catching nightmare

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cat1

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Dec 4, 2001
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Hi,
I'm new here today and hope that all you horsey people could help me with some advice on my 6 year old mare, Megan. Ever since i've had her she won't let anyone including myself, catch her. She has to be out-witted into a catching pen and then caught. Shes never nasty, just very annoying! I have tried everything. I even tried to contact Richard Maxwell and Kelly Marks. An assistant to Kelly Marks, got back to me and suggested a couple of things including buying her new book that specialises on this subject. I really think my mare is beyond the help of a book and need more of a hands-on approach.
Can anyone help me in my quest for a catchable horse?

Yours begging!
Catherine
 
Is there an area you can turn your mare out on her own? If there is chuck her out there for half hour or so then go and sit in the middle of the field and read a book or something - sooner or later your mare will become interested and come over to you herself. Every time sh does give her a small treat then ignore her!! Sooner or later she will realise that you being in her field is not such a bad idea. Gradually build it up with her and slowly try adn atempt putting on her head coller. Once on don't bring her in straight away let her go off again - slowly but slowly you should get her thinking that every time you go out there your not bringing her in to ride or stable her!!!

It should help build more of a trust between the two of you as well. Sooner or later she will be happily to follow you in herself!!

Well that is the plan anyway

Good luck

:)

Oh and think your self lucky - I had a 12.2 welsh A that used to rear up and lunge at me then try adn turn to kick me every time I went to get him!!!!!!!!!!
 
Hi Gemma,
Thanks for your reply.
Megan is currently in a field on her own. She gets even worse if put in with others. I have discovered that if I crouch down, she responds by coming near me, if stood upright, she stands about ten feet away and won't come no closer. Its like she wants too, but theres something in her mind that stops her.
I've just come back from my lunch. We have our lunch together! She was really loving today and definately seems to appreciate the food bucket. Without fail, she comes straight up. I'm not a big fan of bribary, but I think i'll have to settle with it.
I am also now going to move her into a new yard and stable her overnight. Shes never been in a stable for this period of time but I think it will benefit us both as we will have to have more contact. Do you think this is a good idea? I've spoken to my partner but hes not very horsey.

Thanks
Catherine
 
Mind Games

At the Barn where I work I have to Bring in horses that would really rather not come in. We turn out in small groups of up to five. I have developed a few tricks over the years for catching those uncatchable horses. I have found that horses like a good game of tag and chasing them is always fruitless. Though I had fun trying for the first year or so.
One horse that we have is particularly attached to one other mare that she goes out with. When i want to bring her in I catch her pasture buudy instead and lead that horse over to another horse in the field. This causes the horse I intended to catch to follow. If that doesn't work I don't give second chances. I bring in all the horses and leave her outside by herself. THis changes her mind quickly and she is more than willing to be caught. If your horse is out by her self I sometimes try tricks like crouching down like you did. If this dosen't work i go get the grain. you may say that you don't want to resort to bribery but if you can catch the horse one day and then make the horse step towards you one step the next day your on your way to conditioning a response using the treat as ae enforces that you can later wean away. Good luck!
 
Hi,
Despite Megan's catching problem, I think the world of her and am definately going to stick with it. I'm not sure who'll get fed up first, her or me!
Thanks again for replying.
Heres hoping!
Catherine
 
Do join up games with her walk towards her with shoulders hunched - turned slightly away from her - if she walks away stop, keep your posture down & in, then start moving towards her when she stands still and again if she walks off stop. do this until you can get close and once she totally accepts this then start to touch her when you're near her. Mistake most people make is to try the sudden grab when you're close which just scares them so keep your movements calm and controlled - and speak to her in a soft voice all the time too.
If you have the patience and keep at it you will be able to catch her eventually - there is no quick fix. This might take weeks.

Only to add that when you do start to catch her, just pet her and make a fuss then turn her back out straight away.

Do this a couple of times and then do different things - lead her in , groom her & let out again or just bring her in and feed her - make it pleasant - If she knows that every time you catch her she's got to work she'll be even more reluctant.

If you make being with you a nice pleasant easy option then your horse will want the pleasure of your company!

Good luck and keep us posted with your progress
 
Hi There,

Have you tried turning her out in a turnout headcollar, the sort you can leave on as it has rubber rings that will 'give' in an emergency or if she gets caught up. My pony can be difficult to catch, but with the headcollar on, it is just enough to allow you to catch hold & put a proper one on to lead her with. It may be worth a try.

