No idea what to do anymore!

What I've always found to work is to fence off an area near the gate (or wherever really) with electric tape and round/chase them into it, you then have a much smaller area to work in, and be able to catch her. Plus i always reward with food and lots of praise so its a good place for them to be, mine have never taken too long to get the message of its good to be caught :D.
 
Probably not very PC but it's what I've done in the past to catch naughty horses..

First put them on their own in a smallish paddock or separate a corner of a big field with tape and put them in there.
Second of they won't be caught I
chase them around, this is where you need a smallish paddock! Not very PC like I said but I literally don't allow them any peace to graze or whatever I just keep chasing them. It's quite amazing how quick they come over once you stop! It's like reverse psychology :p. When they do come to me then they get a treat and lots of hugs and kisses and well dones :).
 
Sounds like you have a bright girl on your hands!!

I would go with all the people who do the chasing thing .... actually, I think it is much more like a Monty Roberts/Intelligent Horsemanship Join Up game. Really, watch their videos and practice in the school before doing in the field.

The huge advantage of this is they come in really listening to you and ready to work, so the time it takes to catch isn't wasted time at all!!

But you must carry on doing it until they start to chew and they follow you. Suggest you practice 'join up' in the school before in the field.

PS I do it when there other horses in the field, all your body language has to be very pointed about the horse you want to catch.

Finally, glad I am not the only person who does this!!
 
No help because my two canter to the gate as soon as they hear me coming (usually because they know i have food :o) but i do find, the more i push them away when i need to do something, like rifling around in my tack box, the more they want to be 'with me'. Fat pony also like running away, but the moment i send him away or start fiddling with something with my back to him he cant handle it and has to come and tug on my elbow as if to say ''ahem..im here now..cuddles please'.
 
mine was an evil cow to catch and regulary f-ed off in 25 acres taking several other horses with her ...........


i eventually realised chasing her then when she stopped - crouching down and just slowly edging towards her and then if she ran i chased (yes i was knackered......!!!) but eventually she gave up!

took about a month then eventually she realised i was in charge and do not take the mick!!! she also tried it again when i moved yards.... but then i moved again into her own paddock....and shes fine now shes on her own!!!

so either the above... or own paddock!! im loathe to ask her to share a paddock again as shes fab on her own :)
 
You say that her old owner used to let her bring herself in which makes me wonder if it's really the bringing in that's the problem or some part of the catching routine. Would it be possible to do a safe walkway from her field to the stable & see if she'll come in with no headcollar or formal catching? I know one that isn't happy to be caught until he's at the gate - he'll usually come to call & if that doesn't work a pat will have him walking to the gate with the handler, but he can get quite stroppy if the headcollar is put on in the field. Maybe something as simple as that would make a difference? If she can't be allowed loose to the yard then maybe you could create a small area near the gate for her to go into of her own accord & catch her from there?
 
I had a mare exactly like that. In the end I got hold of a long length of electric tape - enough to cover the width of the field and a bit extra, then tied one end to a post as close to her as possible and put a few elec stakes in - just enough so it couldn't get slack, to cover about half the width of the field then held the tape taught at the other end and then walked around the edge of the field so I was trapping her into a smaller and smaller area. Once into a smaller area I then took out the fence stakes so i could move in even closer on her until she was boxed into an area the size of a postage stamp. Easy solution and you can shoo out the other horses easy enough. Works every time and after a few times you may even find that she will admit defeat and allow you to catch her before being penned in! Quick and easy solution and means you don't have to wear yourself out chasing her! Not can she escape as long as she respects electric tape!
 
we had one we couldnt get near after some "nice person" chased him round his field with a stolen van! Only thing that worked was Monty Roberts join up, hes still easy to catch. It would be worth getting a proffessional to show you how, if you need more info go to the intelligent horsemanship site. It really does work. I dont like parelli but after watching demos by him and Monty Roberts thats just my oppinion.
 
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