More Thoughts on Catching

Come and get me, Pony Girl!

Here is the scoop on the catching issue.

At the time of this incident in December of 2007, catching My Boy was not the huge issue it has become. When I first leased him he was either in a stall with no run, or a stall with small paddock. The worst thing he ever tried was walking away from me.

Once I started care-leasing him, I was concerned because he was moved to a pasture. It's not huge, but it is bigger than a paddock. I'd say it's maybe, hmm...help me out Paint Girl, maybe 1/2 an acre? Definitely more space for him to get away from me and give chase.

However- catching him here wasn't an issue. Again, an occasional walk away, but I'd usual say whoa and he'd stop and let me catch him.

Fast forward to last spring, when he would literally meet me at the gate, pushing his nose into the halter to come out. Who was this horse?!

But last summer, it slowly started getting worse. He would walk away. Then he began pulling out of the halter before I had it buckled and run off. Then I would make him run, so it became a chase. I tried every method in the book, advice from bloggers, DVD's. Many of the techniques were successful- somewhat. But nothing has cured him of the habit. It is still a work in progress.

What is interesting is that I thought the pulling out of the halter was a NEW issue. At the advice of readers, I was concerned that it could be a physical issue and I considered possible ear pain or being out in the poll or back. But this was also perplexing because it wasn't consistent and he was usually fine about bridling.

So, what I realized? That back in December, over a year ago, when he wasn't even my horse yet, he pulled out of the halter! And I even said, "but as I was putting it behind his ears it got stuck in his mane (he always gets a little weird about the halter going behind his ears anyway) and he started to pull away." I just attributed this to him being weird about it, but did not connect this behavior to his aversion to being caught.

So there you have it, I even admitted he'd always been a little weird about the halter going behind his ears! Huh? I don't even remember that about him! In my defense, he wasn't my horse at the time. I rode him a few times a week, but he belonged to someone else and I was still getting to know him and learn about him. I hadn't learned all of his idiosyncrisies yet, his problems weren't ultimately mine yet, as I still had his owner to consult and help me with him.

This is a huge relief to me. Yes, something about his respect and view of me had changed enough from spring to summer to cause a resurgence in this behavior. Maybe he was feeling more comfortable, as some readers suggested. Maybe it was because the spring season meant more work and riding and he wanted to avoid work and riding. Maybe I just dropped down to low woman on the totem pole hierarchy in our relationship.

I have attempted to become more "low key" in my approach to him in the pasture. The "let your horse catch you" theory is great and it works. It just takes a lot of time and consistancy. Unfortunately I do not have a lot of time with my horse. Not every day, at least. If I saw him every day, he wouldn't eat his meals until he was caught. Oh Nellie, he'd be meeting me at the gate in five minutes if that was the case! It's hard to inspire him to come out of that pasture when it is the place he gets to loaf under his tree and take naps, eat all of his great food, roll in his dirt hole, and nibble on grass.

Christa Lynn from Cow Girls Don't Kry wrote some some great advice for my problem on a recent blog post:

"If we put a lot of pressure on our horses after they have made a break-through like being caught, then many times they don't absorb the catching lesson, they are on to anticipating the next turn of events."

Oh goodness, you hit the nail on the head, Christa! This is so true! It comes back to my whole concept of "moseying" with your horse. I think I need to spend more time catching my horse, ending it positively by releasing him right afterwards, and NOT bringing him out to work him.

Thank you all- I have many new ideas. Spring is around the corner, meaning better weather and more time with my horse to approach this issue with a fresh start!