Doris
 
The best method I've had experience of is 'walking them down'. Put a whole day aside, go early in the morning and just keep trying, on approach don't look straight at her, turn your inside shoulder slightly away and keep talking in a nice tone, when she pees off, follow, and keep following. If she's on her own you could have a little bucket of food, to encourage her to be caught. But just keep going, it can take hours, don't loose your temper, just keep plodding on. When you do catch her, put the head collar on, give her a treat and lots of praise, then turn her loose and walk away. Give her half an hour and do the same.

I know its frustrating, my old mare was dreadful to catch, and because I worked full time and had a part time job my horsey time was limited. and I had to abandon catching her on more than one occasion, which just added fuel to her fire.

My friend (who I loaned her from) and I joined forces and did as I've described, when one had to go the other took over, it took alot of time, unbelievable patience and miles of walking. But it worked, eventually she realised that she was going to be caught, come hell or high water. In the end she actually approached us on some occasions, but at worst just walked off a couple times then said 'ok if I must'.

Good luck

Lesley
 
I agree with Lesley, the walking down approach really does work but you need to be absolutely determined, and NOT give up till you get to hands on. It also helps if you stop and look inoffensive each time she stops, so in fact you are rewarding her for stopping by stopping harassing her. DO NOT let her graze or drink. You can incorporate a clicker into this, clicking each time she stands still, even if she doesn't know about clicks, she will soon learn. And reward, reward, reward - sadly, horses rarely come to us for the pleasure of our company, unless that company meens FOOD!
 
Get the Kelly Marks, Monty Roberts, Michael Peace, Parelli books from the library and read them, You will soon learn to recognise what the horse is telling you from her body language and what you may be telling her (without knowing it) with yours. ONce you can read the horse you can take appropriate action.

My little chap used to be a nightmare, he had been hunted down each time he was caught. By using body language and reading his it takes me 10 minutes on a bad day where it used to take an hour or so to get hold og him. Sensetive horses need to be read and not forced into anything.
 
I have found through my time spent with hard to catch horses, that obviously chasing is an ineffective method. Bribery may work, but carries it's own risks. (I personally have been kicked in the head because somebody else carried food into the pasture and have had a friend need knee surgery for forgetting a treat once).

The method I use is working the horse to voice commands in the round pen. I make sure the horse will stop for a gentle "whoa" and let me approach. Continue practicing this over and over. Once you are successful in the pen, move out to the pasture. Start with just your horse in the pasture as you don't want the herd instinct to kick in. Approach your horse's shoulder (don't come up directly in front or behind the horse)...You should be able to find the edge of your horses "comfort zone", I think you said your's was 10 feet. Walk to this limit and stop (if the horse moves on, you have gone too far). Make sure the horse is comfortable with you here and then take one step forward...If the horse darts off, you'll have to start over, but if the horse takes a simple step away from you (the most common response that I have seen), stop and say "whoa".

Eventually, the horse's "comfort zone" will get smaller, thus allowing you to get closer. Once you are within reach of the horse, things become tricky. It is tempting to reach out and grab the horse, but this will cause you to have to start over. Rather you should extend the back of your hand to the horse and allow him to acknowledge/greet you. When the horse does this, simply reach over and give him a gentle rub on the neck and walk away. You are done for the day.

After several rounds of simply saying "hello", you should be able to progress to haltering the horse.

Good luck,
Raincld
 
I don't think "hunting down" is the same as walking down - with the latter you are using positive reinforcement. When the horse does what you want, ie, stop, she is rewarded by you stopping too, so she doesn't feel threatened as she would if you just simply give chase. I've done this with several real b*****s and the ones I'm still in touch with now come as soon as I call. They ALWAYS have a feed waiting for them in the stable as secondary reinforcement, that is important too.
 
Hi,
I'd just like to say a big thank-you to those that have replied to my thread about my 'still' uncatchable horse Megan.
I was'nt aware of any replies, thats why its taken a while.
I have got a few more ideas and once i've got ridden of this tonsilitus, I will be straight back down the field trying again. You will all hopefully beable to see the flags flying oneday when she finally gives in!
I have to chuckle to myself when its mentioned that I should walk into the field and give her a carrot and slip the headcollar over and do the buckles up. What happened to the ten foot barrier that she is so insistent on putting up between us?!
I'll keep an eager eye on my thread in future.
Happy new year to all you horsey people.
Cat
 
Hi Just another suggestion to add to the many!

Have a read of a book called Considering the HOrse - Tales of problems solved and Lessons learned by Mark Rashid. Mark MSP lent it to me and it is brilliant - I can identify with sooo mych of the book it is untrue.

You may get some ideas from that - I know my pony has improved greatly over the last 2 weeks with a mounting problem and now it is only seldom that we have a problem!

Nicola
 
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