Catching in field

[dancing lucy]

We have had this mare for about 4 months she is great in every way but we cant catch her in field unless all other horses have been brought in (about 14 altogether) its a massive field up and down hill so daughter and I spend ages running after her and usually end up going back late on when others all in but now they are out for the summer in another field and she thinks its heaven cos others are brought in at different times of the day to be fed, checked or ridden and there is always other horses there when I go for her. I casually walk up and offer mints etc but as soon as she spots me she is off runs a few yards I follow and same again yesterday another owner was there putting hers back out and she walked up to mine and grabbed headcollar mare wasnt expecting her to do this so we managed to get her but I am sure she will be wise to this now and will run from other lady. Once caught she had lead rein on and walks nicely in but dont fancy spending summer chasing her to check each night or if I want to ride any ideas pleaseeee!!!

[eml]

Sorry no constructive advice in your situation.

I have couple that are the same, perfectly catchable on their own or with a companion and untouchable in a big herd.

Any chance of a smaller paddock with just one other horse?

[Tre]

i have a pony like that, i tend to have to bring all the other horses in and just let her into her stable, but sometimes i just walk up to her & she runs away so i just turn my back on her & stand there, sometimes it works & she gets curious & has to come & be nosey lol other times i end up stood there like a prat in the middle of a field, other times ive just walked up to her & once she has legged it i just sit down, that works too sometimes but apart from that i dont have any other suggestions for you, when & if you do ever manage to catch her or when she lets you catch her should i say, reward her with carrots or mints or something but dont reward her if you have to chase her.

good luck :)

[shikras mum]

with my filly i just used to stand at gate with a big carrot, the biggest fattest i could find. eventually she would come for a nibble i'd let her have a nibble and back off, then offer again. then she'd get brave and go to take the whole thing, as soon as her teeth were firmly locked on the carrot i'd quickly clip the lead rope on

i'd take her back to the stable and give her a small feed, then take her back to the field, then i'd go back an hour later and do the same thing again

eventually she associated being caught with getting a feed and would be straight over to the gate waiting to come in as soon as she saw me


I'm sure you'll get lots more advice but good luck with it

[*Sez*]

Depending on the number of horses in the herd what I do might work for you.

My TB is generally very easy to catch. He's in a 16 acre field with a mare and two colts. I've always been so pleased that he is so easy because I'm disabled and physically can't get all the way down the field to catch him, much less follow him around if he gets evasive. He's fed all year round, so if the yard owner hasn't fed him before I get there, he comes straight to the gate as soon as he hears my car pull up. He also responds to his name and to whistling.

If, for whatever reason, he doesn't want to come in (usually because the YO has fed him), I've found the best way to get him in is to stand at the top of the field, behind the fence, with some pellets in a hard plastic bucket. He is fed Calm & Condition, so I normally measure out the pellets and pop them in the bucket, then stand by the fence and give the bucket a good shake. Because C&C is fed soaked, I have to put the bucket out of harms way before they get to me to keep their noses out of it! It later gets soaked, mixed with everything else and covered for the following day.

Once they are at the fence line, I can pop into the field and catch my lad. Obviously, if it is a particularly large group, or anyone in the group gets agressive at feed times, tempting them all over with feed and then not delivering would cause more problems than it would solve. Never ever take feed into the field - I once saw a young livery badly injured when she took a bucket of feed into the field to tempt her horse, only to have six of them rush at her and fight over the bucket. The poor kid ended up being kicked several times before the people I was with managed to get to her.

[learningcurve]

Just a thought but do you ever do any poo picking in field as a lot of horses can't seem to resist coming over to check wheelbarrow out and where one goes others usually follow.
Then if your mare came over you could just make a fuss of her but not catch her,if this worked you might then be able to walk up to her to make a fuss without catching her.Eventually progressing to fuss then catch.
I try to go into field every day to just to fuss mine with no thought of catching.
Did previous owner have trouble catching her,if not she could still be settling in.
I would also reward with food when caught,in bucket outside of gate.
I used to own a horse that was difficult to catch in a herd, but as others have said fine when kept alone.
Good luck.