How to Catch a Horse

Catching a horse is as easy as your horse is willing. Try these steps to entice your horse to come to you.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Feed Buckets
• Carrots
• Cookies
• Grooming Brush
• Halter
• Lead Ropes
• Carrots

1. 

   Go out into the pasture to pet your horse. Leave the halter and lead rope behind. The trick is to make your presence in the horse's domain a pleasant one. Bring a grooming brush and brush your horse. If your horse knows that every time he sees you it means work, then he might not be as anxious to greet you. Do this as often as possible where the only action and association created is petting the horse and creating a pleasant experience.

2. Spend time sitting on the fence or railing. Bring a bucket of treats. Shake or rattle it to get your horse's attention and feed your horse from there. What you are trying to accomplish is associating your presence with something enjoyable. Don't try to catch the horse, just let him come to you out of curiosity.

3. 

   Bring a bucket of your horse's favorite feed. This is flat-out bribery and, if the horse isn't hungry or if the horse is ornery, it won't work.

4. 

   Walk up to the horse without your lead rope and halter. If you can get close enough, rub the horse on its head. When you stop and turn to walk away, the horse may follow you. If he stops, rub the horse's face again, and repeat.

5. Put your saddle and tack out on the railing where your horse can see and smell it. Your horse will be less afraid of something he is familiar with.

6. Catch the easiest horse first. If there is another horse in the pasture that is easily caught, catch it, and your horse may follow, especially if he is the only other horse out there.

7. Have patience!

Tips & Warnings

• Horses are creatures of habit. The more you do something and get the desired effect, the easier and more ingrained it becomes in the horse's behavior.
• Leaving the halter on while the horse is turned out may help you catch the horse, but the horse may also catch the halter on a broken board or nail. If you have to leave a halter on a horse, use a leather halter, because it will break if the horse gets it caught on something.
• A horse that gets its halter caught on something is likely to panic and bolt, potentially injuring itself. Use a leather halter so that, if this does happen, the halter will break before the horse injures itself.
• Horses are not robots. They are thinking, feeling creatures; they need lots of attention, patience and care. If the only time your horse sees you is followed by work, he might not be so happy to see you. Create good feelings when your horse sees you by creating pleasurable associations.

[equinessence]

on 2/19/2009 This is a great post with informative comments. There's never one right way to do things with horses, as every horse is different!

[acostine]

on 1/23/2009 Or one could just take the time to teach the horse to come to you or the fence when called. It just takes a few treats or some brushing to make them realize something good will happen. If you start chasing them around the pasture, they'll outrun you every time.

serrassnazzyhorsetack.com

[slipmat]

on 8/20/2007 Another technique for catching your horse; we received a horse who was impossible to catch in the pasture and would approach no closer than 50' when it was feeding time (his previous owner hit him often). To help him be more comfortable I would stay far enough away that he would not bolt. I then walked sideways in a large circle around him, facing him the entire time. He's at a safe distance so he doesn't run, but he does turn and face me as I make the circle. As you walk around, make your circles smaller and smaller. Eventually you want to go from walking sideways to walking forward in a circle with the horse following you. A key factor here is getting the horses feet moving in a controlled fashion. You're also making the horse think and giving him a simple choice (vs. his other option which is the flight instinct). Don't bribe is right!

[slipmat]

on 8/20/2007 Another technique for catching your horse; we received a horse who was impossible to catch in the pasture and would approach no closer than 50' when it was feeding time (his previous owner hit him often). To help him be more comfortable I would stay far enough away that he would not bolt. I then walked sideways in a large circle around him, facing him the entire time. He's at a safe distance so he doesn't run, but he does turn and face me as I make the circle. As you walk around, make your circles smaller and smaller. Eventually you want to go from walking sideways to walking forward in a circle with the horse following you. A key factor here is getting the horses feet moving in a controlled fashion. You're also making the horse think and giving him a simple choice (vs. his other option which is the flight instinct). Don't bribe is right!

[karatekowgirl]

on 11/20/2006 This is good unless your horse is prone to charge at you. Go into whatever holding area you have your horse in, take your halter and lead rope with you and drape them over your shoulder so they dont get in the way. DO NOT look your horse in the eyes that only works on disney movies. Make sure that there is a distance between you and your horse and squat down. This does 2 things first it makes you smaller so your not as scary, and second it makes the horse wonder what your doing. Now be patient and wait for your horse to come to you, when it does it'll start sniffing you so dont flinch if you feel some slober in your ear. Now gently rub his nose and get up slowly and pet him all over, then walk away a little and your horse should follow you. If he doesnt then walk away and squat down again and repeat the process. Once he starts to follow you stop and pet him all over, it'll generally be easier to pet his chest and neck at this point. Now carefully drape the lead rope around his neck so he will know that he's caught and slip the halter on.