Mary Allen
If a horse constantly runs away from the paddock and the pasture and only dares to go near its owner for carrots, it is high time to do something. Mutual trust is the basis so that the horse likes to come to the rider.
If the horse regularly runs away from people on the pasture, this is not only exhausting and time-consuming. “The horse makes it very clear that either the way you want to catch it or the reason for catching it, for example, the joint activities, motivates it to leave,” says Carmen Zulauf, horse instructor. It is important to accept this negative feedback and take it as an opportunity to work on the relationship.
The trainer warns against cornering the horse to catch it or shooing it around until it’s tired. Because that can provoke dangerous situations and only confirms the horse that it is better to stay away from people. Even treats have little success in the long term: “The horse should come to people because it trusts them and enjoys the time with them – not because they are being bribed with food. Also, most horses become very agile after a while. They then get the carrots and are gone again before the rope can be fastened.”
When horses give people the cold shoulder in the paddock, there can be various reasons behind it – including predominantly insufficient grazing, boring training, improper handling, pain, or lack of trust. You should learn to adapt to the horse’s energy level.
Spend a Lot of Time in the Pasture & Thus Arouse the Horse’s Curiosity
However, some pastures are so beautiful that they simply satisfy all the horse’s needs. Then of course you shouldn’t switch to a worse paddock, but ask yourself what you can offer the horse that it doesn’t have in the pasture. Depending on the type of horse, this could be, for example, a brush massage, long rides, or exciting new tasks.
In any case, it is helpful to regularly spend time with the horse in the pasture without wanting to catch it. “Just watch your horse graze and brush or pet it when it comes to you,” advises Zulauf. “Most of the horses then quickly become curious, want to be close to their owner and enjoy the peaceful, stress-free atmosphere.”
In the long term, however, all aspects of cooperation must be harmonious. After all, if the encounter with people on the pasture has become a pleasant experience, but afterward the saddle pinches or the jumping training overwhelms you, sooner or later the horse will run away again.
Sometimes it is not your four-legged friend that is the problem, but rather his conspecifics – for example when higher-ranking horses jostle at the gate or chase away the horse that you want to bring in. Then you have to calmly but firmly defend your personal space and that of your horse with a crop or a rope, says Zulauf. However, such situations generally harbor the great potential for injury to humans and animals. Depending on how much experience you have, how the interaction in the herd is, and how the pasture gate is designed, you should ask an experienced trainer for help in advance or at least take a helper with you to the pasture.