My horse is a nightmare to catch - advice desparately needed!

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Natassia

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Firstly sorry for not posting for ages then writing an essay, but I'm really desparate for help here, so upset and frustrated at the same time!
My horse has always been a bit naughty to catch, he seems to like playing games but generally he will give up if I keep walking after him - I can normally get a rope around his neck and then put the headcollar on, then he gets a treat and lots of praise. He really isn't that fussed about food so tempting him doesn't work, but I do like to reward him.

But then every so often (more recently when I've asked a friend to bring him in if I'm working late) he's really bad...to the point when this week I've had to give up (have to leave the yard by 9pm) and leave him out with the others overnight, then of course he's won. He stayed out Mon night and last night, this morning I managed to get a headcollar onto him, however this evening he wasn't having any of it, I could stroke his face but not touch the headcollar, and couldn't go to the side of him so quietly clipping the leadrope on wasn't an option. In the end myself and some others at the yard managed to herd him into the stable after taking the other horses out of the field. I know that isn't the ideal way of doing things but I couldn't leave him out another night, and I didn't want him wearing the headcollar in the field overnight.

He seemed to know he'd done something wrong after he'd gone into his stable, and was quieter than usual. I feel so guilty for getting him into the stable in this way, he wasn't stressed but obviously I would rather have caught him properly. On the other hand he's been playing a game for the last 2 days and won, and was getting worse so I had to go for the last resort. I'm so upset about it because he's been so good for the last 2 weeks and I'm trying to work out why the sudden change...however he's been like this with others for a few months now and its worked for him so I guess it was a matter of time before he tried it with me.

I am really at my wit's end and so worried about tomorrow night now, I'm sorry if this post is a bit muddled but I have a splitting headache and I'm exhausted from it and other things I have going on....I really need to sort this problem out though, so any advice really appreciated. Natassia xx
 
Hi,

Well, this seems like a tricky one and I am no expert at all.. However I suppose these are some basic questions to ask;

*Does he get worked everytime you bring him in?
*Has anything happened with being brought in, hence making him reluctant?
*How are his manners anyway (ie being handled)?
*Does he associate the work or whatever happens at the yard too hard?
*Or do you think he is in any pain whatsoever?
*How long have you had him?
*How long has he been 'bad' to catch?
*What exactly does he do when you try and catch him? (i.e walk away before you get anywhere near him, what does his body language say?

And then here are some basic things to try (they are obvious);
*Walk around and pat/treat the other horses
*Go and get him whilst leading another
*How is your body language? (i,e are you looking straight at him walking confidently?)
*Everytime you go near him, walk away and then repeat this several times.
*Do something exciting and enticing in the field to get his attention, yet ignore him and make him want to come to you to investigate!!
* I would do some groundwork with him - I recommend Richard Maxwell.


xxx
*
 
Sounds like there's something bothering him? Does he not like being in? Do you always ride him when you catch him?

My friend's horse started to do this and it turned out it was because they only ever caught him to ride him.

They started to put him out with a safety headcollar and a lead rope cut to about 6 inches. The fencing was secure and there was nothing he could get caught up on.

They made a fuss of him when he was caught, went out different times of the day particularly, at weekends and sometimes caught him, checked him over then left him out. They also changed their routine so he wasn't always ridden when caught and brought in.

If he wouldn't be caught, they just left him otherwise, it just became a game.

Not sure any of this helps but good luck.

smile.gif


Think there was an article about catching problems in some magazine recently - I'll try and find it for you.
 
Thank you both for replying. He isn't always ridden when he's caught, although he is exercised 5-6 days a week I ride him in the mornings as often as I can and the other times (about 3x a week) he is exercised when brought in. So he is not ridden every time he is caught. I've had him 18 months and the problems started after about a month of having him, at the 'testing' stage. He's worse at certain times of year, namely spring but with the weather the grass is coming through again so I guess it is similar to spring grass, that could be a factor. I am sure he isn't worked too hard and he seems to enjoy what he does, I do a mixture of schooling (polework, jumping, flatwork) and hacking with a lungeing once a week so I don't think boredom is an issue. He is happy on the yard as well and in his stable, he doesn't seem to get stressed during the night.

When I try to catch him he'll let me stroke him, talk to him etc but the second he knows I want to catch him he moves away. Normally I think my own body language is ok, but it probably has become less confident as a result of the problems I'm having, I'll definitely monitor it more closely. His body language seems to show that he knows what he wants and doesn't want - obviously he doesn't want to be caught and he is doing everything to avoid that; as he stayed out twice he got progressively worse, because he was getting what he wanted each time.

Thanks again for the advice, Natassia x
 
He has got this trick off pat now and sounds like sheer naughtiness to me. I really would turn him out in a headcollar for now (fieldsafe). Also, whats he like if you drag everything else in and leave him on his own? Most horses hate this and would rather be in with the others.
I know how frustrating this is for you. One of ours is like this and it winds you the hell up!! We often resort to lungelines and herding into a corner to get her which is such a pain.
Please don't lose heart tho, there are other factors that you enjoy with your horse and i'm sure once you work out a way to solve this you'll feel better.
Ps. Have you thought bout totally ignoring him for a few days? Make fuss of the others and literally go back to basics in the field with him ie. wait for him to follow you round etc. I know it sounds a bit natural horsemanship, but the psychology behind it really does work.
Please keep us posted. X
 
Can you bring him in for the winter. When we first got our mare she was a nightmare to catch. However when she was out during the day with her pals (and they all came in for the night) and she refused to come in. We used to leave her out on her own all night. A bit cruel but she would stand by the gate the next night.

