If you can catch it, you can have it!

PingPongPony said:
To all of you who are suggesting chasing her round and round and round, i really wish i was fit enough to run up and down a 3-4acre field for 3hours+, the field is quite steep as well so it would be up and down a hill :( i might try join up, will see if anyone in the area has a proper round pen which they wouldn't mind me hireing, i will then free up the whole day so i can chase that cow untill she gives up, that might be worth a try.
At least i know that i'm not alone with a cowbag that won't let you catch her :mad:
Thank you for all the suggestions and kind words :)
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Can you get another horse (or 6!) to ride and just make the bad girl walk and walk and walk til she gets fed up...
 
Is there anyway to lure her into a stable, like if you were to leave the field gate open (prob best to bring other horses in first!) and using rope/tape ect. to create a path to a stable! Maybe if you put a bucket in the stable so she come see it, and just walk a little way behind her to keep her moving towards it, she might pop in....?
 
That's good idea, just chase her round and round on b1 then when b1 tired swap to b2 and keep on chasing. On recent form l will have a go too when b2 tires!
 
OP - My mare was on a 70 acre field once..she did everything...including climbing into the river! She used to let me get reasonably close and then canter off again..my OH used to come and watch for fun!

Anyway......I got cross....so I chased her around (in 70 acres and I was not fit)....you just have to pester....you dont have to keep up just dont let her relax....keep pestering....you dont even have to run...use a lunge whip and make her move! my mare would give up once the lead rope was around her neck...then I put the headcollar on. Keep walking up and down...let her do the running...eventually she will give up and you will only have to start sedning her away and she will give in quickly

......I PROMISE it works....my mare is the most stubborn mule on thw planet and even now 10 years on she tries it occasionally...I only have to start flinging the rope around and running at her and she sort of huffs and stops! (Again my OH loves to watch my mare make a fool of me!)

good luck op
 
Ive been in your situation quite a few times and have a few more tricks for you to try. When i was very young my friends pony was impossible to catch in the summer (in winter he would let himself into his stable) no bribery could tempt him and we had tried all the usual tricks, he was in a big enough field that he could get away easily from us. At first we used my pony to round him up untill he decided to be caught or i could grab hold of his headcollar though this was a bit rubbish for me as my pony would then tire before we even got to go on our ride. If he didnt have a headcollar on then me on my pony with lunging whip made into a lassoo, get close enough, slide over the head then pull. This only really works if your extremely strong or the horse/pony respects the pressure of the rope around the neck as being caught. Eventually we made a small corridor that stayed permantely in the field with a splay at one end and a dead end at the other. We would herd him into there and then catch him. It didnt take to much fencing and think we only had to buy 12 rails and 4 posts as it was only one line of fencing.

I also took on a pony where the owner said if you can catch him then you can keep him, safe to say i caught him and only took 2 days! lol :rolleyes: Tried bribing, chasing, herding, lassoo, sedative so on day 2 we made a temp corral with 2 cars, a trailer and some tarpaulin. Worked a treat. Tarpaulin is great for making temp corrals! :p

I suggest when you do catch your horse, next time you pop her out keep a headcollar with a length of rope attached.

There is something you should be happy about, at least she doesnt charge at you when you go to catch her! My mare does! :eek: lol
 
I've advertised on preloved to find a round pen i could hire. If the round pen/ join up doesn't work, then i will try walking up and down field with lunge whip. The other horses don't really help because they get in between her and me so i can't see her and she stops, but i'll ask some of the liveries to get theirs in so only the ones that aren't much trouble stay out. I'm now determined that she will not win, she will not be the boss and it will not be on her terms, she picked the wrong person to boss about.
I'm in Lincolnshire, Grantham area. :)
 
Parker79 said:
OP - My mare was on a 70 acre field once..she did everything...including climbing into the river! She used to let me get reasonably close and then canter off again..my OH used to come and watch for fun!

