Hi Virginia, >>>When I try to 'catch' Gat in the pasture she runs away--is it because she's only used to being chased inside?
We use an ATV to herd our horses in from their grass eating time in the summer. It is difficult to do otherwise when you are trying to bring in 30-40 horses from eating grass. They get very used to hearing the sound of the 4-wheeler, in the context of them eating grass, and usually coming right in. However, our horses are not afraid of the ATV when it goes out for other reasons AND we never chase our horses to catch them. Anyone who has been here has seen the horses clamber at the gate - 'take me take me' especially during the starting young horse clinics. When we go out to catch a horse we generally call their name and often then start coming - the exception to that is when you are trying to sneak out to catch another horse and not have one of the horses normally ridden try to "cut you off at the pass" so you take them. It was one of the things I always thought so funny in Iceland is that they didn't seem to know how to catch horses other than herding them into a smaller area and cornering them. The large pastures that many horses are in in Iceland may be part of it and part of it is the whole relationship development. When we used to import horses or get imported horses, or domestic horses who are hard to catch, the first thing we do is have them in a smaller area (smaller meaning 1 acre or so) and get them used to being caught. It is all in the approach and what you do when you catch them. It generally would take a max. of 3 days to have the horses fairly catchable and then they go out with the big herd. With more difficult horses we might take them back to the steps we use to halter a young horse, rather than just putting the halter on them because you can when they are small; and or doing some freework which I am not sure if the article I did is on Judy's website. The freework does not involve any kind of pressure or chasing them and is just about giving the horse the opportunity to come with the handler without a halter because the handler learns about their own body information. I am happy to share or put on Judy's website if anyone is interested. Robyn Icelandic Horse Farm Robyn Hood & Phil Pretty Vernon BC Canada www.icefarm.com
