Virtually uncatchable pony, help help help

Elsiecat

Elsiecat

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I've got a new pony Susie (I posted pictures her, she was the New Forest mare the other day), tomorrow I've had her a week. Now I know it takes a LOT longer than a week for them to settle down, but I'm not used to a pony giving me the runaround :eek:
They all sometimes do it, if Foxy does I leave her for 10 minutes and I go back out and she's fine to catch again. But not Susie :(

Occasionally I can get her if I take Foxy out the field as she doesn't want to be left out. But the majority of the time she's running all over and if you try to catch her, she's fast to spin around so your face to face with her backside. At this point I walk away as I'm not getting kicked!!

If I bring her tea out for her, she'll come over and then edge back, like shes daring herself to come to me, then she'll slowly come over and I'll leave it a minute and try and put the leadrope on and she'll run off again :mad:

Once I've caught her she is a DREAM!!! Very polite and well mannered. Obviously she's tried her luck a little, but nothing out of the ordinary at all on the leadrope for a new pony.

Have I just got to carry on and be patient or is there something I can do to encourage her over? I think shes got pretty bad confidence issues and I'm trying to make her trust me, making a huge fuss of her and she has all the polo mints in the world. I'm trying the nice but firm and fair approach.

She's perfect in every way but to catch :mad: Help I'm really not patient :cool:
 
keep her in for a bit (once you have caught her), then turn out in a very small area, progressively extending it as she realises that you represent nice things and not just work. Then go and catch her in the field and release her straight away after a scratch and fuss...she'll get the message....


....or muzzle her:p
 
the watcher said:
keep her in for a bit (once you have caught her), then turn out in a very small area, progressively extending it as she realises that you represent nice things and not just work. Then go and catch her in the field and release her straight away after a scratch and fuss...she'll get the message....


....or muzzle her:p
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How longs 'a bit'? :D
Oooh why didn't I think about that haha :eek: I'll do her a small paddock within her and Foxy's paddock for when I next put her out (providing I catch her:rolleyes:).

I'm considering taping her back legs together, try and kick me now you b*tch :p
 
sitting in the field pretending to be part of the herd can help build trust, don't know if that may help ? A good book and a secret carrot ? ;)
 
shysmum said:
sitting in the field pretending to be part of the herd can help build trust, don't know if that may help ? A good book and a secret carrot ? ;)
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Looks like I'm having a fun day tomorrow :p
Might wait until the neighbours are at work though... :D
 
If all else fails, I have been known (if the pony is alone in the field) to use a bucket of feed laced with some ACP/ Sedalin - if the pony REALLY needs to be caught. Otherwise, deck chair and book it is.

Don't worry, you'll soon get over this stage. It's probably a trust issue. And that takes a little while to sort. x
 
shysmum said:
If all else fails, I have been known (if the pony is alone in the field) to use a bucket of feed laced with some ACP/ Sedalin - if the pony REALLY needs to be caught. Otherwise, deck chair and book it is.

Don't worry, you'll soon get over this stage. It's probably a trust issue. And that takes a little while to sort. x
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I did consider putting her on the calmer my mares on, but its so expensive that I don't really want two of them hooked on it :p

I think she's got very bad confidence issues, sometimes if Foxy comes near her she starts shrieking and shouting in that sharp pitch, even if Foxys a few metres away and just grazing in her general direction :confused:

I'm trying my best to be patient but I just want to shout PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER YOU STUPID MARE at her :rolleyes:x
 
I would give her a try on it, with a view to it being just a couple of weeks. I've never had a mare, but if she's nervy a calmer would be a great idea.

When you do have hold of her, I would stable her if you can, and then spend as much time with her as you can. I would also suggest you give her Bach Rescue Remedy (5 drops) and Bach Walnut (5 drops) twice a day in a little feed if you can - RR will calm her down, and walnut is for any change, and helping to adjust to it. I use them a lot, and they doooo help. Both from Boots.

