Sasha won't let us catch her!! Need advice

Well done OP. Bit of advance and retreat does work. We did this with a feral yearling who was pretty agressive defensive. Took about two weeks but we got there in the end :D
 
ROMANY 1959 said:
Small steps!!!! Went up to field, I walked her wouldn't let her stop for an hour then she gave in and let me walk to her head, I scratched her withers, rewarded with slice of apple left it at that... Will do same in morning... It was 100% better than yesterday.
Click to expand...

Well done.:)

I think your post got missed in the argy bargy.:D

I think the other thing that happens doing it the "walk them down" way is that you feel less frustrated which helps as well, the body language is better.
You feel less out of control.
 
I'm not trying to be a wet blanket, but an hour to catch your horse, it really isn't practicable if your horse decides she is going to play hard to get every day. Hopefully, this will be it for now, but, think about the relationship and how you can strengthen it and make you the place to be as far as your horse is concerned. Good luck.
 
I had this for 18 years with my old boy! Not all the time, just for the first 2 weeks or so when he moved to a new field (they moved pretty frequently from summer to winter grazing and from field to field depending on the grass) He clearly thought it was a game and loved it! He gallop across the field to me only to trot round me in circles and if I took one step towards him he was off! I tried everything but the only thing that worked was a bucket of food, a chair and a book. I'd put the bucket under the chair, sit on it, start reading my book and completely ignored him. Within 5 minutes he'd be so desperate for the feed that he'd practically be on my lap! Even then I had to pick my moment though or he'd be off! I'd just stroke his face first, then give him a little handful of feed, then go for the grab (he wore a leather headcollar for those first few weeks in a new field).
If you do catch her, maybe just take her out of the field, give her a feed or some treats and put her straight back for the first few times. I didn't do this with mine as it wasn't that he didn't want to be caught as such, he just loved the chase, but with one a bit less bonkers than mine I'd recommend it!
 
Pale Rider said:
For those with no idea what I'm on about, get a bicycle instead, or up your game.

Most people are an irrelevance or annoyance to their horse on the hour or so they have any real contact.

You have to ask what is important to the horse?

What can I provide that can cause the horse to want to be with me?
Click to expand...

Well if we have to be that amazing I am glad that I have a simple horse with simple wants. All he wants is to feel safe- fed and be comfortable . I dont feel under any presure to be amazing and up my game. And if my horse is happy in the field for hours on end with his friends and does not think about me during that time I am just happy he is happy. You make out that if anyone has a problem with their horse they are so awful that they should give upbut dont really suggest anything they can do.
 
Teasle, selling yourself short, sounds like you've cracked it.

You cannot tell people on a forum, do this do that. It's only idiots who do. People need to work things out for themselves and their horse.

If people want to be around horses and own horses they should at least know what makes them tick.
 
But people post and can share ideas and things that worked for them. I am so glad that experienced people on here are willing to help others and give them tips how to do things better.If someone posts asking for help and you know things that would helpwhy not share those tips .
 
Pale Rider said:
For those with no idea what I'm on about, get a bicycle instead, Encouraging words :( or up your game.

Most people are an irrelevance or annoyance to their horse on the hour or so they have any real contact. Yep. I feel that about a lot of people too :rolleyes:

You have to ask what is important to the horse? and unless someone like you, with a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips, guides those who are less fortunate and still feeling their way, how are they to know?

What can I provide that can cause the horse to want to be with me?
Click to expand...

How about a list of books that you would recommend ? :)

Books/videos etc can be helpful, but they are like Google, you ask a question and get 259 conflicting answers, confusing.
 
teasle said:
But people post and can share ideas and things that worked for them. I am so glad that experienced people on here are willing to help others and give them tips how to do things better.If someone posts asking for help and you know things that would helpwhy not share those tips .
Click to expand...

PaleRider, I agree with Teasle.
I think it's a bit snobbish of you to say basically that people who have troublesome catchers don't have a proper relationship with their horses and in essence should give up or up their game but not give helpful tips as others have. You don't know the horse's history some troublesome catchers have learnt that being caught leads to extreme hard work and/or pain (not that I'm saying this is necessarily the case for Romany's horse) so it takes time for a horse like that for example to realise that the human won't hurt it and it's ok to trust them. In that case I'd pull out every trick in the book that I could find to make them see that being with me is a nice experience not one to be avoided like the plague!

On the other hand just because a horse willingly lets itself be caught does not mean that someone has an amazing bond/relationship with the horse. My lad would let himself be caught by anyone, even people he has never set eyes on before because he's just an easy going sort.

Also bear in mind that Romany's horse has only been with them for a short while and is still probably in the settling in period... unless you have some magic trick up your sleeve you aren't sharing about how to build that bond/relationship how do you expect her to have an amazing bond/relationship with her horse already? I always was told it can take up to a year for a full bond/relationship to develop with a horse.

It just seems in this case that you are putting a fly in the ointment for no reason, if you don't have anything nice or helpful to say don't go around insulting people for no purpose - and I'm afraid that it was rather insulting :o
 
Pale Rider said:
HBM1, of course the horse/owner relationship is the problem. That's the root of all problems. Is it right that we bribe, deceive, trap and whatever else we can think of, to manipulate our horse.
You don't build trust with a carrot in one hand and a hidden head collar in the other.
Most people think they have a great relationship with their horse, but in a 20 acre field when you take the head collar off, would he rather stay with you or bog off to his mates and grass. That's the test of relationship.
Click to expand...

