HOLCHE
Well-Known Member
I'm having problems catching my horse. She will come to me but as soon as I try to put her headcollar on she puts her head up and takes off. Any suggestions?
Problems catching horse
- Thread starter HOLCHE
- Start date
HollyWoozle
Well-Known Member
Occasionally my retired horse has tried this and I just put the lead rein around her neck as soon as she approaches me (that sounds awful but I just mean loosely and I can let go to release it at any time) and then put the headcollar on. This is usually enough to make her realise she can't get away that easily so she doesn't even try.
Twizzel
Well-Known Member
My old share horse did this, was so frustrating! Try putting the rope around their neck before putting the headcollar on, or that fails like it did with me, turnout with a headcollar (not my decision but her owner's!)... you couldn't physically catch the horse if she was turned out with no headcollar on, food or no food!!
Morgan123
Well-Known Member
You need to address why she's doing it. My horse used to be horrific but now follows me around neighing at me, and nudges his own head into the headcollar! So if u work at it it will improve.my horse was associating the headcollar with work, horrible things in the yard etc. You need to change how she feels about it. I just spent a while just going up for him with the headcollar in my hand, giving him a treat then walking away. Next you can just spend a few days going up, moving the headcollar around as u give a treat. Then stroke the horse with it; they associate it with being stroked. It gets slowly better and better but u hv to hv patience.
My friend took on a difficult horse that reared as you tried to put the headcollar on, did all this and horse walks up to her now.
You do need to keep addressing the cause tho, if it's cos your horse hates schooling and that's all that happens when it gets caught, you need to change that!
Good luck!!
My friend took on a difficult horse that reared as you tried to put the headcollar on, did all this and horse walks up to her now.
You do need to keep addressing the cause tho, if it's cos your horse hates schooling and that's all that happens when it gets caught, you need to change that!
Good luck!!
Carsmore
Well-Known Member
One of mine did that the other night (this is a brood mare who only comes in for a net of hayledge and her tea!) I left the b**ger out. She was out in a field with a round bale in a feeder with the sheep. Funnily enough the following day she was perfect to catch! Some of you might think this is terrible, but Ive got better things to do than trudge after a pony for hours on end in the snow!
Dubsie
Well-Known Member
We had this problem with a pony, and what we did, as suggested on here and as Morgan123 says, was to catch pony, groom or feed treats or just scratch her neck even, something nice anyway - then let her go. I just started doing this 2-3 x a day and after about 4 days she was coming over to be caught, and looking totally baffled once let go again.
Worried1
Well-Known Member
We have a livery who is tricky!
We leave a headcollar on with a short piece of rope attatched to the headcollar - it's one of the snapable headcollars from cotage craft which is designed to release under pressure. That way we can nab him and get a leadrope on before he tries to make sift exit!
We leave a headcollar on with a short piece of rope attatched to the headcollar - it's one of the snapable headcollars from cotage craft which is designed to release under pressure. That way we can nab him and get a leadrope on before he tries to make sift exit!