The next suggestion is trying join - up, but loads of info out there about that !

let us know how you get on xx
 
Do you want to swap for one that says 'me, me, ME... please take ME!' while nearly trampling you as he tries to stick his head in the headcollar that you are trying to put on a different horse?
 
shysmum said:
I would give her a try on it, with a view to it being just a couple of weeks. I've never had a mare, but if she's nervy a calmer would be a great idea.

When you do have hold of her, I would stable her if you can, and then spend as much time with her as you can. I would also suggest you give her Bach Rescue Remedy (5 drops) and Bach Walnut (5 drops) twice a day in a little feed if you can - RR will calm her down, and walnut is for any change, and helping to adjust to it. I use them a lot, and they doooo help. Both from Boots.

let us know how you get on xx
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Ooooh I'm off to boots tomorrow (shall I go red, deep red or brown?:rolleyes:) I'll have a look for them!
I'm a bit skeptical about stabling her as the stables aren't going up until the next week/fortnight so I'm 'stabling' them in two large field shelters with gates at the front. They're sturdy but they look horrible. :o I'm too soft :D

I will do, don't you worry :D the other day she was PERFECT to catch and I lead them both down to the stables at the same time, and I thought YESSSS WE'VE DONE IT but then the next day Sadistic Susie reared her head again :mad:x
 
Faracat said:
Do you want to swap for one that says 'me, me, ME... please take ME!' while nearly trampling you as he tries to stick his head in the headcollar that you are trying to put on a different horse?
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Maybe they'd have a nice middle-of-the-road hybred? :D
 
Catch her, give her nice things (treats, scratches, whatever she likes) then turn her loose again. Do it five or ten times a day over a week and she should learn that you equal good things.
 
meandmyself said:
Catch her, give her nice things (treats, scratches, whatever she likes) then turn her loose again. Do it five or ten times a day over a week and she should learn that you equal good things.
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That's what I'm attempting but its just proving impossible :( Once I've caught her and made a fuss, when I go to let her go, she hangs around me, but then within an hour shes forgotten she likes me :mad:
 
GO RED !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yup, deffo try those remedies. Maybe make the paddock smaller. I'm an aromatherapist (animal) and it may be worth having a small bottle of lavender with you - could apply to your hands so they smell friendly ? Let her sniff if she wants.....can give you more info if you want it.

Yup definitely red. ;)
 
What I used to do with the uncatchable Welshie was keep her moving, if she walked off I "chased" her - if she stopped I made her walk on again (you need to be pretty stubborn with this, I had been known to walk around the field for hours!) until she decided that it was actually a lot easier for her to let me catch her.

When Olly goes through phases of not being caught I go and make a fuss of every other horse in the field, when he comes up for a fuss I ignore him and walk away - it drives him nuts and pretty soon he'll barge the other horse out the way and stick to me like glue!


And I agree, deep red!
 
fortunately Shy doesn't sport shoes, or I'd be in trouble.

God, i used that "LIVE" stuff a while back, BIG mistake, when growing out I looked evil, and nothing would cover it - so I tend to go more subtle now - Polytint Mahogony (£2 a throw) and I'm auburn and sorted. x
 
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Echo what's been said about catching for FUN stuff as much as for anything else. Having had a horse who was a cowbag to catch if you went out to get her with a headcollar at any time other than feed time but who'd I'd basically let let herself go from the field to the stable when it was dinner time (doh!) I now always catch in exactly the same manner whether for fun or work so catching is catching, whatever it's for...

When the time's right and it's naughtiness not confidence, one way I found very helpful for very naughty minx of a horse was to take a loooong length of fencing tape (and preferably another person on the other end of it!) and essentially use it as a temporary movable fence to shrink her field into a corner of the field, make it smaller and smaller until she just realised the game was up and stood and allowed herself to be caught. Wouldn't work with all horses (ie they need to respect tape but not be scared of it) or for all types of evasion but was enough just to give mine the 'you ain't getting away with it' message and was a god send.

