Pony is being a tw@t to catch - need help before I lose it!

[fine_and_dandy]

My pony went through a phase a few months back of being an absolute @rse to catch. Only my friend and I were able to get him and it involved herding him into a small area and approaching him slowly and calmly before catching him. Our yard has recently been taken over and YO can't catch him at all. I have someone who rides him (or is supposed to but because of pony, can't) twice a week and it's also getting to the point where I am about to advertise him.

Last night was by far the worst, no one could get him and then I couldn't. We began join up in the field which was working but by that time it was pitch black and I couldn't see him anymore (he is black). It took every ounce of my composure to not throw the carrot at his @rse in frustration.

If anyone has any tips, please let me know. It's like he thinks it is a game or something - or that he knows he will be advertised and so doesn't want to be ridden.

PULLING MY HAIR OUT!!

 

[HBII]

Act like you dont want to catch him, go in the field and admire a tree or patch of grass, play along he may soon become too nosey.

My mare can be a trout to catch or not as the case may be, only be making her jealous [feeding other horses/patting other horses] / inquisitve can I get near her

.

Hb

 

[fine_and_dandy]

Doesn't work with him. He isn;t food orientated and so won't come to a bucket, he doesn't care if you give others attention, and if you stare at anything else he thinks something is wrong with you and buggers off snorting.

I've been thinking of fencing off a small area in the field but know in all probability it will be fruitless as he will just jump the fencing. He's a 12.2 and can jump a 5 bar gate if he decides he doesne't want to do something

 

[Libbyn1982]

I agree with the making him jelous/playing on his nosey side! Take some sweeties in and put your back to him,he'll wonder what your doing and hopefully come over to see.

Doesn't always work though, I had a pony who would never ever come in unless I emptied the whole field unless is was winter and he was very hungry then he'd occasionally come over to a bucket - but so did all the others!!!!

 

[Scribbles]

Can you bring all the others in, often they don't like being seperated and will follow the others up the yard (and then we'd close the gate so he was stuck in the yard) or will allow you to catch them

 

[M_G]

this is going to sound very pirelli but it worked for me and the new lad..

Make sure you have all day if necc do not leave till you have caught him..

you need to be very patient and just keep moving them on when they stop untill you decide they can stand at this point they should turn in towards you and practically beg to be caugh if they refuse to come to you make him trot on..

when my lad refused to be caught I made him trot round the field for nearly an hour before he decided it was a good idea to put his head in the headcollar & the time came down each day to where it was a 1/2 circit of trot and now he comes to the call.

Good luck and please dont loose your cool

 

[Cop-Pop]

How close can you get to him? My little pony can also be a b*tch to catch

I have two ways to catch her - get close to her back end (she doesn't kick) and pick up her back foot then when thats in the air reach and hold the front leg, drop the back leg and immediatly pick the front leg up. While holding the front leg put rope over neck.
The other method I use is to make a lassoo with the lunge whip and sort of drape it over her neck. Don't do this with a pony that's likely to take off though - I only do it with Cop because as soon as she's caught she stands still

 

[vennessa]

We have a new one that is hard to catch.
I do as HBII to start with. We have 22 in a herd. I go round them all checking them over and giveing them cuddles. She watches and is getting to the point where she will come to me.
If i am checking the others and she trots around i totally ignore her as though she is not there and carry on doing other things. I am lucky in that just doing that works with her. It is important to just go and spend time cuddling/strokeing/scratching them without even attempting to catch them. They then don't just associate your presence with being caught but with something nice for them. We will also catch her, feed her and put her back in the field.
With some others that have been harder we do the same but if when aproached they trot off i give the command trot as soon as i think they are going to do it. If they are about to break into canter i say canter. A bit like loose schooling. It can take time at first and be exhausting walking around the field. You soon learn to cut corners to keep up. Each pace they do must be in there mind a command from you. When they go down a pace speak it. If about to trot ask for trot . You can then come to the point of asking for walk and stand where you can aproach.
The horse is not then running from you but you are asking for what he is doing.
They soon learn 'running' away does not work. Don't forget to give praise when they do each pace when you ask for it. They slowly do it less and less until you can ask for stand and catch them. You are still the boss in the horses eye and he is doing as asked - or so he thinks!
Don't get angry. I know its hard. Take deep breaths and keep your breathing slow. Getting irate will push the horse on. Staying calm with slow breathing has a calming effect. You must also give yourself time. Haveing little time and rushing does not help.
I do know it is hard and tireing but it works in the end.

By the way cornering can lead to accidents and injury to people and horse. I must admit i have done it in the past but it is not a long term fix and they soon learn not to be cornered.

 

[fine_and_dandy]

Tried the parelli esq stuff - its similar to the join up thing we do. He just does not care and will quiye happily run around for hours. he isn;t bothered by separation either. You can't get near him to pick his feet up either. He stands just out of reach.

In the evenings I can't get up any earlier and with the light fading if I can't see him I can't catch him. He is also afraid of torches so I can't use one of those to help.

 

[fine_and_dandy]

I will try the "schooling" thing, I hadn't thought of that, brilliant!! He is good with voice commands so will keep trying that one.

Thank you!

 

[Angua2]

I have the same problem, unfortunatly being in a 25 acre field doesn't help my situation.

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

I find sitting down in the field is irresistable for horses, they have to come and see why you have disappeared and a strange shaped creature has taken your place.

Also the sending away/schooling thing does work pretty well all the times Ive tried it. But not so easy in massive field.

Bringing the others in works very well too

 

[nmaddock]

i agree with M_G , my little pony is 12.2 too and after 1hr 30 mins he had enough and stood still for me to catch him, if you do decide to do this make sure you dont give up half way through else it will teach him you have no will power and will just make things worse for you