Tips for catching cheeky ponies

I have a pony that can be like this. In the end I managed to section him off in the field and just made the area smaller and smaller over the day. The next day I went and he practically stood there waiting for me to catch him as he had nothing to eat! Now he never goes out without a headcollar on. If is possible because the grass is poking through he doesn't want to come in now. When you do catch him, almost ignore him whilst you're dealing with them. Don't over fuss or reprimand. I find with the experienced 'non catchers' they are waiting for some sort of response from you good or bad, and respond much better to one small pat and a quiet good boy then get on with grooming whatever you wanted to do :)
 
We use rope head collars here for catching. I found a video on YouTube which showed the owner using one. She held on to the long end (that goes over the poll) with two fingers of the right hand and the rest of the collar scrunched up in the palm of the same hand.

As she stroked the horse's head with that hand, she let the collar drop over the top of the horse's head, then reached in under the neck with the left hand, so the horse was immediately secured -- then tied the head collar on as usual.

I now use that method and most horses never know whether they are getting a scratch or being caught. It just seems a better way, especially with youngsters.

I've looked, but can't find the video again!
 
Sounds like OP can't even get close enough to touch the pony let alone trick it into thinking it is getting a scratch rather than a rope round neck or even to give it a treat. Sounds like tiring him out using the chase away or herd in method or limiting the space he is in gradually so he gets bored/hungry would have a better chance. Would love to hear that she has had success today!
 
We had a pony who was horrendous for this - he knew every trick in the book and even electric tape wouldn't stop him bolting past you. In the end the only thing that worked (every single time) was sending our 6 year old little girl in to catch him - he walked straight up to her, stood like an angel while she threw a lead rope round his neck and then I walked up and put headcollar on. Seemed he just didn't mind being caught by a little person! Good luck ;-)
 
Billabongchick said:
Sounds like OP can't even get close enough to touch the pony let alone trick it into thinking it is getting a scratch rather than a rope round neck or even to give it a treat. Sounds like tiring him out using the chase away or herd in method or limiting the space he is in gradually so he gets bored/hungry would have a better chance. Would love to hear that she has had success today!
Click to expand...

The OP clearly states, "....he will eventually walk up to me for a stroke but runs off when try to headcollar...." She goes on to ask for any tips.

So conventional head collaring doesn't work. I simply suggested an alternative which works for me.

So what, bbc, is wrong with that?:confused:
 
Both of the mares I have had recently have had times where they have been impossible to catch :rolleyes: with one of them, if she was having a 'moment' I had to either bribe with food or make her work, keep sending her away from me, make her change direction etc so I was winning and eventually she would run out of energy and let me go up to her (we knew she was awkward to catch so she already had a headcollar on! this was just trying to get near her with a leadrope!) Sometimes I also had to walk BACKWARDS up to her so there was absolutely NO eye contact
My other one wasn't so food orientated and had way too much stamina SO I had to.......
1) Leave her until nothing else is out, she was left entirely alone
2) NOT go in with a headcollar, sounds funny BUT scrunch a leadrope inside your hand have an apple/carrot/whatever in the other hand, feed with one hand, scratch/pat neck, leadrope over the neck and then lead with just the leadrope looped over the neck until you get to the gate where you would have left the headcollar! :-) worked for us!
Good luck!
 
Thanks for all extra replies everyone, he is still out :o But I am the one playing hard to get now. Walk about the field in zig zags with an intriguing rattly bucket, he has come over to me, have given a stroke and walked away.
Today he had his nose in headcollar, and a stroke before I walked away again . He keeps looking at me agog and can't understand why I won't chase him

I am going to have to get his field made smaller with electric tape, because there is still too much space for him to run off if he wants. There isn't a blade of grass so hope he gets hungry quickly.

Can't really chase him into the yard as his field is too far away and too many open arable fields adjacent to it where I would lose him. Am sure this is how previous owners got him in though as his yard was next to the field and they would just open the gate :(
He is on his own in his field with companions next door that all come in at night, he just waves them goodbye:)

I WILL get him . . .somehow, luckily I am just as stubborn as he is
 
A pic of him taking a breather

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And my current view of him


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I have a horse that is an absolute nightmare to catch if she doesn't have a headcollar on. She will stand for a scratch, have a treat, but you go to put the head collar on...not a chance! (and I've had her 5 years and have tried pretty much everything, she's not scared, just a little git if her headcollars off, perfect to catch if it's on though :rolleyes: ) She therefore lives with a headcollar on, an old leather one (and they do snap, she's snapped a couple, but make sure they're supple and old).

What I would suggest is rather than trying to catch the horse with a headcollar, can you leave the headcollar by the side of the field and feed him treats whilst you causally slip a lead rope over his neck? Once on, you can then make a figure of 8 headcollar from the leadrop to lead him back in, or just lead him with the rope round his neck. I've found this is the only way French will let me catch her (and you still have to be sly about it ;) )

Par example:
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This day she just decided she really didn't want to come in! (the spring grass had just come through ;) )
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our little 13.2 was a nightmare to catch particularly in summer. we found take a bucket with nuts in or something that rattles almost as a bate and reward when it comes to you. also hide your headcollar and just hold a small rope this way if yours is as clever as mine it wont see a headcollar and immediately turn away.

start by standing at the gate with headcollar behind your back and shake the bucket(obvious method ha ha) if this fails proceed to walk towards the horse shaking the bucket still hiding the headcollar but with your head down in a very relaxed stance this shows you arent a predator coming to get it.

slowly edge your way forwards and if the horse looks up as if it is going to ****** off stop turn round and take a few steps back then proceed forward. once in touching reach of the pony dont just grap it let it eat for a second then just get the rope round its neck and so on...

i would say always leave yourself half an hour at least ha ha;) or if it suits you can play tig as its abit of fun:p
 
Dry Rot, missed that bit in original post and we're all trying to help; just got the impression that he was hightailing it off as soon as OP within touching distance although sounds like progress has been made today!

The reason my ex's hunter was so bad was because they lived on their own property and his brother just opened the gates for him and the pony to let themselves into their stables every night. This was fine until an unforeseen set of circumstances meant that I had to move him to my friends field as they were unable to care for him and I lived out of area. As he was out of his normal routine he played up as was simply not used to being caught in with headcollar and saw it as a big game. I think there was a thread on here a while ago asking who leads in and who just gate opens/herds in and lots of people seem to but I personally wouldn't as it's fine until the horse is removed from that set up or you need to get them in for a vet appointment or similar at odd timing and they decide they aren't ready to come in!
 
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