She writes:
Ive been on the group for a while just kept quiet. I know a lot don't mess with mustangs here but she is my problem child. I've tried the bonder. And it kind a worked. Here is the problem... I can't catch her...She a nine yr old mustang that was captured at 1 and titled at 3. She was left out in the pasture for most of the time and taught you dont have to touch me to feed me. Last May I decided it was her turn to be trained. She is my first. I was able to take her out on a trail away from home in 6 days from the from the time I put her saddle on..
Now I know that was pushing to hard. She and I went back to the basics and started over.In Feb, she and I had a bad accident. We have both healed well. I actually think is was a good thing. Now once I trap her to catch her she will do anything I ask. She's riding out on her own now. I have to lean over and tell her its okay sometimes if she gets nervous but she goes.
I took the bit away from her and started using a side pull and she seems to like that better. I had to get a built up saddle pad to fix the problems I was having with her high whithers
I have tried all sorts of tricks to be able to catch her and trapping her in corral panels is the only thing working. I hate doing that to her. What can I do to fix this catching problem?
Let me lay out three ways to catch hard to catch horses.
One is the way you are doing it now. Very annoying, very frustrating and very ongoing. But then, you've already discovered that. Many folks with hard to catch horses continue to have hard to catch horses because they are continually trying to catch the horse rather than teaching the horse to be caught. If we have a horse who keeps moving around while we're trying to saddle it, we often zone in on trying to figure out ways to get the saddle on. Getting the saddle on is not the problem. Getting the horse to stand still is the problem. If we teach the horse to stand still, saddling it is easy.
Another way is to simply walk it down a couple of times. This may take a while and you may want to take along a bucket full of determination. All the time you are following the horse you may want to picture it caught in your mind. This really does help because the horse will pick up on it. Hopefully the enclosure isn't very large. This is the best option when your doctor wants you to get more exercise.
The way that I use is the one you started to use. "I've tried the bonder. And it kinda worked. Here is the problem... I can't catch her..." The key words here are "And it kinda worked."
The bonder either works or it doesn't. "Kinda works" does not fall within the criteria. If it works, great, problem solved. You have shown the horse that you are the herd leader and horses gravitate toward leaders because horses are herd animals who depend on herd leaders for guidance. If it doesn't work, you haven't completed it.
There could be any number of reasons for it not working. Your mental attitude, failure to understand the purpose, misreading the actions of the horse or yourself are just a few of the reasons the bonder didn't work.
If the bonder doesn't work, do it again. How will you know it works? You'll know. Just don't run yourself or your horse into the ground. If either of you are all sweated up or frustrated, go get a cup of coffee, a good night's sleep or anything to give you both a break then go back at it. As long as neither of you are sweated up or frustrated you CAN continue but after about an hour, max, you both deserve a break. Quite often a huge change follows a break.
The purpose of the bonder is to improve your equine relationship. ANY improvement is a success.
For a free text copy of this procedure send an email to my auto responder Bonder@MarvWalker.com and in a few moments you'll get an automated response telling you some things I want you to know AND where on the Net to find the procedure. (Click Here To Email For A Copy)
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