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  Discussion on Sean - Mare that can't be caught. HELP !!
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Member:
sean

Posted on Tuesday, Sep 11, 2007 - 6:50 am:

Hi All its been a while, I have a mare whom has not been caught in over a year. We had problems with her when we first got her and put her in a small paddock, We understand from her previous owner she just can’t be caught and apparently hates men. At first she was great, she lived with our donkey and a miniature pony and responded great to my mother in law just feeding her while in foal. When caught she is as quite as a lamb and we taught after 6 months we could risk putting her in a big field. Well she’s been in that field for a year now with her foal at foot and can't be caught, we've tired everything, sedatives, running her into a corner, white tape, even had someone on horse back for 3 hrs with a lassoes. We have a lady feeding her that lives by the field that was present when her foal was born. The lady could have got a head collar on her while she was foaling but didn't want to betray the trust the mare has in her at such a time. The foal will come up no problem and both will feed from a bucket but as the mare has no head collar now you can’t get close enough to her. We want to catch her to get her feet done and general medical but it’s become impossible. Any suggestion guys on catching a wild mare? My girlfriend can seat in the field and she will come up as long as she remains on the ground and feed from a bucket close by but if she stands up at all she’s gone. She just run’s through electric fences, we don’t want any harm to come to her or the foal but for her own interest we need to catch her. We will need to take the foal off her soon to avoid her becoming run down over the winter months.
Member:
ellab

Posted on Tuesday, Sep 11, 2007 - 10:34 am:

Read Monty Roberts book. In it he talks about catching a wild horse in the open. It takes time but he does it out in the wild all by himself.

In essence he just keeps following the horse and keeps it moving until it has had enough of being pushed and turns in to relieve the pressure. The horse just is not allowed to relax unless it faces the person. As soon as the horses hind end is turned to the person than it must keep moving again.

The book explains it much better than I do.

Ella B. :-)
Member:
dtranch

Posted on Tuesday, Sep 11, 2007 - 11:11 am:

Sean ..
This is always tough and takes a lot of time and patience. First, never chase the horse as that becomes a game, but as Ella says, do not let the horse stop and rest either. When the horse runs, simply keep walking in the direction of the horse. If the horse starts to run again as you approach, I may raise my hands and give a SHHHH sound as if I am making the horse move, but do not chase. Just let the horse go and start walking again. I try to approach the horse at a diagonal between the head and the front shoulder, never from behind as that is telling the horse to move on.

Once the horse will stand and look at you, I will take a few steps toward the horse, and as it turns away, I will back off relieving the pressure.Then walk toward the horse again, and back off each time the horse starts to move. Eventually, as you back off, the horse will turn to face you, and at that point you want to release all pressure and let the horse relax and soak it all in.

As I said, this may take a lot of time and patience, but will eventually get the horse to understand that it is better being around you, than running all over the place.

With a truly "wild" horse, it may be necessary to try and run into a smaller paddock, and use the same methods in a more confined area. I have also found in these severe cases, that the "pole gentling" method works very well. The idea is to have a long bamboo pole, or stick that you can reach the horse from about anywhere in the small paddock. Work until you can get the pole on the withers area and scratch it back and forth. Eventually, as the horse settles, you can start sliding your hand up the pole until you can get a hand safely on the horse. In your case, none of this should be necessary as your mare is not a true "wild" horse.

Just remember patience is key, and you are actually getting the horse to catch you. I have spent a couple of hours in the pasture with some horses, and as little as a few minutes with others. Hope some of this helps.

DT
Member:
juliem

Posted on Tuesday, Sep 11, 2007 - 11:58 am:

Do you have access to fence panels? You may be able to set up a small enclosure and begin putting her feed in there. Then, when they are in eating, close the gate. It would be best if you just did that, didn't catch them, let them eat and then turn them back out and repeated for a few days so they wouldn't come to see it as a trap. Then, proceed as follows. If you can't set up any panels, I recommend the same procedure in the open field.
I've had success with the method Dennis describes and do one thing a little different that speeds up the process for me. When the horse stops and faces or even looks at me, I take a step back and stay stopped as long as the horse does. When they move, I resume walking after them and may also sort of "push" them away. When they stop, the step back takes the pressure off and pretty soon they are stopping sooner. Then, I start moving in a bit closer before again stepping back. I always carry the halter and lead rope in full view. Eventually, you will be able to walk up and touch--don't try to catch yet. Scratch or pet, then walk away. This is a much longer method, but results in a horse that remains easy to catch. If you're not against it, when you walk up, scratch, pet and just before you walk away, give a treat. If you do this for a few times each session, it will take less time each day. Then add to the scratching, petting and treat by putting the lead rope over the horses neck--still not catching the horse. Take the rope off, scratch, pet, walk away. Rpeat a few times. Then you will add the halter to the whole procedure, but each time, take it right back off and walk away. Next lead the mare a few steps before taking it off and walking away. If you've added a treat at the end of the procedure, by now the mare will be looking for you and that scratch, pet, lead rope, halter treat routine. The first day you may have to plan to spend several hours as Dennis said, but if you walk away once she lets you get up to her, it will go faster every time. I know, this is a long process, but you won't have to worry about catching her after it's finished.
Member:
ekaufman

Posted on Tuesday, Sep 11, 2007 - 10:23 pm:

Hi Sean,

I think it's good advice to try to turn this into a smaller space problem, though not so small that she's a danger to herself or to you by feeling trapped. I would move water and food into a smaller enclosure. If she runs out when you try to shut the gate, shut it anyhow and offer her access to water every few hours until she lets you shut the gate. (I realize some might not like this approach, but imagine if she or her foal gets hurt and can't be helped.) Once you have her contained, I'd follow the suggestions above to habituate her to human contact. I would consider weaning her foal and other companions if I could, just until she tolerates human handling. She may be more appreciative of your efforts if she doesn't have social alternatives. I would not chase her with a lasso etc.-- even if you caught her once, it would not be real progress, and would just confirm in her mind that humans are bad news.

Good luck! And maybe not an ideal broodmare for the future...

- Elizabeth
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