New to horses

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Elkhunter
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New to horses

Post by Elkhunter » Mon Jun 03, 2013 9:45 am

So I just got a horse 3 weeks ago, and I have been riding him pretty consistently each week. He is losing weight and getting in shape, but at first I could walk right up to him and catch him. Now when I show up, he runs like heck!!!!

So I assume he knows he has to go to work, so I have been giving him apples randomly to keep him happy.

Any other tricks to keep em easy to catch?

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Re: New to horses

Post by Karen » Mon Jun 03, 2013 9:48 am

Can you pull him from the pasture/paddock and hand graze him randomly? Spend some time with him not working him? When we first got into horses we boarded them, so it really was hard to find the time to just mess with them and not work them.

Now that they're home and they see us every day and they're not worked all that frequently....and we're the ones feeding them, they like us much more :D
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Re: New to horses

Post by kninebirddog » Mon Jun 03, 2013 10:02 am

How big is the area you are working in...If i have a horse that wants to run away ..I pick a direction and make them run the direction I want them to go and then I will change the direction ...be sure you are looking at their rear when you are pushing him to go the direction you want...when you want the horse to change direction turn and look more at the front and shoulder of the horse when the horse stops and is looking at you just stand there once the head and shoulders have moved past that line of aimed at you push them off and keep them going that direction...Do not let them change direction on their own.

Basically those little brief moments of direction change the horse is going to pick up on a calm spot where you are not pushing them and coming to You is that spot.

As for why the horse is running away ...What is the horses mind set when you are done...do you just ride get done and put horse up and feed? if so stop that when you are done with the ride let horse just stand on the hitch brush them let them chill out


a really good video for basic foundation horseman ship is Richard Winters http://www.wintersranch.com/ another one which I really really like is John Lyons which I do believe John has retired and his son Josh is taking over and Josh sure has benefited under his dad as he is proving to be everything his dad is and then some http://www.john-lyons.com/

Another thing is does your saddle fit your horse or is it hurting your horse as generally the more I ride my horses trying to get their heads into their halters to go.
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Elkhunter
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Re: New to horses

Post by Elkhunter » Mon Jun 03, 2013 10:03 am

I went over there last night and gave him an apple and loved on him for a bit. I think I just need to hide the halter from him when I do walk out there to get him. He is a really nice horse, I just think he realizes it's work time when I show up.

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Re: New to horses

Post by cmc274 » Mon Jun 03, 2013 10:57 am

I was there a couple of months ago. I read up a bunch on catching a hard to catch horse and I tried just walking towards him until he gave into pressure, sure didnt work for me and I spent almost two hours on several occasions walking around the pasture. We made friends through grain. If he wanted to eat, he had to eat grain out of my or my wife's lap twice a day for about 2-3 weeks. Now we can walk up to him without grain and catch him at any time (like on saturday when I left the pasture gate open and he was grazing in the back yard).

Good advice someone gave me, never carry a gun while you trying to catch a horse.

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Re: New to horses

Post by JuliaH » Mon Jun 03, 2013 11:12 am

When you go to catch him, don't take "No" for an answer. Give yourself plenty of time... just in case :) He has to know you mean it. And, when you do catch him, give him a goodie or feed him a little so that it is always a pleasant experience. It sounds like he is in the habit of playing keep-away, so this can take some time. If he figures out you are the provider, he will get easier to handle rather quickly though, unless he is in a big pasture where being hand fed is not so tempting.

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Elkhunter wrote:So I just got a horse 3 weeks ago, and I have been riding him pretty consistently each week. He is losing weight and getting in shape, but at first I could walk right up to him and catch him. Now when I show up, he runs like heck!!!!

So I assume he knows he has to go to work, so I have been giving him apples randomly to keep him happy.

Any other tricks to keep em easy to catch?
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Re: New to horses

Post by jimbo&rooster » Mon Jun 03, 2013 11:23 am

I essentially do what Chris said. When we get a horse or when we have a under socialized horse that we can't catch, we give them a reason to come to us. We will feed the horse twice a day from a bucket in our lap. Make sure while you are letting the horse eat that you are putting your hands on him.
Also if your horse won't come to you when you are carrying a halter leave the halter on the horse or maybe go to a collar.

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Re: New to horses

Post by cjuve » Mon Jun 03, 2013 12:05 pm

This sounds familiar, I have had issues with this when I work them several days a week :lol: I use a catch pen, and feed them there on a regular basis but we feed hay all year. If I do not feed in the catch pen then I halter them before I feed them.

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Re: New to horses

Post by JuliaH » Mon Jun 03, 2013 12:26 pm

Keep in mind that socialization is not always the problem :) Some horses can be hard to catch, even with plenty of socialization because they connect work with you coming to the field to catch them. There has been plenty of good advice given on this thread but don't feel bad for the horse. Just be careful to work with him so that catching becomes a more pleasant experience if you can. If not, he is just gonna be a pain to catch....
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Re: New to horses

Post by Elkhunter » Mon Jun 03, 2013 2:35 pm

I went back on Sunday with an apple just to see him/pet him etc. And I was able to walk right up to him, just gonna have to mix it up a bit and keep him guessing.