Anyway......I got cross....so I chased her around (in 70 acres and I was not fit)....you just have to pester....you dont have to keep up just dont let her relax....keep pestering....you dont even have to run...use a lunge whip and make her move! my mare would give up once the lead rope was around her neck...then I put the headcollar on. Keep walking up and down...let her do the running...eventually she will give up and you will only have to start sedning her away and she will give in quickly

......I PROMISE it works....my mare is the most stubborn mule on thw planet and even now 10 years on she tries it occasionally...I only have to start flinging the rope around and running at her and she sort of huffs and stops! (Again my OH loves to watch my mare make a fool of me!)

good luck op
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This ^^

Have had one like this and I Moved the pony on every time it stopped so that I was the dictating when I allowed her to stop. If she showed any sign of moving away I would shout trot on and flap the lead rope, and just keep walking after her, keeping her moving on. You start to recognise the giving in signs - this pony would lower head and turn to face you, at this point I knew I was winning, kept body language very neutral and calm and if she continued to stand and let me walk up to her, she would get a treat and her reward - no pressure to keep moving on. If she made the slightest motion that she was going to run off I would raise arms and get after her but it has to be quick like itvwas your decision for er to move. Sometimes i would just walk away after giving her the treat and let her be. You might need several people versed in the method to help you to keep her moving like this and where possible don't let her stop moving and definitely not eat. It's a bit parelli/ natural horsemanship like but I have used it on several brats and it seems to work.
 
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I agree it works in most cases but there are some horses/ponies out there that it will not work on. Ive known 2 ponies and 1 horse throughout my 18yrs experience that it doesnt work on and this is after being there all day and the next. A corral has always been my last resort.
 
Oh I feel for you, OP! My previously sweet and biddable run up to you to be caught pony, became the pony from H**ll this summer; wretched thing would spend hours self schooling round me, in perfect self carriage. Send him away and he'd come back to do it! Huge field and lots of co-conspiritors. Treats, carrots etc turning my back on him and letting him come up behind me and then moving down his neck still with back turned, scratches on withers, scratches on neck with one hand and moving it up under his neck whilst still feeding treats with the other, hand round nose, more treats, rope round neck, more treats. Done. However, seriously disheartening. Much better now though. Keep going (it will get better over time) don't get paranoid like I did, and believe he hated me! He didn't, was being young, fit and very well and learning to play! He was a rescue, and hadn't had a good life before I got him. Well done for working so hard as well as doing school exams - one very lucky horse!
 
My dear I feel your pain! My otherwise perfect horse (he is flaming lucky he is) is a nightmare to catch! Until recently only one of my YMs and I have been able to catch him, then we could only catch him if he had a headcollar on. Then YM could no longer catch him and it took me 45 minutes of chasing him round a massive field to catch him even with a headcollar on and he was even worse in the rain! I had a difficult to catch horse before and I improved her with join up but this wasn't working with Max.

The problem is he is nasty with it swinging his bum and trying to double barrel. The day he started backing up to me to kick me when I was chasing him I decided something had to change. We separated him from his friends into a much smaller paddock and although he runs away occasionally because I can keep up with him as the area is much smaller he gives in much quicker literally within 5 minutes and for the last week touch wood he hasn't even bothered and has even run up to me the last 2 times :)

I think the problem with the big field was because he was always so far away from me he thought being chased was a big game where as now he has sort of twigged that I am actually controlling him movements and I am the leader.

I feel bad that he is on his own, he has a friend on either side over electric tape but I just could not tolerate his behaviour any longer as he was getting dangerous. I have only had him 9 months so maybe with time he will be able to go back out with his little herd. I know you said it will cost u a fortune sorting out electric tape but from my experience it would be worth every penny x
 
Shivvy said:
This made me wet myself so uncomfortably familiar:D So sorry op it's such a pain, my mare can be like this in summer so I do very small area and restricted grazing so nice things come from following me nicely. It's easier if they are good doers too.
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This has cheered me up hugely on a depressing sunday pm - so funny !!!
 
OP I have just read your post about using a round pen and I am sorry to be the voice of doom but am hoping to save you wasting a day but this might not help. My horse is perfect at join up in the school and he will follow me out of the school turn around and wait for me to do the gate (without being lead) and back to his stable so he is joined up. Of course its up to you and of course give it a try but I really think a smaller field or maybe a small area in the field is your best bet just from my frustrated experience!
 
