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Update- New project pony!!

933 views 4 replies 3 participants last post by  SarahRicoh 
#1 ·
Well some of you probably read my other thread about project horse rearing.
I went to see the 'said' horse today and it turns out he never reared... The novice guy went to get on, didnt get on properly and spooked him and he trotted off and novice guy just fell off. Seems once your on he's fine just learnt to get away with it or been spooked.

Anyways, he's a beautiful horse and my heart went out to him. He's just been left in a field with no attention other than feed and he just looked utterly miserable so I am now the proud owner of a new horse :D havent got him yet but deposit is paid.

Well seems like the mounting issue is not so much a problem as the catching. They can catch him if they corner him but I dont like that and nor do they so they've just tried catching him and if he ran off they just left it because theyre not that interested in him. Theres not a nasty bone in his body he's just nervous.

So when I get him home it'l be stabled 48hrs (yard rule) then out into a smallish field where im going to work with him every day on catching.

He'll come up and sniff and eat treats but any move to touch him or catch him and he walks/trots off. I think he's partly nervous and clever!

So any ideas on catching tips would be extremely helpful! Il let you all know when he's home with me and of course il post some pictures :)
 
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#2 ·
As far as catching goes, I would just calmly follow him from one end of the field to the other. He may evade you several times, but eventually he may get to the point where he realizes that you aren't just going to give up and leave him alone. It will be less work for him to just let you catch him. It's important to be very casual though... you don't want to give him the impression that you are "chasing" or "cornering" him. You're just following him until he tolerates you being nearby.

You said that he'll visit for treats and attention... see if you can just loop a lead rope over his neck before you give him a treat. It may encourage him to stick around long enough for you to get the actual halter on, though if he does struggle, just let him go... you definitely don't want it to turn into a fight.

When he does let you halter him, be sure to go heavy on the praise... and don't necessarily do anything with him once you have caught him. Make it a habit just to go out to the field, put the halter on, give him some treats, lead him around a little and visit with him for a while, then let him be. He'll learn that it's not always a big deal to be caught, and it doesn't always mean that he's going to have to work hard.
 
#3 ·
Catching shouldn't always mean "work". Try to spend as much time as possible just hanging out with him. The first several times you catch him, give him lots of pats, praise, and let him go again. He is most likely associating being caught with not fun things... Will he be eating outside or being brought in to eat? If he will be turned out during the day, and brought back in at night for dinner, you may see this issue resolve itself.
 
#4 ·
Thats exactly what im thinking. I think once he's in a routine of being caught for a groom and some food and not always work that he'll come round. Apparently his mum is really quirky and some days is good as gold to catch, others not! Fingers crossed... Im sure we'll get around it :D
 
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