While you can’t expect to be Zorro – whistling for your horse and expecting him to stay still while you jump onto him from two-story buildings – it’s not an unreasonable expectation to just want to catch it. Tell that to the horse. Here are some ideas to keep the horse coming rather than running:
Positive association
When a horse is running away from you it’s probably because it’s afraid or it associates you with something unpleasant such as work. With this in mind, leave the halter and rope behind every once in a while and bring a grooming brush instead. If you groom and pet the horse, you will train him to think that not every thing you want his presence for is negative.
Chestnuts roasting in your open pocket
According to former stunt rider Martha Cantarini, there is an old trick to get your horse to come that “never fails to work.” If you have a peeled chestnut, either hold it in your hand or put it in your shirt pocket. She says that if you are in the corral, lean up against a post with the rope behind you and let the horse come to you. It will smell the chestnut out of curiosity and you should be able to slip the rope around his neck with the other hand. The same principle will work in the pasture if the horse is downwind from you.
Remember that every horse has different tendencies and may react differently to certain techniques. Good luck finding the best way for you.
Source: Equisearch.com