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Re: New to horses

Post by JuliaH » Mon Jun 03, 2013 3:07 pm

"LIKE"
Elkhunter wrote:I went back on Sunday with an apple just to see him/pet him etc. And I was able to walk right up to him, just gonna have to mix it up a bit and keep him guessing.
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Re: New to horses

Post by dbhowell23 » Mon Jun 03, 2013 8:02 pm

Feed him before you ride. He will get use to the idea and come running.

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Re: New to horses

Post by Griffsmom » Tue Jun 04, 2013 12:20 pm

Not knowing how big the pasture is, if a horse turns and runs off, you make them work and make them run until they decide its not so much fun to work that hard. They are essentially lazy, so make them work, soon they will understand that its easier to not run and get caught. Just make them keep moving, you don't have to run after them, just keep them moving until they want to stop running. No need to have to hide halters or ropes, they figure that out too. Just don't let them win or in their mind they have beaten you. Good luck.

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Re: New to horses

Post by shags » Tue Jun 04, 2013 1:37 pm

Elkhunter wrote:I went back on Sunday with an apple just to see him/pet him etc. And I was able to walk right up to him, just gonna have to mix it up a bit and keep him guessing.
That's what I do with mine...keep them guessing. Sometimes they get caught up for treats, sometimes for fly spray, sometimes for work, sometimes just to annoy them. Mix up carrying a halter and lead, too. It takes them like one time to realize that halter and lead=work. So sometimes I just carry the halter and lead, sometimes I put it on them and lead them or hand graze or whatever. Also, mine figured out that the trailer hooked to the truck meant a major interruption in their life of leisure, so that goes into the mix, too. They know the vet's truck and do not like it, so the ones that aren't getting vetted also get caught up and get candy or whatever.

Also, you might want to put a good whoa on him, just like you'd do a dog. I can get mine stopped if I'm within about ten or twenty feet of them by telling them whoa and making a blocking notion with my arm/hand.

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Re: New to horses

Post by tn red » Tue Jun 04, 2013 7:11 pm

Lots of good advice here...i just put a ring on a post above the feed bucket & tie them when i feed..

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Re: New to horses

Post by RayGubernat » Wed Jun 05, 2013 11:31 am

I try to bring my horses out of the pasture and into the barn every single day to feed them and mess with them a little, foot care, brushing, etc. They know that getting called in means that they will get something to eat. If it is in the evening, it is some grain. if it is in the morning, it is some apple and oat treats. If it is during the day, it could also be a fifteen or twenty minute turnout on the lawn. I have one horse that will come out of the pasture, every single time for me, no matter what. He comes even when I am carrying a lead. The other guy is much more likely to see the rope and stay out of reach. It is a game with him. He LOVES to be out there with the dogs, he LOVES to be a handler's horse, but he hates to submit when he is not under saddle. He wants it to be on HIS terms. So, basically what happens is the horse that comes gets treats and gets used. The funny thing is if I use the one horse(Rudy) two or three times in a row, the other horse(Blackie) will come in for the treats, bite Rudy in the butt and chase him off. He will then stick his nose in my face and let me put my hand on his halter as if to say: "MY TURN".

When it comes to horses, I am a big believer in bribery. Bribery followed by trickery and then some more bribery seems to work pretty well too. My guys don't seem to mind getting shanghaied a long as there are some goodies in it for them somewhere along the line.

I will say this...when I have to leave at O dark thirty in the morning for a trial, the horses are in the barn the night before. Even though it means more work when I get home,

Interestingly, when Blackie is under saddle he is very well behaved in almost any situation. He will also come to my wife...EVERY SINGLE TIME, no mater what, no matter when, no matter where, which really can tend to piss me off. Of course my wife does not ride and only give him treats and lovin'. Who said horses were dumb animals?? Grrrr.


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Re: New to horses

Post by dan v » Wed Jun 05, 2013 4:24 pm

RayGubernat wrote: Who said horses were dumb animals?? Grrrr.


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If they were dumb, we couldn't train them :lol:
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Re: New to horses

Post by Neil » Fri Jul 12, 2013 8:34 am

Yep, Ray has it right, feed him in his stall, even 1/2 cup will work. If you don't have a barn and can't afford one, built a round pen.

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Re: New to horses

Post by Elkhunter » Thu Jul 18, 2013 11:56 am

I just throw a few handfuls of grain in a bucket now, and he is a sucker for the grain. Easy to catch now, sometimes he trots around making noise but he calms down quick and I can catch him. He is loosing weight and looking better. He has slimmed down a bit since this picture.

