it when you get within a
are trying to get over to him is certain distance? Or if you
approach head on versus to
that you are not about to
the shoulder? Or when you
catch him; rather you are
touch him, or raise the halter?
teaching him how to be
If you can pinpoint when he
caught.
Each time he runs away, walk gets worried or takes off, you
steadily to where he is going; can try stopping your
approach before that point,
not to block him, but rather
standing still, then leaving.
to show him that running off
Gradually you should be able
is a waste of time, you're
going to be where he is going to get closer.
Perhaps you could just stroke
anyway.
him, then leave; at this point
When you get to where you
it would be acceptable to give
can reliably get and keep his
him a carrot or something, as
attention and he is standing
a reward, not as a bribe.
still, you can start approach-
If haltering is the problem, get
ing. Notice with your
to where you can put it on
particular horse where the
point is that you lose him. Is and off, but not actually catch
and lead him.
A lot of times with catching
problems, you need to
change your horse's expecta-
tions of the routine, so doing
the whole thing but then not
actually taking him out of the
paddock can really get him
thinking.
Finally, make sure you have
considered what is happening
From page 31
HORSEMANSHIP
of the rest of the time you
once you have caught your
horse.
It might be worth making sure
that the first few times you
bring him out of the paddock,
it's an especially nice experi-
ence; he gets a nice groom,
or a feed, or something else
that he likes, then goes back
to his buddies.
Your horse isn't a machine,
and when the chips are down
you need him to do exactly
what you ask, but then some
33
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need to show that you are
willing to do the same.
One last point : if your horse
is one that rushes back to
the paddock, and charges off
as soon as you release him at
the gate, don't let him loose
at the gate, not only because
of the danger of you getting
caught up in a partly-
removed halter, lead rein etc
as he gallops off.