Handling animals: Horses and ponies

Anticipation is the key to safe handling of horses and ponies. Developing an awareness of the animal's natural behaviour and thus avoiding certain situations can enable handlers to prevent accidents. Most horses and ponies will behave better if handled with confidence, firmness, and kindness. Thrashing an animal will only produce fear and panic, and the horse or pony invariable stronger than the handler, will react instinctively and be less likely to perform the required activity. Wearing stout footwear is essential to give confidence to the handler. Boots or shoes with steel toe-caps are well worth considering as they protect the foot from trampling and enable the handler to stay close to the horse without fear of injury.
There are a number of tricks for catching difficult horses or ponies which are worth trying, depending on the circumstances.

1. Always approach the horse or pony from the front and slightly to one side where it can see you. The animal's vision behind and directly in front is good. Speak as you approach in order to give it a warning. Handle the horse or pony first on the lower neck or shoulder as this a safe area. 
2. Offer food over the fence. Some animals will then consider you to be a visitor rather than a catcher. This works best if the animal is wearing a head collar. It will usually submit once you have hold of the head.
3. Try sending someone to catch the animal who does not normally ride the pony or who is dressed in clothing not usually worn when handling or riding.
4. When an animal comes close but snatches its head away when you try to catch it, try crouching on the ground with some food close by. The unsuspecting animal may allow you to touch a front leg which you can then pick up. It then assumes that it is caught. Leaving a short length of rope or leather on the head collar may also help with a head-shy animal.
5. Cornering a horse or pony with the help of two or more people some times works, provided it does not usually gallop off when you are still a long way from it. Try to avoid exciting the animal, and if possible let it move forward a little. Many animals will give up once they are cornered and allow themselves to be caught.
6. Sometimes an animal can be difficult to catch even in a confined space because it is frightened or has been injured. In this case it may be necessary to use a lasso. If the animal cannot be caught with a lasso, a lariat can be tried. A lariat is a rope constructed with an extremely tight or hard twist and is used for holding and catching an animal. Knots are difficult to tie in a lariat because of the stiffness of the rope.

Many of the above techniques will be more effective if other animals are removed from the vicinity. Try not to chase the animal around the field. It will only make matters worse. Horses and ponies that have been handled well from birth are seldom difficult to catch. The handling they receive in the first few hours of life is particularly important in this respect.