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Re: New to horses

Post by JuliaH » Thu Jul 18, 2013 12:01 pm

Good looking horse...
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Re: New to horses

Post by markj » Tue Jul 23, 2013 3:44 pm

Any other tricks to keep em easy to catch?
Round pen and keep that halter on him. Worked for the baddest horses Dad and I raised up. Isolation for a few days will make him soooo happy just to see ya :)

When a horse becomes a "couch potatoe" it is harder to get horse back to working, Hmmmmm similiar to a group of folks maybe?
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Re: New to horses

Post by Ike » Tue Dec 31, 2013 8:49 pm

Karen wrote:Can you pull him from the pasture/paddock and hand graze him randomly? Spend some time with him not working him? When we first got into horses we boarded them, so it really was hard to find the time to just mess with them and not work them.

Now that they're home and they see us every day and they're not worked all that frequently....and we're the ones feeding them, they like us much more :D
Exactly. Spend some time with the horse.... Walk him on lead out in the pasture or thru the woods, no work, just chillin.
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Re: New to horses

Post by Griffsmom » Mon Jan 20, 2014 8:52 am

Horses don't want to work and generally want to be lazy, so if they run away from you, don't chase them by running behind them. You need to make them run, they will realize they are wasting energy by doing so. If you chase them its like a game and they will wait you out and they have won the game. If they want to run, make them run, they will stop and get tired of the running and will ask to stop running. Good luck.

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Re: New to horses

Post by duckn66 » Mon Jan 20, 2014 9:30 am

When I had my horses (all five of them) I would bring them all to their stalls with some grain. Shut the gates behind them and bring them out to saddle. If I were only riding one and they all came to their stalls, they all got a bit of grain.

Use a little bit of grain each time. Easy peasey. Why make it more difficult than it needs to be?

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Re: New to horses

Post by RoostersMom » Mon Jan 20, 2014 10:44 am

Nice looking horse. I concur with the bucket'o'grain. It has always worked for me, you shake it, they come. I have also resorted to the exercise trick as well, they won't come in, they get to run until they want to come in.

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Re: New to horses

Post by RayGubernat » Mon Jan 20, 2014 10:58 am

Griffsmom wrote:Horses don't want to work and generally want to be lazy, so if they run away from you, don't chase them by running behind them. You need to make them run, they will realize they are wasting energy by doing so. If you chase them its like a game and they will wait you out and they have won the game. If they want to run, make them run, they will stop and get tired of the running and will ask to stop running. Good luck.
I agree with this. I have one horse that will avoid going to work. The other will come in for a treat. When I want to use the avoiding horse, I catch the one give it treats and and put it in a stall. I then call the other horse and show him treats and the rope. If he does not come in, I get the zero turn and go out into the pasture and chase him for 20 minutes or so. I make him run and not stop. Usually after about ten minutes or so, he stands by the gate and seems like he is waiting to be caught. I chase him away from the gate and make him run until he is sweating. On about the third time he goes to the gate, I get off the zero turn and walk up to him with the rope. If he shies away, he gets to run some more, usually another five to ten minutes. By then he is usually quite ready to be caught.

I put the rope on him and give him a treat or two. After a few episodes, he is much more willing to be caught. I generally go through this nonsense every spring and every fall becasuse they don't get ridden a lot in summer or winter, but if he knows the rules ain't changed and that I will make him run until his tongue hangs out, he gets with the program.

Its the old story...make doing what you want easy and doing what you don't want hard. They will do what is easy..which is what you want.

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Re: New to horses

Post by Bayern » Wed Oct 22, 2014 8:09 am

I use treats......when I come to the stall or pasture they are always waiting at the gate. When hunting or training the dogs I always give them a treat after ground tying. I reluctantly went to this because my wife’s horse was sometimes difficult to catch after ground tying. He would playfully stay about 10-15 yards in front of you and scamper around hoping you would chase him….he seemed think this was fun. Now he lets you walk right up to him and even comes if called.

I also used this to reinforce ground tying and get used to the gun. It also lets me catch them out in the open if they happen to walk off. As soon as I put my hand in my back pocket and/or put my hand out they stop and let me walk right up to them. This works even if I don’t have a treat.

An interesting advantage I have found with the treats is that it makes the horses more attentive. When we dismount and hunt on foot they ground tie/graze in place but keep a keen lookout for us. When we are done hunting/shooting I make a deliberate strait walk directly towards them and call their names. When they see this they stand strait knowing that we’re going to put up the guns/mount up/ and move out…..and waiting for a treat!

Some folks don't like this technic (treats), but since we hunt in the open grasslands and desert you absolutely need them to ground tie and allow you to walk up to them in the open. Since I’ve been doing this I have never had a problem. Don’t even tie them up during breaks or tacking up. Note: I’ve spent more than a few hours helping to catch some of my critic’s horses!

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