Well I am lucky in that all the horses in my fields are mine. They will all come over to me when I call them, actually, they come when they see me and don't need calling. But would I expect them to come out of a lush field having only just gone in, no I wouldn't. After the rubbish winter we have had they deserve some time running and munching.

This OP has only had her horse a month, so their relationship is still building and it takes time.

And as for "bribing and deceiving or manipulating our horses", don't we do that all the time in various ways. Hell, my horses have me trained on how fast I need to move to feed them, it is a two-way street. Horses are not robots and of course staying in a nice juicy field with friends is going to be a nicer option right now. The trick is to build the bond when you have them with you, but as I said, after only owning the horse a month, that takes time and doesn't make someone a bad owner or someone who should go get a bike instead.
 
Last edited:
I've got a pretty damn good relationship with my OH, but if he's down the pub with his mates he's really not bothered about running home to help me with the gardening ... ;)
 
I always imagine Pale Rider as one of those men who do displays at big horsey events where they stand on their horses backs and gallop round with no tack on and chase each other about... How delightful.
 
Pale Rider said:
HBM1, of course the horse/owner relationship is the problem. That's the root of all problems. Is it right that we bribe, deceive, trap and whatever else we can think of, to manipulate our horse.
You don't build trust with a carrot in one hand and a hidden head collar in the other.
Most people think they have a great relationship with their horse, but in a 20 acre field when you take the head collar off, would he rather stay with you or bog off to his mates and grass. That's the test of relationship.
Click to expand...

It's not about the relationship for gawd's sake, it's the grass! OP has said the horse is fine to catch every other time but one it's on spring grass after starvation rations - way hay! Take me somewhere
and Give me some good wine and chocolate and I may not want to come home for a while!
 
DR which is it 'We witty men can' hold our tongues' or 'The fol doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool' ?
 
Wow, I'm glad someone else responded to that comment, wot a pr.t! Really if you can't give some sensible advice, why bother. I certainly don't need to be put down on a forum, nor does anyone else, real life does that enough as it is!
 
Pale Rider said:
Instead of trying all the numpty things like bribery, head collars left on, or losing your cool, try developing the relationship where your horse wants to be with you.
Click to expand...

You really do have a talent for coming across as an arrogant so and so you know :)

How can you condemn anyone, or their methods, or call them numptys unless you have knowledge of them other than as a faceless author of a block of words on a forum :confused:

Heck, we all have conjured up an opinion of everyone on here, even you, we are quite possibly wrong.
 
Last edited:
Please can we all put fisticuffs Down.....
Let me clear up a few facts..

1...we have had sasha 4 weeks or thereabouts, we are establishing trust slowly.
2...she was on sand turnout at yard due to very wet fields at yard( flooded in march) lucky to have sand turnout, many don't.
3... Summer field dried out enough was harrowed and rested used first time last week.
4... We don't think sasha had much one to one as she came from a large polo yard.
5.. She is my sons (age14) so we are working on this catching in the field, I know few tricks. Can't expect my son to be as wise as me.
6...have reserved round pen to work with her Saturday with my son.
7... Not had slightest trouble with her since she came. Settled in so well.
8... She allowed me to scratch her this morning I never tried to catch.
9.... I think we are making headway, trust will come but it can't be magicked up I am not Monty Roberts!!!!

Of course some people have so much experience, I wish I could have them with me for a day to show me what to do!!
So please all you lovely people I thank you for the advice, but please don't get angry with each other, I can take opinions and critics on the chin ...lol x
 
ROMANY 1959 said:
Please can we all put fisticuffs Down.....
Let me clear up a few facts..

1...we have had sasha 4 weeks or thereabouts, we are establishing trust slowly.
2...she was on sand turnout at yard due to very wet fields at yard( flooded in march) lucky to have sand turnout, many don't.
3... Summer field dried out enough was harrowed and rested used first time last week.
4... We don't think sasha had much one to one as she came from a large polo yard.
5.. She is my sons (age14) so we are working on this catching in the field, I know few tricks. Can't expect my son to be as wise as me.
6...have reserved round pen to work with her Saturday with my son.
7... Not had slightest trouble with her since she came. Settled in so well.
8... She allowed me to scratch her this morning I never tried to catch.
9.... I think we are making headway, trust will come but it can't be magicked up I am not Monty Roberts!!!!

Of course some people have so much experience, I wish I could have them with me for a day to show me what to do!!
So please all you lovely people I thank you for the advice, but please don't get angry with each other, I can take opinions and critics on the chin ...lol x
Click to expand...

Sorry Romany I don't mean to go all knight in shining armour to the rescue it's just that the couple of times I've come across Palerider's posts he (she?) seems to have a knack of being a bit offensive/smug and I for one don't really appreciate his (her?) attitude :o
 
Romany, I have experience of a few former polo ponies who, let's just say, have not been treated very well by previous owners. What has really worked with them is a very quiet demeanour, not demanding anything of them, but just being with them, speaking very quietly then when they let you, touching them gently. Polo ponies lives can be very much "rush rush rush" with no allowance at all for individual characters, so it takes time for them to relax into a more gentle routine.

The trust comes remarkably quickly - but the best thing your son can do is spend time with her. I think in her case, chasing her around and not letting her stop may have the opposite effect than it would for a horse who is confident and has always been well handled. Trust and never losing patience with them really helps. Not saying Sasha has been treated that way in the past of course.

Edited to add that I have chased one of my mares around on occasion but she thinks it funny and I know she has a lot of confidence in me to not be being horrible to her. I just think for this little girl it may not be best.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top