| If you are one of those owners who owns a horse | | | | relationship. |
| that has developed the idea that quality time spent | | | | Most horses that run off know only frustration and |
| involves the owner lovingly chasing after it whilst it | | | | often anger when they are finally caught. Show your |
| playfully avoids being caught. We know your pain. | | | | horse you can be a nice person by taking it a snack |
| There is nothing more frustrating than having to | | | | and walking off. It will soon start looking out for you |
| wander after your horse in the attempt of catching it. | | | | and often may even start following you. Horses want |
| Spending most of your time out in the paddock instead | | | | calm and confidant owners and riders. |
| of out riding with friends. | | | | Once the horse is more willing to be caught a handful |
| However the correction of this is not as simple as we | | | | of food in a manger will suffice in keeping it happy. |
| would like it to be. Placing a horse in a smaller paddock | | | | (Bribery works) |
| or leaving a halter on will not always make matters | | | | Horses prone to being irritated or bolting off whilst |
| better, the same as locking a horse up in a stable | | | | ridden usually require a lot more work than a simple |
| could lead it to kicking. | | | | change of routine. Please do not confuse irritation |
| The unwillingness to be caught is a vice the same as | | | | under saddle with a hot horse. A hot horse is willing to |
| any other developed or acquired vices a horse may | | | | work, it responds and will listen and conserve its |
| develop. It has a cause and often runs hand in hand | | | | energy for when it is needed. An irritated horse is |
| with two other bad habits. | | | | unlikely to stand still or respond to aids when asked, an |
| These being the likely hood of bolting and the | | | | irritated horse will also run through aids and is less likely |
| unresponsive horse. It is very rarely that a | | | | to balance itself or its rider. These two are often |
| well-behaved and responsive horse will run off when it | | | | confused. |
| is time to work. | | | | A bolting or irritated horse associates pain and |
| We explored ways of correcting these problems as | | | | punishment with work and therefore has no interest in |
| well as how to get your horse to be more willing to be | | | | responding positively to a riders aids. These horses |
| caught. | | | | require patience and experience. All to often they are |
| A horse turning tail and heading for the far side of a | | | | bitted up in an attempt to slow them down when in |
| paddock is the first warning that somewhere | | | | fact they require the opposite. Bitted down and |
| something in its basic training seriously went wrong. It | | | | schooled with patience without a whip. These horses |
| now associates the human with bad or often painful | | | | are often sold as horses for competent and |
| experiences. The first step to take is to change your | | | | experienced riders and often marketed cheaper than |
| horses routine, no riding for a few days, place the | | | | their actual worth. |
| horse on three meals a day (divide daily ration into | | | | Horses who do little or are unresponsive under saddle, |
| three) and bring it in for lunch, it will soon enough realize | | | | and are difficult to catch are often overworked. They |
| that there is food involved. If needed take your horses' | | | | know there is work to be done and will avoid it at all |
| friend or companion in as well. This way your horse will | | | | costs. And when ridden will drag their toes or shuffle |
| not necessarily associate mid day captures with riding. | | | | about. These horses require a change of workload or |
| Also capturing your horse mid morning and moving it to | | | | alternatively a holiday turned out in a pasture for a |
| another pasture with "better" grazing will help, as your | | | | month or so with younger horses (visit him or her |
| horse will not always associate being caught with | | | | everyday with a treat) He or she needs to learn how |
| work and punishment. | | | | to become a horse again. Its workload needs adjusting |
| Learn too approach your horse with a less demanding | | | | with some variation included. |
| front. Just walk up to it and spend some time with it, | | | | Catching an unwilling horse often means working at |
| approach the shoulder and not the head. By showing | | | | eliminating the cause. And horses that are unwilling to |
| your horse you are not out to get it every time you | | | | be caught, have issues that need to be resolved, |
| see it goes a long way to developing a relaxed | | | | before positive results will be seen. |