Good luck, it is literally the most frustrating thing in the world!
 
Good luck, it is literally the most frustrating thing in the world!
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It is frustrating. My grey can be wicked about being caught, luckily if I catch her mate (the keen one), then she gives in, but I see that you've already tried this trick.

Occasionally I can get her if I take Foxy out the field as she doesn't want to be left out.
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Broke_But_Happy said:
What I used to do with the uncatchable Welshie was keep her moving, if she walked off I "chased" her - if she stopped I made her walk on again (you need to be pretty stubborn with this, I had been known to walk around the field for hours!) until she decided that it was actually a lot easier for her to let me catch her.

When Olly goes through phases of not being caught I go and make a fuss of every other horse in the field, when he comes up for a fuss I ignore him and walk away - it drives him nuts and pretty soon he'll barge the other horse out the way and stick to me like glue!


And I agree, deep red!
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If she's nervous rather than naughty this is the way to go, but only walk after her bottom, not close enough to get kicked but don't let her graze and don't try to corner her. Take a treat and stop occasionally and if she then stops and looks at you, turn away, drop your shoulders and hold out the treat. You may or may not be able to catch her at this point, if not, repeat until you can catch her.

Personally I wouldn't catch her and then keep her in as this used to make a friend's very nervous new forest pony even more determined not to be caught the next time. I'd take her into the yard, feed her, maybe even give her a brush etc and then put her back out and repeat a few times.

It does work. We had years where we couldn't catch my friend's elderly NF but once we knew about the walk after method we could always catch her although sometimes took longer than others. Lots of patience and treats required though! Good luck! :)
 
Red it is :p Man United red or a hint of red in sunlight red?

I think the first one I'm going to try is a small paddock for her and just hang around it with my lavender hands :cool:

That idea of closing in on her is good, but I think theres a chance she'd just bolt at the tape in panic, so I'm going to use that as a last resort I think :confused:

I think I've read something about chasing them until they just follow you and give up.. I'm just a bit worried about getting a kicking :o but the idea makes sense and if she gives into ME, its like she's starting to view the pecking order in perspective. Might put on full body armour and attempt it :p

Hmmm horses eh, who'd have em :rolleyes:
 
shysmum said:
sitting in the field pretending to be part of the herd can help build trust, don't know if that may help ? A good book and a secret carrot ? ;)
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I would love to know if this has actually worked ever;) I tried it once, said horse looked at me once and ignored me for two hours whilst I finished my book. I can't think of a much more vulnerable position to put yourself in to catch a horse that may kick or run than sitting down :(

If she was mine (and I managed to catch her in the first place) she'd be in the round pen (stable, small pen, whatever you have) relying on me for food for as long as it took, with a halter and long rope on. Not only would I be able to catch her and reel her in quietly, she would never panic about stepping on a dropped rope or her reins.

When she was turned back out she'd still be wearing her rope and halter until we trusted each other.

This 'uncatchable pony' dilemma really is one of the classic 'ask 12 people a question, and you will get 12 different responses' No one way is right, or wrong, if you aren't causing undue stress, it all depends on the individual circumstances, what you are working with and the facilities you have.
 
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You don't need to get right up behind them, just make her walk on - I use my voice and my arms :)

BC1 It works on both types, although the naughty ones you can be a bit more forceful with!


A hint of red in the sunlight red ;)
 
If she is just being naughty and taking the pee out of you, then take a feed to the gate, bring your other pony out of the field and let it munch. Your uncatchable one will be so put out that it will be desperate to get some grub too. But chase it off, several times. (you will need a mate to help you ) In the end it will give up and be caught. Works every time for me.!
 
Thanks for all the tips, I've got loads to go at now :D

I spent 30 minutes debating between hair dyes today in morrisons and in the end I went home :o
 
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