Problem catching horse....

[Halfpass]

so have had her for 4ish weeks now and she is coming on great. She has always let me catch her and the only problem i've really had is leading her once headcollar is on. So for last couple of days when I have gone up to her she has just walked away but second time I approach her she lets me put headcollar on. Today I had no intention of catching her just checking her in field before going home for the night and initially she would not let me near her, kept rushing to the side of her new best friend (who I don't aprove of

) and then walking away. Spent 20 mins or so just standing fiddling with my phone and ignoring her but gradually side stepping up to her. Eventually she let me touch her nose and rub between her eyes then walked away again. Don't think I would have got a head collar on her if I had wanted to. Annoyingly my OH does not seem to have these problems and I am wondering if she is associating me with new and scary things that I have been introducing. I don't want this to become an issue and would like to nip it in the bud beofre it does, any suggestions on how though?

 

[Clodagh]

Don't even go there!

I had a horse I couldn't get near but OH could catch him every time, drove me nuts!

Friend has got a horse she can catch about every 4-5 days but for the rest can't get near it. There is nothing more annoying is there?

If every time you go in the field you give her a treat, or just a scratch that might help. I also used to leave a headcollar on - either field safe or leather, with a bit of baler twine hanging off it to give me a fighting chance.

 

[Halfpass]

The head collar is my next plan but as she is so young I would rather not do this/ Also treats don't work as she does not understand what they are!!!

 

[spaniel]

Does she need to be in with another horse? It may help if she has no 'security' to run to?

 

[Halfpass]

Yeh unfortunatly we only have 2 (rather large) paddocks. One for mares and one for geldings. Problem with her new best bud is that she can be quite nasty. Alee loves her but she don't like Alee!! Alee has had a couple of kicks from her already and she always gets in the way when i'm trying to catch alee, ears back kicking out etc etc. She also does it when i'm alee turning out

 

[Hanz]

I would spend a few days just catching her and then giving a good groom and some treats, then put her back out. She will eventually learn to associate you with good thngs and will hopefully, eventually start coming to you.

If any of my horses run away i keep them running, or walking about the field so they will work out it would just be easier to let me catch them. I have spent2 hours chasing a horse round a field for a whole week until she got the point, but by the time she was sold she would gallop up to me when she heard my voice, good eh?

 

[Lottie7]

I've got a fieldsafe headcollar on mine which has a velcro bit that would give way if she got caught up. The velcro insert comes in two strengths. I think it's made by horseware. I tried the Aerborn one with the rubber rings but it didn't last two minutes.

It can become a frustrating habit so you are very wise to try and nip it in the bud.