Cant catch my pony???

Question

my daughters pony is very very hard to catch, i've taken food bowls out, carrots and i'm just not fast enough to chase after her, it took an hour today, walking after her while she galloped around the feild, she finally came in dripping with sweat and puffing, she has a mask on in the feild as she is so podgy, this used to work as an insentive as she would come in , get ridden and have her mask off for the rest of the day but now,

she would rather stay out with it on!!HELP

Answer 1

She may be making a game of this.  When I had a problem like yours, I brought sweet feed in a bucket out to the pasture and shook it when I was within ear shot.  If the horse came over for it, I was ready with the lead rope to get it around his/her neck fast...then I'd slip the halter on while I secured him/her with the lead.

Answer 2

Well, to catch my pony i hold out a treat, and look the other way, while i walk towards him. I walk in little steps, whenever he looks away. If you make eye contact, they usually run. If your pony is that bad, you can tether her in her field, that way she can still eat and walk around, but she doesn't have to be caught. Also you might want to look into some training methods, if a pony knows who is boss  they aren't so difficult. Hope i helped.

Answer 3

take your time...

let the horse come to you if you half to stay out their till the horse comes

Answer 4

act like u droped your keys or something and look at the but at the same time inching tourds the pony & look up CLITON ANDERSON he's really good we went to one of he's shows and it changed our horses cathing ways I hope I've been helpful

Answer 5

Do NOT chase her. I don't know if you were trying or not but it just isn't a good idea, lol. Take a food bucket out if you haven't tried that and fill it with treats or grain that she can hear when you shake the bucket. This should interest her. If/when you do catch her, praise her and give her the bucket of food! If this is working, start going out there, catching her, and just bringing her in to graze or brush her without riding her. Give her a treat or stick her nose in a bucket whenever you take her mask off. Eventually, she may come to you in the paddock and forget about the mask thing.

Hopefully this helped, sorry if I said something you already tried. Good luck! :-)

Answer 6

i have a hard horse to catch...

try to get close to her, and put the lead rope around her neck, without tying it. try to work with her in a round pen, lunging her and showing dominance. this should help you to gain her trust. if she likes to throw her head while you are haltering her, put your hand on her poll and apply pressure there, she'll keep her head down. when she starts to come to you, give her a couple of cookies (treats) to praise her for the good behaivior. the biggest thing with a problem like that, is to just gain the horse's trust. :o)

Answer 7

it sounds like she has a grass belly u need to put her on a diet of only hay when u do get her in the stable and a small amount she is running away cause she enjoys u runnung after her and she knows she will get a treat as soon as she is out of energy this sounds hard but it will pay of in a week or so she will start to realise that u dnt need to give her treats all the time,if u can leave her out at late as you can you will see that you mite leave her out so u will see she will come staight up 2 d gate when u leave her for an hour or 2 later than her usually catchin time u will notice the nxt day she will do the same

Answer 8

Your pony thinks that she is the boss, and actually she is running the show.  Could be she wants to stay in the field longer to graze since it takes her more time to eat with the mask on.  Could be she finds a slow, two-legged human following her around with treats to be absolutely hysterical.  Either way it doesn't matter, you need to let your pony know that your the herd boss and she does what you say.  

The field is probably rectangular or such a shape that when she runs she gets further away from you and successfully out of your reach/control.  It will be difficult to train her out of this behavior in the field because she has already figured out how to get away.

I would work with the pony most preferably in a round pen or on a lounge line -- on a circle where is doesn't matter how fast she runs she will not get any further away.  Enter the round pen and actively send her away from you and out to the perimeter in a circle.  I usually carry a lead rope and use it to shake or send out after her heels -- but NEVER hit the horse with it.  

Keep your body perpendicular to her hip and stay in a pursuit position behind her, you will be travelling in a smaller circle and using a lot less energy.  She will run around with her head high for a bit and may even snake her neck out and shake her head in defiance -- that OK's keep moving her forward and away.  Stay focused on her hindquarters, stay calm and relaxed and let her do all the work.   You're not trying to wear her out, just make her realize that you're a lot smarter than she thinks.  

When she realizes she can't get away from you, she may drop her pace down from a canter to a trot and begin turning her head towards you and trying to come off the rail and make a smaller circle in to you.  This is good -- she is acknowledging that you have the upper hand and she'd like to negotiate. Keep your focus on her quarters and keep her moving away at the rail.

Now you're going to look for her to lower her head and/or l*****g her lips and making chewing motions with her mouth.  When you get to this stage hold the pressure for a couple more trips around the arena, then turn your back to her.

Wait a few minute for her to approach you and let you know she's there, unually by breathing softly on your back or just barely touching her nose to your back.  If she does not come to you but stands waiting at the rail with her body turned in to you, casually approach her shoulder and turn and walk away, she should follow you at this point.

Once she's following you, without a leadrope or other physical connection, she is acknowledging that you are the leader and she will follow.

You should also change things up in the pasture.  Go to the pasture at different times, greet her pasturemates, pet them and give them attention, ignore her and leave.  If she ignores you, you ignore her.  When she approaches you, turn and walk away. Let her follow you around and then leave.

If you can be consistent with this change in behaviors she should come around soon and be running to meet you, but right now she thinks she is boss and you are working on her schedule.

Good luck!

Answer 9

A couple of things to try...

Are you holding a halter or lead rope where she can see it?  If so, hang them over your shoulder so she can't see them, or hear them jingle.  It works for one of mine.

Another, when you go out there.  Don't call her at first, and don't walk directly at her.  Kinda keep getting closer at an angle.  Without staring at her or coming at her head.  You may be able to come right up to her.  If she leaves...start trying to get closer by walking at an angle towards her shoulder again.

It's so annoying when they won't be caught.  And I've walked more times than I care to mention or remember!!  Just keep trying...

Answer 10

dont chase her. shell think its a game, and thats why it takes so long. just bring her a treat in a plastic bag, and crinkle it so shell be interested. also, why are YOU catching your DAUGHTERS pony? cant she do it?

Answer 11

Your probably sending the wrong signal to the pony. You have to remember this is a WILD animal that's on the bottom of the food chain. You, are a sharp-toothed, shiny eyed creature that is at THE top of the food chain. The pony knows this, and if you look at it in the wrong way, it does EXACTLY what it thinks you are asking it to do. If you look at the head, it reads "Move your head or I will kick / bite / kill you." Look at the rump and it reads "Move it or I will make you move it." etc. The safest place for you to look is at the shoulder - it's a neutral zone for ponies and horses. I've NEVER had a problem catching horses or any ponies with this. Even ones that people claim are "uncatchable". Running them around until their exhausted just increases their mind that you are chasing them to eat them or do something bad - work, travel, etc.

If treats don't work, maybe try this and see how it works out for you. Just remember do NOT look anywhere else other than the shoulder. It'll take some training for your eyes and hands, but it should work. Good luck :)