, then its a bit more difficult to dick off with 3 legs !

 

[s4sugar]

Take out the water and catch him three or more times a day to get a drink.

 

[zippo]

Take out the water and catch him three or more times a day to get a drink.

Older timers method but last time I said that,I was told that was cruel etc.

 

[Bluepegasus2802]

I was sharing a horse that was difficult to catch a while ago. He was crafty with food, if you tried to catch him with food, he would snatch the food and leg it before you could do anything!
So I changed tactic, when I went out to the field to get him and he refused to be caught, I would actually send him away. I would keep sending him away so that he was constantly moving, I wouldn't let him stop. He soon realised that he didn't want to do that, and when I finally let him stop, he would stand still to be caught.
Each day I went out, it would take less and less time for me to catch him.

 

[Carlosmum]

I'd go along with the 'chase him round the field brigade' but keep the area fairly small or h'ee get too far away from you. My gelding can be awkward sometimes and on those days I keep him moving round & wont let him rest until he relaxes & allows me to approach. I guess its a bit like 'join-up'. Once you've caught him, leave a headcollar on. 'Field safe' if your worried about him getting caught up.

 

[Pale Rider]

I agree with zippo, you probably got caught up in one of the trolling threads.

 

[paddi22]

another one for the 'keep moving him round till he stops' option. I had one that was dreadful to catch when i got him, but that really worked. eventually he just realised it was easier to be caught, much less work!

 

[wench]

I had one that was awful to catch. Once took me three hours chasing him around a field to get hold of him. Although it was a large a field.

 

[texel]

It is quite simple, horses won't be 'caught' if they are not sure of your motives, they are flight animals after all. They can sense your mood and adrenalin levels, even perfume can put them off, unless you have a fragrence of apples or carrots !

It is very laudible if you have the energy to run around after your horse for hours on end with your bucket of food - a good way to get fit.

My 'new' horse arrived in November she was flighty and untrusting. All I did was potter about, continued with the field chores and ignored her. After a few days I chose a spot and sat on a chair and read. Eventually she came up to investigate. I let her do so but then got up and walked away.

The next time she approached I gave her a small piece of carrot/apple whatever and then walked away. I didn't touch her at all. After a couple of weeks she was trusting me and I could actually touch her. I never needed to carry a head collar because came to me and I then put the head collar on - easy peasy. She catches me now, I do not have to catch her.

I have found that this works with most horses, the walking away is very crucial, especailly after giving a snack, which you can just drop on the gound.

 

[Clare85]

I used to share a horse who was difficult to catch. I used to walk up to him backwards with his head collar out of site but ready to go. He would then get inquisitive about what I had in front of me. I'd then stand with my back against him for a while giving him pieces of carrot/apple/etc and then just slip his head collar on. Once he had it on I'd give a few more treats and some fuss and then walk him in quietly.

 

[RuthM]

Generally - in fact always, I'd keep the rope/headcollar in full sight. I think trust comes from honesty and equines thrive on humans being dependable and predictable, boundaries re behaviour are all based on that dependability and predictability. Also I've witnessed the surprise method of catching both from fields and in boxes and I find it amazing how much a person can begin to look like a feline hunter, fixed stare, slow movement, or edging in without looking then BOOM, the pounce! The poor neddy starts to look very much like stalked prey too, the snort, the show of fitness - you get the picture.

Where I worked in the early years we saw between 100 to 200 mares come to stud a year and those that were 'mares' (hoho) to catch usually resorted in a chase due to lack of time to retrain, once we knew one was bad to catch it got put on smaller grazing and had a headcollar on with a couple of links replaced with cotton so it could break.

fast forward half a decade or so and the gaffa's daughter had ponies but this time it was 1 or 2 not in the hundreds so it was very different. Bad to catch ponies were trained out the habit with brief catches - always rope in sight. If they failed to be caught we'd chase and they'd still have to do something after. Generally the chasing bit was a one off and the training to be caught was both positive and quick. Day 1 I might recatch 20 or so times, day 2 the same, day 3 10 times, they would still be worked each day but the majority of catches were just for reward. It was both fast and effective, it sounds a lot but actually the learning was so fast the only time consuming bit was walking to the pony and even that would soon change with pony waiting to come ASAP.

