RuthnMeg
Well-Known Member
BUT, sadly HHO'ers didn't come running when I was praying for you!!
So, my morning started off like normal, but with an extra twist. The 2 TB yearling colts are now stabled after being out 24/7 for the last 2-3 months. That was the twist! All I had to do, was move 1 from one stable to another, and catch in the other one who had been turned out early. The 1 in has been a little lame (but didn't show it!) and I needed to muck him out.
Just to let you know that both these colts, as lovely as they are, are quite 'colty' and I have little experience of the boys with 'bits'.
Imagine this, one 12 x 12 internal stable with sliding door and grille. One 14hh yearling, and me. Que yearling playing hard to get, que me playing 'I've got all the time in the world' game. 10 mins later, I still couldn't get near him.... never knew they could reverse and swing around at SERIOUS speed, and I still felt I was being calm and quiet. Colty wasn't being quiet thats for sure. So, he already had a head collar on, and I tried food, but he was never really going to relax and take the bait. Another 10 mins went past, and by this time Colty was showing me no signs of 'friendship'. I still hadn't even touched him. Then Mr Owner came to help, but wasn't much help at first really. Owner had a habit of leaving sliding door open 'a bit', his escape route I guess as Colty was getting a bit kicky towards him now. Luckily for me, although I didn't trust Colty AT ALL, he never kicked out at me. Sliding door open was going to cause a huge problem, so I had to keep asking Owner to close it! About another 10 mins later (we were playing the nicely nicely game still) I thought, well, lunge line job. Try to make his space smaller. At first we got closer, then Colty got bargy, so I got a bit more forceful - nicely nicely wasn't going to do it. Eventually, the lunge line, thanks to Colty's turns, got wrapped around his neck and we caught him, but oh boy, he wasn't a happy horse. He clearly didn't like being touched, yet didn't mind being led - he was a good boy for that.
I hate the idea of bullying him, he obviously has a lot on his plate. Apparently he has always been difficult to catch, but he is caught every week anyway, so somebody manages it!! I understand that Iam a stranger in his world at the mo, and he may be trying things on a bit, but I HAD to catch him.
So, during all this, I kept thinking, need some more help here, what would you lot be telling me to do next!? I've had difficult to catch in a field a fair few times over my horsey life, but never to this extreme in a stable!
I tried to make friends with him throughout my morning as I passed his box, he was braver behind his bars, but didn't want to stick his head out if I was about..
The other colt, who was out, was a dream to catch and lead, although I doubt I will be doing that too often as he seems so big and strong already!
Anyway, the mares and foals are fine, new chestnut colt was great fun to lead out (lol), and last mare is so overdue she will burst at any time now I swear!
So, my morning started off like normal, but with an extra twist. The 2 TB yearling colts are now stabled after being out 24/7 for the last 2-3 months. That was the twist! All I had to do, was move 1 from one stable to another, and catch in the other one who had been turned out early. The 1 in has been a little lame (but didn't show it!) and I needed to muck him out.
Just to let you know that both these colts, as lovely as they are, are quite 'colty' and I have little experience of the boys with 'bits'.
Imagine this, one 12 x 12 internal stable with sliding door and grille. One 14hh yearling, and me. Que yearling playing hard to get, que me playing 'I've got all the time in the world' game. 10 mins later, I still couldn't get near him.... never knew they could reverse and swing around at SERIOUS speed, and I still felt I was being calm and quiet. Colty wasn't being quiet thats for sure. So, he already had a head collar on, and I tried food, but he was never really going to relax and take the bait. Another 10 mins went past, and by this time Colty was showing me no signs of 'friendship'. I still hadn't even touched him. Then Mr Owner came to help, but wasn't much help at first really. Owner had a habit of leaving sliding door open 'a bit', his escape route I guess as Colty was getting a bit kicky towards him now. Luckily for me, although I didn't trust Colty AT ALL, he never kicked out at me. Sliding door open was going to cause a huge problem, so I had to keep asking Owner to close it! About another 10 mins later (we were playing the nicely nicely game still) I thought, well, lunge line job. Try to make his space smaller. At first we got closer, then Colty got bargy, so I got a bit more forceful - nicely nicely wasn't going to do it. Eventually, the lunge line, thanks to Colty's turns, got wrapped around his neck and we caught him, but oh boy, he wasn't a happy horse. He clearly didn't like being touched, yet didn't mind being led - he was a good boy for that.
I hate the idea of bullying him, he obviously has a lot on his plate. Apparently he has always been difficult to catch, but he is caught every week anyway, so somebody manages it!! I understand that Iam a stranger in his world at the mo, and he may be trying things on a bit, but I HAD to catch him.
So, during all this, I kept thinking, need some more help here, what would you lot be telling me to do next!? I've had difficult to catch in a field a fair few times over my horsey life, but never to this extreme in a stable!
I tried to make friends with him throughout my morning as I passed his box, he was braver behind his bars, but didn't want to stick his head out if I was about..
The other colt, who was out, was a dream to catch and lead, although I doubt I will be doing that too often as he seems so big and strong already!
Anyway, the mares and foals are fine, new chestnut colt was great fun to lead out (lol), and last mare is so overdue she will burst at any time now I swear!
