My horse is being impossible to catch?

Question

..quite literally actually. I haven't been able to catch him in the past few days. He has usually been easy to catch, or come right up to me. The first time he was difficult to catch is when I put my new mare in his field. Since then, I have moved them both to a different facility. They are pastured together, along with 4 other horses on about 4-5 acres.

My mare is acting kind of difficult to catch as well, but I can always eventually get her.

I know several methods of catching them.. but nothing seems to been working. Any suggestions would be very much appreciated!

Answer 1

I can USUALLY catch any of mine I want to out of a field just by walking out with a halter and a handful of treats. The halter goes on BEFORE the horse gets the treat. But there are days . . . .



We have a corral and a motorcycle. When I want horses, and they don't respond to a yell of "horses!" and a rattle of a grain bucket, I go get the motorcycle and chase them into the corral. When we add something new to the herd, or the wind is blowing or they're feeling particularly good, sometimes they have to run really hard around the pasture a few times before they are looking for the gate to the corral. That's okay, the motorcycle is faster than they are, and it never gets winded!



Once I have them in the corral, I put the bike away, gather up halters and every horse is caught and tied up. I also catch them and tie them up for their daily feed in the winter, so catching is usually a matter of keeping the WRONG nose out of the halter.



If I'm loading horses to go somewhere and won't be working around the barn, I tie them all up until my mounts for the day are loaded, then I go and turn each one loose. I try very hard not to just turn mine free from the corral without catching them to free them. They get the idea that catching isn't a bad thing.



You might seriously consider putting up a catch pen in one corner of the pasture, or around the water tank, and using some sort of vehicle to corral them. They'll run by it at first, but eventually, they'll figure out. And once they're corralled, give ALL of them a treat. Then catch each one, lead it out, and turn it loose. Start with the ones that are easy to catch. You'll end up with the brats being last. If you don't want to argue with them, leave them a couple hours. They won't die, but they'll be lonely. They'll be more interested in talking to you if you don't play the game their way.



I end up with a lot of horses in my training pens because of this issue, and it's not an easy one to fix if you can't put any kind of pressure on them. I love my motorbike. It puts all sorts of pressure on horses that are feeling authoritative and don't want to play nice.

Answer 2

Mhm, my horses also develop a running away problem when in a larger herd environment and/or a larger grass pasture... He's not lonely anymore, thus doesn't need human companionship and prefers not going to work.

Anyhow, here's a suggestion: Get a bit of grain in a bucket(enough to make some noise) and shake it around. This usually works, problem is, if he's with 4 other horses they are also going to want the grain.

Another, more time consuming possibility would be to get others to remove the other 4 horses from the pasture so he has no herdmates to run around with or to.

Again, in your spare time(although I know this is hard to come by) just go out into his pasture without a halter/lead rope. Give him some affection and treats, and do this several times. Then show up with his halter/lead rope and hopefully he'll be more willing to be caught.

Again, hide the lead and halter while approaching him.

Another suggestion would be to catch another horse and walk it next to him. He may think you are simply catching that one instead and be unsuspecting when you go by and you can snag him.

Also, if any of these help you catch him, don't work him. Have an enjoyable time with him - go on a trail ride, groom him, give him treats, feed him, whatever. Just make it fun. Do this a few times, and do it in between harder workouts so he doesn't only see leaving as having to go to work. (All this if he does even get worked hard.)

Maybe, once the newness of his surroundings wear off, he'll be easier to catch again. My Arab and pony can both be like this, but after they settle in they get better about it.

These are just a few things that have worked for me. Hope I helped! Oh, yea, next time don't let him win. Once they are able to escape you they get it in their head that you'll eventually give up and they'll never quit running away.

Also, get a break-away halter(with a leather headstall and a snap) and leave it on him for a while. It's safe so if he gets snagged on anything it'll just break off and he won't break his leg, neck, whatever.

Anyway, hope I helped you! :) I know how frustrating this is...

Answer 3

I think the problem is, is that they are pastured together. You said that your gelding was fine until you put your new mare in the paddock with him, then he started running away from you. So i think the best thing to do would be to separate them.



Instead of running after your horse, try getting on another horse and chasing them around that way. You horse will eventually get tired, and the other horse will get a good workout

Answer 4

running from you is contagious. put one runner in with a few good to catch and you will have more runners. I whistle every time I feed my horses ( I only feed in the winter), They come to me anywhere if I whistle at them because they associate it with something positive. Even if we go camping in the mountains I just let them go at night and whistle the next morning. They don't expect a treat, just some attention. as far as catching a bad one . If you can just keep him running its the best way. Also, if you can, catch the mare and tie her oustide of the pasture. when he does start to run, face the same direction he is breaking for and turn slightly away from him, this sometimes makes them think you are getting in front of them. this works especially well if they are on a fence and you are directly out from them.

