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.