Tell me the moment you thought you were losing it. Catching.

[Loughlin]

8 acre hill of a field.... horse (I cannot even speak his name) decides he's not coming in. The grass is in, and he's feckin' off. He's clipped bare. It's lashing. He's alone. Usually faultless to come to a quick rattle of a bucket. I'm not leaving him out alone and listening to the howling weather all night, worrying.

Three goes to get him down in the rain, coming to me and then whipping off. Got him off half the field, re-fenced a new 80m corridor along a fencline to overcome his fear of another side of the field, and save a saved pasture from a thrashing. There's a tree he doesn't like. Excellent for me, as I have walking pneumonia. He finally gave in and I bowled him down a bowling alley of smaller areas, but horses! OMG.

 

[Cragrat]

Well done for persevering! Our 3 did the same last month - it had been a gorgeous sunny da, and I'd let them have the afternoon naked( all clipped). Came to get them in, and they said no thanks, led particularly by the mare. After many attempts I'd run out of swear words to mutter as they hoolied past me for the umpteenth time, and left them.
The next morning the 2 boys were clearly regretting their decision, and were a bit chilly, but the mare of course was fine

 

[Dave's Mam]

Oh the sod.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I would have left him to it.

 

[smolmaus]

Important to let them make their own choices sometimes. Bit of self determination.

 

[New Forests Rock]

Another who would have left him to his own devices

 

[tda]

I too would have left him there!
Wonder if he'll do the same today....

 

[New Forests Rock]

When we turned the pink pony out with his new herd for the first time he was kitted out in a breakable leather headcollar (which of course was removed and buried by the babies within an hour) AND a Forest reflective collar so I would have a back up. Needless to say, he has marched up to me every single time, in fact if I want to walk the dogs I can't get rid of him - boomerang pony

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

When mine is playful I suddenly find that the patch of grass at my feet is exceptionally interesting. He cant help but come and investigate what I've found.

"Act like you've got 2mins and it will take all day.
Act like you've got all day and it will take 2mins"

Quote borrowed from another HHO member and my mantra for catching a playful pony. I need to make him choose to come in so there has to be something better than grass if he's going to come in with me.

If he comes to the gate he gets a few treats and a pat. As we walk in we'll play his favourite game (literally just walking next to me, stopping when I stop, slowing when I slow, paying attention and being told he is a good boy)

 

[Loughlin]

I would have left him to it.

I know. I'm weak. He's on his own until next week, and I'm a bit over protective.

 

[Loughlin]

Important to let them make their own choices sometimes. Bit of self determination.

He's determined, I'm a dimwit!

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

He's determined, I'm a dimwit!

He's trained you well

 

[HaplessHorse]

Whenever Erin doesn’t want to be caught I just do groundwork at liberty with her until she goes “hang on a minute, I’m working now. Well, I’m at liberty so I can just stand still and stop… HA! Wait, why do I now have a headcollar on?”

 

[smolmaus]

Whenever Erin doesn’t want to be caught I just do groundwork at liberty with her until she goes “hang on a minute, I’m working now. Well, I’m at liberty so I can just stand still and stop… HA! Wait, why do I now have a headcollar on?”

I do something similar lol if she starts to trot off on me, I ask for a trot away then click well done and she stops for a treat and bingo bango horse caught and no hard feelings about it either work smarter not harder

 

[Cinnamontoast]

When mine is playful I suddenly find that the patch of grass at my feet is exceptionally interesting. He cant help but come and investigate what I've found.

"Act like you've got 2mins and it will take all day.
Act like you've got all day and it will take 2mins"

Quote borrowed from another HHO member and my mantra for catching a playful pony. I need to make him choose to come in so there has to be something better than grass if he's going to come in with me.

If he comes to the gate he gets a few treats and a pat. As we walk in we'll play his favourite game (literally just walking next to me, stopping when I stop, slowing when I slow, paying attention and being told he is a good boy)

I think I heard that from Monty Roberts back in the day.

I had a warmblood on loan many years ago. He was appalling to catch, even if you his headcollar on, tiny bit of lead rope left on, he’d rip away. He was always last in the field, drove me mad.

Beau wasn’t great the first 2 weeks, so I’d sit in the field and ignore him, hoping he’d come up to say hello. No chance! Once we moved yards, he was fabulous and ultimately, he came to call, but only for me and his best mate’s owner because they used to get caught in together. My OH called him ‘your big dog’.