My new boy was a nightmare to catch. So I spent time going up to him for a good scratch and then leaving him. He loves getting a scratch along his face and under is throat. Now everytime I catch him I will give him a scratch in his favourite place.

HTH
 

This will not work with every horse and can only speak from my experience.

Sending your horse away from you when you go to catch him can be effective. If he thinks you don't want him to come to you this is a form of rejection and he will not like it.
As you go to him and he starts to back off, encourage him to go away from you then walk away, just keep repeating this until his natural instinct is to come to you. It works with my stupid 4 year old anyway.

Worth a try!
 
Have you ever heard of monty roberts? Well i watched something just like your problem. And what he did is chase him away and every time he stoped he chased him away and then he let the horse stop and the horse approched him and he kept walking away then stroked him then walked away and stroked him and so on and so forth then the pony let him catch him. he called it letting the pony catch him find out more about him on www.montyroberts.com hope this helps x
smile.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]

This will not work with every horse and can only speak from my experience.

Sending your horse away from you when you go to catch him can be effective. If he thinks you don't want him to come to you this is a form of rejection and he will not like it.
As you go to him and he starts to back off, encourage him to go away from you then walk away, just keep repeating this until his natural instinct is to come to you. It works with my stupid 4 year old anyway.

Worth a try!

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes agree with this, good post. If your mare wants to move away from you, fine. Make her work. Make walking away from you much harder for her then being brought in then you effectively give her the option. i.e keep moving and running about or be brought in, It's up to her?

You need to test these theories out to see what wil work for you and your horse. I would also attempt the other sugggestions given also and make sure when you do these tasks your body language is correct for each.i.e if you are attempting to go and pat/treat the other horses, keep your eyes down and when you finally approach your mare, do it side on and not storming towards her. but if you want to send her away, make sure you are looking at her with a confident approach etc. Goodluck and let us know how you get on.xxx
 
I have mare and had her for 7 years when i first got her i couldn't catch her for 5 days and would spend hours in the field trying to catch her trying to be nice and finally thought we were over the problem then 2 weeks ago i started to ride her after i recovered from an injury and she had been off for a year after 3 days i couldn't get near her and she was not tempted by food! So the first night she had no rug 2nd night no rug and no hage 3rd night no hard feed, no rug and still no hage and the 4th night the same but with no water and guess what the next day she came in as good as gold and been coming over to me ever since she is just naughty and likes to test me but i won that battle..... She now wears her headcollar ALL the time she is not to be trusted!! I hope she understands that if she plays around when the weather really turns she will be staying out and not coming in to her lovely stable as i'm not wasting my time chasing her round a field she will soon learn as she is a tart and hates mud and rain!!
Good luck with yours.....
 
Thanks for all the replies - I'll try to reply to everything.

I think from now on he will wear a headcollar in the field all the time, he wears a fieldsafe one so I don't have to worry about him getting caught in something, I just don't want to go through this again.

I've tried the sending away technique but it doesn't really work, or hasn't worked so far. I do think I need to be more consistent with it though, and do it with confidence rather than emotion if that makes sense. I think my body language is a crucial factor here, he is very bright and also very stubborn, if he knows I have a weakness he will exploit it. However in the stable, and most of the time to ride he is a really sweet horse and we do have a good bond, although this is making me doubt it. Like I said before, I can get too emotional and take it personally when he's like this.

I'm not looking forward to tonight at all, I really don't want a repeat performance of last night but hopefully being herded in wasn't a pleasant experience for him and he'll realise its easier to just be caught. I'll go to the field when I first arrive at the yard and just see him in the field without catching him, then go muck out, then try to catch him without making a big deal of it. If he's naughty, I'll just go away and then try again later. I need to be calm and positive, but thats easier said than done! Will let you know how I get on. Natassia x
 
When my mare started the other week i took it all to heart as she was being naughty to ride and wouldn't go in her stable (well a 25 min battle!!) and couldn't catch her i got really upset then thought to myself i spend all my money on you and you have no right to take the pi$$!! I think she just needed to know that i was boss again as she had been out 24/7 in the summer and turned a little wild.
She is being great now (well for the time being) so dont give up and get upset just show him your the boss!x
 
I was wondering how you were getting on hun! My old boy was a git to catch.

I would suggest bringing him in every day to feed and groom and not always ride. Also stick a leather/field head collar on him so he's easier to catch.

I'm guessing he goes to the other horses when he's being naughty? You might need to enlist the help of a few people to stand next to the other horses in the field and then shoe him away when he gets near.

Are others kept out 247 in the winter? Can you put him in a field where he comes in with everyone else in a routine?
 
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