Catching problems

[NickiW]

I have just moved my daughter's pony to a new yard and it's as though she has lost all her trust in us.:( She wont come over to us, even with food. Before the move, she only had to hear her name or see us approaching and she would come straight over.

How do I begin to regain her trust and bond with us? My daughter didn't always ride her after we had called her over, quite often we would just give her a groom or a cuddle and then let her go again. Now she won't even come near.

Love Nicki xx

[holiday]

Shel probually settle once she knows the surroundings it would be prob a big thing moving can you put her in a smaller paddock for the time being until she gets sorted? Make sure she isnt turned out with anything that doesnt catch. Just keep catching her as usual and give her a treat or something nice shel get there!!!

[Yann]

Any move is likely to be unsettling, it might just be a case of giving her a bit of time to get used to things. Is it that she won't be caught, or simply that she doesn't come to you any more?

How does the turnout differ to where you were before? Are there more horses? Is the grazing bigger and better? She might just be insecure and more interested in staying with her new horsey friends than coming to you, I would guess this will improve as she settles in.

[Tuff_up]

she may need some time to settle in and if there are other horses she may want to stay with them. but after a while and she still doesn't come to you and walks away from the halter when you come to see her you can try this. when she turns around to walk away from you send her away tell her fine go run around and give her some work. soon she'll find out that you want her to go away and do work so whats better working for hours or comming to you and getting a brush and a cuddle. When she does come to you (it will be kinda like a short join up) look where the girth should be and that will make her stop and turn to you. Don't look at her face ( horses don't like that) and go and halter her up. after that i would give her a scratch at the withers (favourite spot on most horses) and a small treat. my friend has a horse that is the same way he doesn't care how much food you're offering him he will not come to you so i used this method and caught him everyone was impressed including the owner who had him before my friend did i think he had problems catching him too. i also used this on my really skittish filly/mare when i had just started her. now i don't need to use the method because she knows if she doesn't come to me i will make her work.