I am dead set against bribing them, but if there is no other way pull a loop around the grain bucket and over their head while he thinks you are petting him.

Answer 5

Get your legs ready to do some major walking (dont chase after him) You will have to stay out there until you catch him! Hes winning, and the more you let him win, the harder he will be to teach how to catch.

So I assume he is a gelding- and you have tried shaking the grain bucket rite?

You dont want to chase him, his instint will be to RUN from someone chasing him.

You need to pretend like you don't want him...you just want to be near him while he is grazing, and even groom him while he grazes.

Have you had a bad day with him before he started runing from you? He might be sore- might put humans= pain so dont let them catch me. Teach him that when you get rechieve him from the pasture- that equals FUN, LOVE, AND GROOMING SESION :) whatever he loves to do with you!!!!

So I suggest, first of all getting him. It will take a while! Walk out here, and think about pulling weeds or something. Walk to the side of your horse normal speed and dont think about catching the horse just think about having a relaxing walk in the field. When your horse looks at you, walk the other way and do soemthing els. Horse goes back to grazing. Turn back and walk the opposite way, now you will be walking side from behind the horse to side of the horse.

Answer 6

This sounds really strange, I can't understand why they would do that. Food would be a good idea. Also, if you go out and focus only on that one horse, or catching that a horse, they may not want to be caught. Go out with some thing they like, if one likes to brushed, or likes certain treats, or sweet feed, etc, bring that with you (leave halters and ropes behind). Walk around, pet the other horses. Walk towards them side way with your eyes down. Pet them and walk away, do this several times to each horse until you can walk right up to the horse.

Bring a rope with you(and a favorite item) and do this again, next bring a halter and lead rope but don't try to catch them. Eventually, put the rope around their neck, remove it, walk off. Then put it around their neck, hold them, then halter them.

If this doesn't work, walk up to them with confidence. My mustang filly wouldn't let me touch her when I walked up submissively like I suggested you do above but when I walked up to her very confidently she trusted that I was her herd leader and I could protect her. So you never know, but try confidence if submissiveness doesn't work.



If none of this works, drive them away from you until the allow you to pet/touch/halter them. I have used all of these methods, each on different horses. Every horse is unique and if you can figure out why they are acting this way than solving the problem will be so much easier. Also, when you caught them do join up with them and it should help next time you want to catch them. Each method will require patience and persitence, and remember, if you don't at first suceed, try try agin! Good luck and blessings!



Join Up:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Dx91mH2voo

Answer 7

When you do catch her take up to the hitch rail an give her a handful of grain in a pan, do this for a week. Then every time AFTER you catch her catch her do the same thing UNLESS she made you chase her around to be caught ; then no grain.

Horses aren't dumb, and figure this out real quick.

Answer 8

I had problems catching my horse last summer all I did was if he ran away from me I made sure that he wouldn't stop, just flicking the lead rope was best making sure not to hit him if u let him stop turn away from him and pay no attention to him he should come to you if he doesn't keep chasing him round the field until he has had enough, it worked for me and I hope it works for you :)

Answer 9

okay..well here is one method..get near enough to him that you can see him and he can see you.stay far enough away that he would not bolt though. walk sideways in a large circle around him, facing him the entire time. Do this at a safe distance so he doesn't run, but he does turn and face you as you make the circle.As you walk around, make your circles smaller and smaller.Eventually you want to go from walking sideways to walking forward in a circle with the horse following you. A key factor here is getting the horses feet moving in a controlled fashion. You're also making the horse think and giving him a simple choice (vs. his other option which is the flight instinct). Hope i helped!(:

Answer 10

You have a horse that doesn't recognize you as its' chief. There are many exceptional approaches for solving this hindrance. I use and feature a lot luck with Clinton Anderson's approaches. Look up Down Under Horsemanship (DUH) All of my critters comply with me like dogs now. Good success!

Answer 11

for one thing, is your horse that is impossible to catch, is he a stallion? if so, no kidding he won't wanna leave the mares!



if he is just not coming or running, then use treats. or, i have a metal food container that i bang on and then the horses ALWAYS come running, when they know what the food container sounds like!



Happy Trails!

Answer 12

What I did when Tango was impossible to catch (yes, impossible, he would run right over you if you got into his way of running from you) is get her favorite treat and walk into her field, and turn your back to her. If she wanted the treats, she would have to come to you. Don't talk to her and don't look at her. Completely ignore her, act as if she wasn't there. After a while she'll get curious enough to come to you. After that, put the halter on her and just pet her with it and let her go, to let her know just because you come out in the field with the halter doesn't mean she's going to get worked. I do that with my horse, I also go out into the field and just pet him, that way he knows just because I go out into the field, doesn't mean he's going to get worked.