Put a grazing muzzle on her, she can always wear it when out. She won't starve and will be so pleased to see you.
Or shoot her. I cannot bear horses that won't be caught.
Seriously get a greenguard, pad it up and always leave her in it. Just accept your hay bill will go up as she will need to stuff her face when shes in. I may even have a pony one you can have, if I can find it and your horse has a small snozzle. Never feel sorry for her, she doesn't give a **** about you!
 
I will have to look into resticting her grazing area, the grass is very good and there is still loads of it so she won't lose any weight.
I might look into the grazing muzzle, i'm afraid though Clodagh even if you find your spare muzzle it might be a tad too small for her, she's a 16.2hh ISH, not a tiny nose either :)
I will see if i can try the round pen, if this doesnt work then she will have restricted grazing area, with maybe 2 friends, no more than 2. If she's still a cow then, i will have to set aside a whole day and just chase her round.
Something will work :)
 
Wagtail said:
This always cracks me up. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWd_r2sOPhs
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Wagtail - as I was reading through this thread i was thinking of this very sketch

OP Speaking as someone who has experienced the traumas of owning a very much loved but sometimes uncatchable horse I fully sympathise with you, I have fond memories of marching around a 20 acre field :eek:trying to catch my mare for anything upto 2 hours chanting "I do this for FUN, I do this for FUN! I do this for ****ing FUN!". We tried ALL the tricks on the French and Saunders sketch and in the early years, the only way we could catch her was to run her loose into the yard along with all the other riding school horses that were turned out with her.

I used to go down to the field with a book and sit near her and read, noncholantly tossing a random carrot in her direction every now and then, then leave without even trying to catch her, I think I spent hours trying to look like I wasn't at all interested in her, and eventually we did win her over to a certain extend, as she got older she did improve, but throughout her life whenever spring came and we were able to resume 24 hr turnout (as apart from "out all day and in all night" over the winter) we had to just accept that for the first two weeks of the new regime SHE would decide if she was going to come in and we made sure there were no routine vet visits, no farrier, and no riding lessons booked during those first 2 weeks "just-in-case", after 2 weeks she was fine and apart from the odd occasion when she would trot a circle or two before allowing herself to be caught (just to prove a point I think) she would usually be ok.
 
Why not make a smaller fenced off section and just put the bucket of food in there for her and then once she goes in shut it up behind her :)

Leave her just to eat the first few times then catch her but turn her out after a feed and a treat :)

But I do agree you really need to separate her and nip this as an un catchable horse is a pain. I have spent hours in fields trying to get near horses that didn't want caught!! My old man can have quite a sense of humour sometimes and just not be caught for the fun of it and I've been seen dancing with rage in the middle of a field going bonkers whist he does his lovely extended welsh D trot around me :rolleyes:
 
There's loads of different ways that work somedays & not others, & all take time. Years ago my friends pony was the worlds most difficult to catch pony all spring & summer, & though lots of ways worked, none were consistent so we had to start everyday from scratch. The only thing that solved it long term was chasing her with a vehicle. Not so she was running flat out for her life, just so that she had to briskly walk & trot & occasionally had a few strides of canter. Everytime she showed times of slowing, someone hopped out to try & catch her, & she took off again. After a few hours she was stopping & standing, but taking off when approached. Eventually she gave in & was caught. Next day same thing, but took less time. After a month, you only had to have an engine running near the gate, herd her towards it on foot & she'd immediately give in & be caught. After 6wks vehicle no longer required. The odd time she walked away no attempt was made to get her on foot, straight back to yard for an engine to run at the gate, which had an immediate effect. Usually in spring the first flush of grass would require an engine running at the gate but otherwise was never a problem again. I'd never recommend this method for a horse with any issues with traffic, or a nervous one, but one like my friends who was bombproof it was the only solution that worked longterm. And it wasn't chasing her in a vehicle, just using it to keep her moving.
 
