Horse being a madam when being caught. Help!

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Haflinger

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New mare has settled in fine, in a field on her own at the moment (quarentine) but moving in with the other mares on saturday.
Now for the last few days she has been a real pain and madam when we are bringing her in - she just won't let us catch her easily. She runs round in circles, but has her head quite low and is chewing very slightly. Get near her with the head collar and she'll b*gger off to the other side of the field or just go faster
mad.gif
Took us half and hour both tonight and yesterday, and cannot just leave her out. I also refuse point blank to let her have her way and just leave her out until she wants to come in!

Have had the suggestion of chasing her away and then walking away abit to try and make her follow or something? Do you think this would work, or any other suggestions?
We've tryed shaking her food bucket, walking round after her for ages etc.

Thanks in advance! x
 
I can you electric fence her into a small area so that she's not able to get away from you so easily. I have a mare like this and she tends to be a bit more hyper when the spring grass is about, she just doesn't want to stop eating. She's settled in a bit more now that she is with my other horse, but I still have to catch my other mare first and walk her out of the field before Marble decides she'll be caught and come in!! I did find that keeping her in a small area with only a little grass stopped her from being too independent. The other thing that was recommended whilst it wasn't too hot was to not even leave water in that area, but take it to her twice a day; that way she has to learn to depend on you for survival. It does work eventually, but mine is still particularly bad this time of year with so much grass available, she just decides she doesn't need me.
 
Have you got a smaller paddock you can put her in so that she can't get so far away from you? Or fence off a smaller section?

Is she scared for some reason? Doesn't like being in? Worked? Sore? Or just enjoying the good grass too much? Is this not being caught a new thing? Has something happened in the stable to her perhaps?

I have the luck to have my own place and no other horses to worry about but my own. When I have one that won't be caught I keep them in a small paddock and if taking the others in to the barn in the same, (or next door paddock) doesn't work then I keep them moving, fast, in the end they would rather stand to catch their breath than keep on going. That has never failed yet, but I wouldn't be able to do it in a larger space of course. Maybe it's cruel, but I can't be bothered with a horse I can't catch, I have the time, but not the inclination, to mess about more than a few times.

My horses are all desperate to come in by 7am away from the flies, they eat their token handful of grub and sleep in the cool all day.
 
You are on the right track if you are noticing the lowered head and chewing, a sign of submission. She wants to be caught and be with you, but hasn't quite got the confidence yet, which is understandable as she's young and it's all a bit new.

You could try this. You try and catch her and she buggers off. Fine. Swing the headcollar and send her away. Walk, trot canter, whatever she wants to do, although you don't need her hurtling round like a maniac. Don't let her stop and graze, if she does, send her on. Keep your eyes on her eye. It's like freestyle lunging except you need to be a couple of steps back and behind from a normal lunging position. Step into her line of fire and make her change direction a couple of times. The moment she stops and looks at you, stop going after her and turn half away and stand still. Work your way in half circles towards her, not looking her in the eye. If she goes away again, repeat the above. Keep it gentle but persistent. You are going to eventually be able to work your way towards her head. Give her a rub on her neck and work your way to her head and give her a nice scratch and make nice fuss of her. Now....walk away a few paces...and I'll bet my bottom dollar that she she will walk with you. Take your time over all this, don't rush it. It does work, I promise you, I've done it lots of times with numerous horses.
 
When I've had this problem in the past I have tried to find the time to give my horse the opportunity to decide to come to me... When you have the time go to your mare's field with a book or picnic and sit and ignore your horse completely. Eventually, if shes anything like my inquisitive girl she'll think she must be missing something and come over to check you out! Talk calmly to her, give her a treat or a pat, then return your attention to your book. When she wanders off, leave the field. Next time you go in you may find she is less likely to avoid you. Worth a try.
 
She is quite inquistive, but is also a smart cookie. Once she realises what it is, she won't fall for it again.
 
Also, when I am up at the yard it is full on. I have four horses to ride (including her), so I don't have the time to be sitting in the field with her!
 
Gala that is good advice as I have heard of that before and I can't remember if it is natural horsemanship or parelli? It is one of the two and was what we were going to try on Mcfly if my partner had not succeeded with the softly softly approach of persuading to put a headcollar on with an apple in his hand. We put it down to spring grass though as he has been fine since so maybe just had a week of madness.
I agree though join up is a very good method of getting a horse to bond with you and above all trust you as leader which is what horses should do.
Cazx
 
Cheers Cazee. It;s more natural horsemanship (womanship?) than Parelli. Starrynme's suggestion is good too. I once managed to plough through two whole Jilly Cooper novels (not all in one go obviously) sitting on a bale of straw in a large stable, trying to get a very wild and frightened shetland mare to calm down and be caught. She ended up practically sitting on the bale next to me and nibbling the pages...
 
Aw at least you got her calmed down in the end though
smile.gif
Was that book riders btw? I loved the mini series when it was on but mainly because of Michael Praed in breeches blushes lol.
I would love to try the join up process as I have the headcollars and the long rope with the tassle thingy on the end but I have no where on the yard to do it
frown.gif

There is a paddock I could use but it is rectangle shaped and has fields surrounding it. Two of them being the mares fields and as there is a mixture of wooden rails, barbed wire and electric fencing surrounding the paddock I would be scared of a horse trying to jump out and getting hurt. The fields are too big to try it in and I have two elderly geldings in with my lads so would not want to scare them as I was trying something out for fear of them coming to any harm.
It does look and sound interesting though and is a better way of gaining trust in a horse than the rather outdated and brutal way of breaking in horses by beating them into submission. I hated seeing images of that throughout horse history and horses roped and tied in all sorts of manners.
Natural horsemanship and parelli are the best way forward in my honest opinion.
It's just having the space and location to be able to try some of the techniques which is frustrating.
I wonder if Ladyblue has had any luck so far?
I agree about the time issue as well because now I am working albeit part time I find I have less time to be with the horses as I juggle with home and the rest of the pets lol.
Cazx
 
Cazee,the thing about Monty type join up is...if your getting on quite nicely with your horse you don't need to do it. It's a mistake that some people make, if there is already a bond there and you have no spedific problems and your trusts you,, it only confuses the hell out of your lovely chummy ned. So I would skip that part and maybe get a copy of K. Marks 'Perfect Manners', and get going on some of the interesting things to do in there instead. You can do it all with your horse on a long lead rope, so you don't really need a school or an enclosed area.

I read, if I remember rightly, Riders and Polo....I was so into Polo that I hardly noticed when the little shetland plucked up the courage to stand next to me for the first time! Whoops...

If your into the whole NH philosophy I really recommend any books by Mark Rashid, now THERE is a lovely gentle horseman.
 
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