March 10, 2013

Yesterday I attempted to catch Cooper again.  He was much more receptive and let me run my hand down his back several times, but he was still not letting me get a rope over his neck.  After about 10 minutes of playing “catch the pony” my friend, and teammate, Carol Ann called to chat.  I mentioned I was in the middle of attempting to halter Cooper and, Carol Ann, knowing the barn set up, which includes ways to quickly section off the barn yard to keep multiple ponies separated, suggested I shrink his area up until he is forced into the barn.

Brilliant.

So I strung up a piece of tape from the barn door to the fence.  And then I strung a second tape from the other side of the barn door to the fence, but I left this piece laying flat on the ground.  I then walked around the barn and Cooper slowly moved ahead of me and into my snare.  I pulled up the second piece of tape and closed him in.

Score.

Almost.

He put his head under the tape and scooted out under it.

Drat.

So I lowered the tape, and tried again.  This time I didn’t even get to pull up the second side before he strolled into the barn like it was no big deal.

I closed the door, and slipped him into two halters and let him have grain.

When I put him back out, I left the two halters on, and attached a long line to the top, breakaway halter.

He is improving.  He is letting me touch him more when he is loose, and I feel if he had a halter on it wouldn’t have been much of an issue.  He is also starting to really enjoy treats and gobbles them up more readily.

Standing in the barn yard, munching away.

Reward – you get grain!

He stands so nice in cross ties, and enjoys a nice brushing.

March 9, 2013

When I went out to feed yesterday I was met by a naked pony.  Cooper’s halter, and long line that I had left on him the day before were both off.  Naked face.  Oh no.

I found the halter and lead in a neat little pile, smack in the middle of the barn yard.  The halter was still clipped closed and perfectly intact.  It wasn’t near the fence or a post, just neatly coiled into a deep mud puddle, surrounded by snow.  It is highly possible Simon assisted in its removal, or perhaps Cooper handled it all on his own.

I spent about 20 minutes with a bucket of feed in my hand, trying to get a rope over his neck.    I was able to run my hand down his back a few times, but he never let me get the rope over him.  If he had had a halter on I am sure I would have been successful.  Towards the end he was starting to get a little less calm, so I decided to put the feed up and throw in the towel for the night.

I’ll try again tomorrow.   And when I do get a halter on him, I am layering a second one on top.

March 8, 2013

Cooper has been with me for four days now and he has turned out to be very hard to catch.  His previous owner told us this, so I left his halter on and kept him refined to the barn yard when I put him out Sunday night.  Monday I attempted to catch him with a bucket of feed, and although I could touch him briefly, there was no catching him.  I did not want to push it, and was short on time, so I didn’t force it.  I decided to give him some time to adjust and just be a pony and revisit in a few days.

Yesterday I put Simon in and approached Cooper with a bucket of feed.  It only took a few minutes before he gave in and let me catch him.  I brought him in put him in the cross ties.  I brushed him, and gave him lots of cookies and attention.  I also held his feed bucket while he ate and continued to pet him.  When I let him back out at the end of the short session of attention, I switched him to a breakaway halter and left a lead rope attached.

He was very calm and laid back once I had him, and I think he will come around with some consistent attention.  Lets see how the attached rope and only eating grain when caught method does.