Caring for Your Horse. Lesley Ward

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      Stand on your horse’s near side when catching him.

      Catching a Horse

      If your horse spends most of his time in a field or corral, you’ll have to catch him before you can ride him. This might be difficult because you should turn him out without a halter. Halters, especially tough nylon ones, can get caught on branches or fencing and seriously injure your horse. If your horse is hard to catch, turn him out in a leather halter; it will break if it gets caught on something.

      If your horse is friendly, catching him shouldn’t be difficult, especially if you have a tasty treat—such as an apple—in your pocket.

      Here’s the best way to catch a horse:

      1 Carry a halter and a lead rope into the field. Close the gate behind you. Call to your horse so he knows you’re approaching. Walk slowly, in an indirect arc toward him. If he doesn’t come, walk toward his side so he can see you clearly. Aim for his left shoulder so you’ll be in the correct position to put on his halter quickly.

      2 Stand on his near (left) side, next to his shoulder, and face the same direction he’s facing. Give him a treat as a reward for coming to you or standing still, then slip the lead rope over his neck and hold the two parts of the rope together with one hand under his throat. This gives you some control so it is harder for your horse to escape.

      3 Place the noseband of the halter over his nose, then pass the crownpiece behind his ears, and buckle it. Always give him a pat on the neck to let him know how good he is. Being caught should be a pleasant experience!

       CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!

      Some horses don’t like to be caught, and there are few things more annoying than chasing a wily horse around a field for hours!

      Here are some tricks that might help:

       Many horses associate being caught with working. Go out in the field occasionally just to visit your horse. Put on his halter, give him a treat, and then let him go.

       Carry the halter and lead rope behind your back so the horse can’t see it.

       Most horses are greedy and investigate anything that sounds like food. If your horse is by himself in the field, carry a bucket with some feed and shake it. Put down the bucket, and he should put his head in it. Wrap the lead rope around his neck and, voilà, he’s trapped. Never carry a bucket of feed into a field full of horses; they may fight over it, and you could get kicked and seriously injured.

       Horses are nosy. Carry a squeaky toy or a crumpled piece of paper and squeak or rustle it near your horse. If he comes over, move slowly so as not to frighten him off and cause him to bolt.

       Walk in a large circle around your horse, then slowly spiral in until you’re close enough to put on his halter.

       If you’re desperate, lead his field mates out of the field. Your horse will probably loiter around the gate, eager to be with them. When he is alone, he may be easier to catch.

      Turning out a Horse

      Carefully open the gate wide enough for you and your horse to walk through side by side. Once you’re in the field, turn your horse around so he is facing the gate. Close the gate, take off his halter, and let him go. Don’t let your horse loose when he is facing the field; the temptation for him might be too great. He might get frisky and try to run off, and you could get kicked and seriously injured or trampled. When in doubt, have a friend or trainer help you the first few times you turn out your horse. An extra hand is always helpful in case you lose control of the horse.

      Leading a Horse in a Halter

      Stand next to your horse’s shoulder, facing the same direction that he’s facing. (He should be on your right.) Clip the lead rope to the metal ring on the halter under his chin. Your right hand should hold the lead rope about 3 inches under the chin. Loop the excess rope and hold the loops in the middle with your left hand. Don’t wind it around your hand; if your horse runs off, you could be dragged behind him. Walk even to your horse’s shoulder; don’t get too far in front or behind.