The trick is to continue the mini quick catches and to make sure they well outnumber catches for work etc well after the problem seems fixed. That might only mean 3 catches a day 2 for treat and release, 1 for work with a treat before release. If a pony has a bad to catch history I personally think mini catches should be a permanent part of life even if just a couple of times a week. A mini catch should still mean headcollar and rope - always in full view.

Whatever you do be it getting strict or reward my honest advice would be do it openly and be really clear with the horse, anything else is just a naff start to whatever happens next.

 

[BethanT]

Thank you to all those who've replied, some very different suggestions. He is now in a much smaller paddock at the top of the yard where it is much easier to chase him around the field. Tried today and after an hour of chasing him around in the boiling sun still no success. I'm trying more than once a day and there is no lee way at all from him. I think he could be slightly riggy

 

[BethanT]

Thank you to all those who've replied, some very different suggestions. He is now in a much smaller paddock at the top of the yard where it is much easier to chase him around the field. Tried today and after an hour of chasing him around in the boiling sun still no success. I'm trying more than once a day and there is no lee way at all from him. I think he could be slightly riggy, don't know if this would make any difference?

 

[RainbowDash]

Hi,

My pony can be a right sod to catch - other times he's great. He's in with around 20 others - mixed geldings and mares - he has a small harem and a bossy mare (girlfriend) who sends him off if i'm around.

I do hide the halter and rope behind my back but let him know i'm in the field - either a cough or a humm. He used to be in another field and was dominant in his little herd - used to canter off when i was around - he's a little better now.

He was moved out into another field with more dominant horses and is a little happier to be brought in if the big lads are in the field and not working. I don't bother with carrots now as i'll get mugged by the 18hh twins - instead i go to pat his rump first, give him a pat on the shoulder - all without a sound - no eye contact - if he runs off i fuss the other horses for a while (mainly to calm myself) and eventually he 'gives up' and lets me slowly wonder over and pop his halter on.

Just have to be patient, drop the halter on the ground if need be and speak horse. One of the newbies in the field is a sod to catch and wears a halter in the field - the other owners are encouraged to go and say 'hi' to get him used to lots of new people - anyone can catch him except his owner.

Ponies

 

[ellie11987]

Best thing to do is approach him everyday and make contact with him to let him know that every time you go to him your not going to catch him. Did this with mine and worked perfectly. My gelding would be a nightmare if i left him for a couple of days in summer without spending a few minutes a day with him. Also if he is being a pain then keeping on following him round the field, don't let him eat, drink, groom another horse etc just keep him moving... talk to him and give him a scratch when he lets you. Don't just launch the lead rope around him or pressure him... keep calm, it takes a while but is the best way rather than trapping him in a corner and pouncing on him! haha. treats should only be for a short term solution or they will always expect food.

When you do get him look for any signs of discomfort or pain as they can sometimes be a problem to catch if they're upset in any way. I recently got a thoroughbred and she reared on everyone trying to get her for the first couple of days after she came. Turns out she didn't know her home yet and was v.upset and confused. Left her a week in the field then a week in the stable and was perfect to catch after that.

 

[Penny Less]

My hard to catch lad has had a short rope hanging from his headcollar. However, he had a massive shock off the fence as it had got wet and was dangling on the tape !

 

[eezeerider]

I absolutely agree with the sending him away option too! I've seen it work with a very cunning little mare that was being bloody-minded about getting her fill of the rich lush grass released from the electric fence just as I turned up to catch her.

If the field is quite big then enlist some help if poss and get a friend to be at one end and you mainly at other. Keep sending him away (your friend too), don't allow him to get his head down and graze, keep him moving! Ask your friend to keep his/her back to him and to just send him away when he comes near.

Only soften when you see him lowering his head and licking his lips, that's him telling you he submits to your dominance and wants you to accept him. Then be very calm and he should stand still for you to put the head collar on. Don't be cross with him then, but perhaps leave him in his stable for an hour to think about it.

Good luck!!

