How to Catch a Hard-to-Catch Horse

Not being able to catch your horse is really frustrating. Chasing your horse down, or tricking it before you start each ride, is not a positive way to begin your time together.

It’s worth spending a little time teaching your horse to be safely caught. There may be a time when you absolutely must catch your horse—such as for visits from farriers and vets, or even something extreme, like an evacuation order.

Consider a Halter

Generally, horses shouldn't be turned out with halters on. However, during this retraining period, you may want to keep a leather crowned halter on your horse, even in the pasture. Horses can become entangled when trying to scratch an ear with a hindfoot or can hook a halter on a gate latch and get hung up. Leather halters or halters with breakaway crowns are safer if the horse becomes entangled.

Create Positive Experiences for the Horse

If you want to be able to catch your horse, you will have to convince it that being caught doesn’t always lead to discomfort or work. You’ll do this by spending time with your horse that doesn’t involve any of what it perceives as negative experiences