Who are the other horses in the field with her? Yours, or other owners?

If the owners are ok and it wont cause a massive fight this is what I did when Samba first went into the 30 acre shes fine now but last year I couldn't catch her. So owners fed their horses insight of her for me (other side of the gate but still she could see), I used to go in and fuss the others and slip a polo but ignored her. Then walked in shook a bucket of nuts, walked out again if she didn't come in did not keep calling etc, and just returned every 20minutes or so. Only so long before she couldn't resist any further.

Also when she did come in she had a bucket of warm speedibeet waiting, way to my pony's heart.
 
OP my horse can be a pig to catch too.. record is only 4 hours though so I suppose not too bad compared to some! ;)

I definitely agree with just keeping them moving. My poor horse walked/trotted/cantered round his field for 4 hours and was totally knackered said time, but has since only taken max 5-10 minutes to catch on a bad day.. or he'll let me catch him straight away.

Its VERY frustrating but just take a lunge whip/line/leadrope etc and keep them moving. They soon get hungry and tired and figure out its a hell of a lot easier to just be caught!!

Good luck, get the better of the little moo!! :D
 
Any nonsense from my lot and I'm afraid I lose my temper. No, I don't rant and rave ("don't get mad, get even"), just get the quad out and herd the whole lot into a smaller area where the culprit has no alternative but to be caught.

He/she is then given a carrot and a good grooming and is put back into the field. I find that stops the evasion becoming a habit. I'll then make sure I can catch in the field. The price of a carrot is my putting a hand on the head collar. I don't do anything the pony might resent (such as work) until the catching problem is resolved. It seems to work.

The first time I tried this was with a Large White boar that would not be loaded! I finally lost my temper and chased it around and around the field with the tractor until the only place left to hide was the trailer. Can't say if it would have worked a second time as that one went on a one way trip!:D
 
I feel your pain, you are not alone. I spent about 2 hours yesterday watching my mare's ample backside disappear accross the field. I agree with the others who've advised keeping her moving.

There is some good advice here http://labruyere123.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/catching-horse-who-is-not-co-operating.html


I'm "lucky" she only pulls this stunt once or twice a year. So on those occasions I just resign myself to not riding and annoy her until she gives in.

Good luck
 
My mare used to be horrific. An absolute nightmare for the first few years I had her. I remember spending hours and hours and hours (we're talking entire days!) trying to catch her. Then one day I got so utterly fed up with it I removed my other two, brought the electric fencing right up so that there was only an arena(ish) sized area and chased her with a lunge whip until she was sweating. I then walked off and left her there over night.

Sounds a bit extreme but she survived, and I have never had an issue again since. That was about 4 years ago.

You just want to bite their ears off and yell at them but when they catch you have to tell them how wonderful and clever they are. I think that is the worst part!
 
cattysmith said:
You just want to bite their ears off and yell at them but when they catch you have to tell them how wonderful and clever they are. I think that is the worst part!
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Oh yes that is the worst part, i just want to bite her head off and lock her somewhere so she can never do it again but instead i have to be very nice, give nice things to eat and pats and strokes :mad:

Tonight i'm going back up to yard again, see if the cowbag will behave today. This morning my friend who checks on her in mornings, said that she came up to her, allowed friend to put headcollar on, then was left for a bit, then allowed friend to come up again and put her on leadrope, be led to gate then let go again, she got treats for everything she did right. Forgot to say that said friend also tried to catch her yesterday with no luck, so at least i know that mare doesnt just dislike me, she just doesnt want to be caught, by anyone.
So hopefully she will behave tonight.
Unfortunately, because i didn't ride yesterday means that i will have to ride today, but wont do a lot and will make sure i give her a nice groom and loads of nice food before she gets turned out.
Wish me luck!
 
Update: Cowbag was either sorry for how she behaved or was just really uncomfortable after being sweaty yesterday, so i turned up with her already glued to the gate, we had to push her for her to get off the gate. I didn't need bucket, just a treat in my hand and she didn't move away or anything, walked in nicely.
I'm still looking for a roundpen though :)
 
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