 

[Dry Rot]

Catching isn't a problem over a long period when you've time to work at it, but I had someone hold one of my mares the other day while I applied Cribox to stop the foal eating her mane and tail and she did NOT like it! She is a bought in mare, the herd leader, and quite foal proud. She is normally quite easy but I don't know her history.

Tried to catch her last night as the Cribox must have washed out and the little b*gg*r was at it again. There is no way she was going to be caught and everyone got a lot of exercise applying the walk down technique described above. I slept well last night!

I eventually moved her with her field companions to the paddock with the round pen and manage to get her into the pen. More chasing around. She did eventually calm down but would not let me near her with a halter. She'd turn at the last moment. I am normally extremely patient, just get more determined and quiet when there is a problem like this, but last night would have tested the patience of a saint as the dreaded Scottish midges decided it was a good opportunity to have a feeding frenzy!

So, every time when I did eventually get up to her, she'd turn her head when I presented the head collar! Finally, I snapped and instead of softly-softly, I started swearing! Not shouting but telling her what I thought of her in a low gruff voice. Amazingly that worked and she stopped and let me put the head collar on. I didn't dare try to apply Cribox after that and and just put her back in the original field. Hopefully, she will be a bit easier today now she has a head collar on but I do wonder whether she will have much of her tail or mane left!

The way I train a horse to be caught is to make an exception and give treats. (Normally, that's a no-no here). But if they want the treat, they have to submit to being rubbed with the head collar. I mostly use rope head collars (but only when being led or handled) and it is easy to drop them over the neck with the right hand while holding on to the long end with a couple of fingers, then catch the collar under the horse's neck with the left hand. The horse is now "caught" and you can finish putting on the head collar without fear of an escape. I find that much easier than the traditional web or leather head collar (which, in this case, went on after I'd caught her).

 

[Tammytoo]

Bad catchers are so frustrating! I do think that once you start the chasing option (following him round and round the field) you have to stick with it until you catch him. Doing it for so long and then giving up is reinforcing in his mind that he can get away with not being caught.

Whatever method you decide to use, be patient, take as long as it takes but stick with it.

Good luck!

 

[Tnavas]

I did once keep chasing a pony that wouldn't be caught round and round the field, every time he stopped to graze I flapped my arms and made him move on, he lasted about 20 minutes and then gave up and stopped still. I went up, gave him a pat and a carrot, and let him go again so he associated being caught with a good experience. But that depends on the size of your field and your own stamina levels!

This a great way to teach them that catching is better than running away - I tried it with a youngster who suddenely decided not to be caught - it took about 40 mins of harrasing him every time he stopped until I could let him stop and he was caught - never was naughty again.

 

[Dry Rot]

Had another session this morning with the mare I mentioned in my previous post. She is a lot better today and I can at least get up to her, but I only got my hand on her head collar once! I think she is actually still very foal proud and thinks she is protecting her foal, so I can't blame her for that. These training problems do need careful analysis before taking action and a good night's sleep helps!

I had a mare in to see the stallion which had clearly been abused. The owner was a no nonsense livestock haulier which says it all! I've never seen any horse load as fast in my life. But it was impossible to catch her. I tried for about an hour a day for three weeks and although I eventually got her feeding out of a bucket as I sat with it between my knees, as soon as I moved my hand she was off! Not sure if that mare could have ever been trained to be catchable! When her owner arrived, she leapt at the head collar, caught hold, and was promptly thrown off! Then the mare saw the open ramp of the trailer and shot inside like a ferret down a rabbit hole!

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Shame we don't have lasso in this country in use I mean.

We sometimes have one that wont be caught I get everything in and leave it out on its own. When I chose to get it it sees the error of its ways. Dosn't work with all horses sadly. There are many things you can try .

Depending on size of field, I have tied one end of electric fence to the gate and walked towards the horse, it runs towards an area and i corral it it with tape.

Treats work sometimes



If that bad how about getting it gradually to eat out your hand even on days you don't really want to catch it, so it associates you with something good. This way when you do want it it wont know till you clip lead rope on??

When I do eventually catch one that keeps running off, I take him into the school and lunge him solidly for 20 mins, or school him for 1 hr hard, even tho he is knackered from running, I say your fault you wasted your energy running off you still have to work = horse looses