Tips on catching my new filly

[melmel]

Ok, I have only had Gypsy about a week now. She is a 7 month old QH. She had never been handled when I bought her so I hope I'm not pushing her to much. I wanted to get the halter on her to make it a little easier to catch her. The first couple times she was caught she was roped. Each time she let me approach her much quicker than the time before. She got where she would come up to me to eat and let me catch her. Well, yesterday she would come up grab a bite of hay from me then turn around and leave. Any suggestions or techniques on how to catch her would be greatly appreciated. Do I just need to give it time? When I got Mav he was 4 months old and always in my back pocket this is a completely new situation for me and I don't want to scare her, but I want to be able to handle her and calm her down.

[gbarmranch]

Is she out with other horses.. putting her in a pen where she only has you as her companion will make her approach and seek you out .. that will allow you to groom and bond, and eventually get her haltered with less stress..

You can always rope her again if you need to handle her - or use the lead rope over her neck and work with her in the corner of the pen.. I prefer, though, to let them make up their own mind, and decide to come to you at her age if at all possible..

[Freedomnchrist]

Blondie was really hard to catch at first...and sometimes she still is.

I just had to wait her out.....kind of be sneaky at first...while she was eating...I would sneak up and slide the lead rope around her neck....and eventually...I guess after time went by...and on her own time...she found out that the halter did not mean bad things.

A lot of times...they associate the halter with work.

So maybe...when you catch her...you can just love on her...then turn her loose.

[melmel]

Originally Posted by gbarmranch

Is she out with other horses.. putting her in a pen where she only has you as her companion will make her approach and seek you out .. that will allow you to groom and bond, and eventually get her haltered with less stress..

You can always rope her again if you need to handle her - or use the lead rope over her neck and work with her in the corner of the pen.. I prefer, though, to let them make up their own mind, and decide to come to you at her age if at all possible..

She is in a pen by herself but it butts up to the other horses. Sometimes I can corner her and she lets me approach other times I back away because she gets so nervous I don't want her to harm herself. I guess it just takes time.

I had heard before that if she turns her butt to me to send her off. Not in a scary motion but just enough movement to get her to move away to know that is not acceptable. Is it too early to do that with her? If she is facing me then leave her be, but if she turns her butt to me to send her away.

[gbarmranch]

You have heard correctly.. we don't let them rest until they face in - two eyes (as the great CA says) are better then two feet..

Also, you can use your arms to make her keep facing you as you approach - if you at first just give a short pat, then turn and walk away - always make sure you walk away from her - don't let her walk away from you.. if she does, you move her out again until she turns and faces, allows you to touch her, and walk away before she moves..

Several short sessions a day are better then one long one.. and you will be suprised at how quickly she will look for you when you apporach, and automatically face in and follow you around..

[Crookedblaze]

Originally Posted by melmel

I had heard before that if she turns her butt to me to send her off. Not in a scary motion but just enough movement to get her to move away to know that is not acceptable. Is it too early to do that with her? If she is facing me then leave her be, but if she turns her butt to me to send her away.

Stormy is really hard to catch in the pasture, so I "roundpen" her out there. After 2 or 3 times around, she stops and lets me catch her. Do not let her put her butt to you, that could turn dangerous. I don't think that sending her off will do any harm, it eastablishes that you are the leader and then she gains confidence through you.

[ahlihaff]

Originally Posted by gbarmranch

You have heard correctly.. we don't let them rest until they face in - two eyes (as the great CA says) are better then two feet..

Also, you can use your arms to make her keep facing you as you approach - if you at first just give a short pat, then turn and walk away - always make sure you walk away from her - don't let her walk away from you.. if she does, you move her out again until she turns and faces, allows you to touch her, and walk away before she moves..

Several short sessions a day are better then one long one.. and you will be suprised at how quickly she will look for you when you apporach, and automatically face in and follow you around..

My trainer does something similar to the above. He wants the horse to come to him. If he walks toward the horse, and the horse turns away, he makes it move. When the horse turns to look at him, he turns away from the horse and stands still. Eventually, the horse walks to him and waits to be haltered.

I was amazed when I saw him do this with Keith's Appy, Cooper. Cooper has severe dominance issues. Less now since this trainer has been working with him. Cooper lowered his head licking as he waited for the halter.

As your horse is in an area without other horses, it may be a good place to begin trying this as there won't be interference from the others.

[gbarmranch]

It is nothing more then mimicing the lead mare in essence.. Think like a horse - the lead horse - and act accordingly..

If you are really good, someone may give you a carrot.. and a scratch behind the ears..

[melmel]

Thanks for the reassurance. I just wanted to make sure that sending her away was the right thing to do since she already is still a little unsure of me. I didn't want to make the situation worse. I will keep up what I'm doing then and hopefully soon she will come looking for me.

[gbarmranch]

In herd interactions, the lead mare will send a misbehaving horse away from the herd.. because survival depends on being in the thick of the group, the horse sent away will eventually show subservient posture to be allowed back in.. that is the lowering of the head, licking of the lips, coming to you.. those are the signs to look for.. and also why it is important that you walk away from her..

She wil challange you off and on as she grows even once you have this issue resolved.. but by laying the proper foundation of respect now, it won't be much of a challange, and one you will easily win..

[TLCowgirl3597]

The above posts are right on. Send her away, make it her decision to come to you(because it's the easier choice.) Also to maintain....make it your decision to leave...or to stop petting, not hers...so she will seek you out for attention instead of you trying to catch her to give it to her. Never let it be her decision to turn her head away or move away when being loved on...make your move to quit first & she'll be in your pocket in no time.