Advice on introducing new horses needed!

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ChestnutConvert

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I have three geldings that have spent abut a week getting to know each other over various fences. Apart from the usual grunts and 'girlish' whinny's nothing major has happened.
I would love to have them all in one field together but am worried about just letting them go. Maybe i'm worried over nothing! One of them has been at the yard for a while, the other two are new but i just can't gauge any dominance etc.

Any tips for getting them out together??
 
Personally I'd just chuck them all in together and let them sort it out themselves. I always leave headcollars on for the first time and boot everything up, then just watch for a while incase any major real fights breakout. I should imagine they'll be a few squeals, bit of running around and maybe a few half hearted double barrels but should imagine they'll settle within 5 minutes. I find there's only ever trouble if you throw mares intoi the mix :rolleyes:
 
FaldingwoodLivery said:
Personally I'd just chuck them all in together and let them sort it out themselves. I always leave headcollars on for the first time and boot everything up, then just watch for a while incase any major real fights breakout. I should imagine they'll be a few squeals, bit of running around and maybe a few half hearted double barrels but should imagine they'll settle within 5 minutes. I find there's only ever trouble if you throw mares intoi the mix :rolleyes:
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Agree with the above!!
 
This is what we do,no breakfast...then for 3 horses 6 piles of hay well spread out.They are usually hungry and will chase each other off the feed but there is always another pile to go to.
 
I agree with the others, I'd put them out together since they've now had time to get to know one another over the fences, maybe put some boots on just incase they have a mad few mins. They should settle down. :)
 
See I would not put new horses in together within that short timescale but that's because we have a long-established herd with two very dominant geldings (they're all geldings) and they can be nasty! Took 6 weeks before my new one was accpeted enough last year. Even after 5 weeks and gradual introductions it still all kicked off!!! However, IF all the horses were relatively new and none were particularly dominant then i would be more inclined to mix them as none will be really territorial or anything. We got two horses once at the same time and chucked them both in together and they were fine. One of those two is now the very dominant herd leader and sometimes I think if i'd known that back then i'd have never had put him straight in with another horse.

Still, because he was new too he had noone to defend so he showed no aggression at all.
 
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