when your horse refuses to be caught.....

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margaretb

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Ok, me and the Poppy are at stalemate! She is currently peeping out from behind the shed, having refused to be caught. This is the latest in her "wind up" mother routine!

She is now being lunged either every other day or every day, having got help in with her after I fell off her a month ago. We are working on the basics, voice commands etc.

So I suspect she has worked out that catching up now means work. And I refuse to chase her around the field; either way she wins!!
She is not going to beat me!!

But how the hell do I get through this!!!
 
I had a pony like that on loan for my son, I won eventually, I used to sit in the field making silly gentle ooo ahhh noises, whilst rummaging in a carrier bag, she got so nosey she would come up to me, when she did I would get up and sit a few metres away, she would persist in seeing what I had that was so good I wasn't sharing, eventually a carrot would pop out the bag to reward her and I would shuffle off again, it worked. you might feel daft at first, but they are so greedy and nosey it does pay off.
 
Although I appreciate that you obviously need to work her. It would be good if it was possible to sometime catch her, give her a treat or just groom or something and then let her go again. Then she will not associate being caught with always working.

Also, is it possible to herd her into a small paddock or somthing? If H does not want to be caught and walks or trots away from me, I tap him on the rump with the headcollar, as he shows me his 4rse, sending him away, go up to him and if he repeats I repeat, he soon gets bored at the fact he is actually working and soon just stands there like a donkey !

xx
 
Yeah I have done the carrot trick, I stood munching it making a lot of noises! My horse is such a greedy beast he couldn't resist.

Is she alone in the field? Catching all her friends will work!!!!

Make sure you always leave her with her headcollar on. Don't always catch her to work, bring her in for a tasty snack/feed and a groom then turn her out. Go wandering round the field, catching her, feeding her a titbit and then letting her go. All these ways will teach her that being caught is nice.
 
agree with above - my daft cob cannot resist an outstretched hand filled wiht anything, even grass. While hes sniffing it i throw leadrope round his neck and can then get this headcollar on.
Although i never just catch him for work all the time - sometimes i nip in for a cuddle or to groom in his field.
Ig hes beign especially stubborn i dont argue either - i leave him to it. Teh last time i did this and started walking away by the time id got half way down the late he was banging his gate quite miffed i hadnt played his game!
 
I did the same sort of thing for my boy when he refused to be caught AT ALL (sometimes he trys the old tricks again but fails lol always gives into food these days!) as UpSkyc.

I would take the head coller and rope and a few carrots, not aiming for his face but his shoulder, if he didnt let me near him at all i'd break the carrots and throw them in his direction but closer to me each throw until he followed the trail near me, munching away, then I'd just walk off and go and do something on the yard or go home (in summer) without putting the head collar on. When I did manage to get him right near me and happy with it I'd give him a big carrot and a big scratch and again walk away. As soon as he was really happy with me putting it on I'd put it on then walk him to the gate and take it off again give him a carrot and then walk off again - then finally bringing him in, feeding him or giving him treats and brushing and scratching and put him out again. Just dont get frustrated because they know! Then they dont want to come in just in case you told them off! ;)

This is from a part timer though! I have plenty of time to do this !

Good luck!
 
I agree with Andy about body language.

My gelding took 2 hours every night for 2 months. The longest it takes now is 35 mins (if on new grass). The worst thing you can do is leave the horse. I get mine to trot around me for 10 mins. I wait for his head to drop, lick his lips - this means that he's given in. When I approach him, I do so in half circles - never straight up to him. I won't look him in the eye either until he's caught. Once caught, he gets a pet.

I would be inclined to bring her in now and again for a fuss. Imagine how you feel about having to go to work first thing on a Monday - it won't be far from how she's feeling!
 
AndySpooner said:
I wouldn't work her every time I brought her in. I'd pack in voice commands till your body language is better as well.
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Interesting, thank you. Body language is not good at the mo as confidence with her has crashed since I fell off her. She has always been brilliant to catch, just these past couple of weeks she has been "awkward". The idea of lunging and working with voice commands was to start working with her regularly from scratch. I am aware that she may welcome variety and I have led her out in hand around the fields.

How do I improve the body language - I spend time with her in the field talking to her and generally being around her; she is on her own, with ewes and lambs, and has been since I have had her - some 14 months now.
 
AndySpooner said:
The horse is giving you feedback, something you are doing the horse doesn't like. To get a permanent fix you need to find out what it is.
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This too had crossed my mind.... I don't think she likes me!!

Sorry I don't mean to be flippant - I could interpret her behaviour this way - she has not been in proper work since I have owned her, my fault before I get shot down in flames. So now she is having to do something most days, rather that being left to graze and generally please herself.
 
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Have you thought about getting an instructor in ?
Mine hasnt only helped me with riding but with inhand behavioural issues such as barging and general rudeness
 
If anyone gets this far, I am considering looking for a sharer for Poppy - someone competent who can give her variety, consistency and discipline and fun. Please pm me if you know of someone.
 
ginabella said:
Have you thought about getting an instructor in ?
Mine hasnt only helped me with riding but with inhand behavioural issues such as barging and general rudeness
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I have got someone helping me, hence the increase in her work! Too much of a coincidence!
 
When my sweetitchy pony starts wandering off as I approach him I know that I've been concentrating too much on getting hold of him to bathe, spray and generally plaster him in lotions. So I remind myself to put some treats in my pocket and start going up to him in the field to give him a treat and walk away, also give him a treat and a scratch and walk away... I think it's as simple as that really Margaret, spend a bit of time over the next week or so changing her perception of being approached. As others have said, also put her headcollar on, bring her in for some sort of relaxation, then turn her out.

I do think it's easy to overdo lunging, it must be quite boring for them really. Can you think of ways to vary the groundwork? Maybe it's just time to start riding out again gently?
 
Tinypony said:
When my sweetitchy pony starts wandering off as I approach him I know that I've been concentrating too much on getting hold of him to bathe, spray and generally plaster him in lotions. So I remind myself to put some treats in my pocket and start going up to him in the field to give him a treat and walk away, also give him a treat and a scratch and walk away... I think it's as simple as that really Margaret, spend a bit of time over the next week or so changing her perception of being approached. As others have said, also put her headcollar on, bring her in for some sort of relaxation, then turn her out.

I do think it's easy to overdo lunging, it must be quite boring for them really. Can you think of ways to vary the groundwork? Maybe it's just time to start riding out again gently?
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Thank you for this, and indeed all the comments. I feel it is a bit of a catch 22 situation; I am trying to be "boss" as she can be bossy and calls the shots. Hey ho it was never going to be easy!! I have just been out to her again with some apple, no leadrope, and she has come across and taken the apple - but then moved off! Softly softly catchee monkee!!
 
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