Field swap didn't go quite to plan

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CBFan

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hmmmmm... don't know quite what to do.

I posted a couple of weeks ago about swapping my boy into the field next door with a herd of bigger horses. Well I did it yesterday and all seemed to go well. I hung around for an hour or so and as there was no running around / hooves flying etc I thought phew!

Came back in the afternoon to find my boy covered in dry sweat and a graze on the top of his rump and he was really not happy about coming down the field past the others. I then just thought well hopefully they've sorted it out and they'll be fine... and my friend text me last night to say they were. But I came down this morning and my boy has two quite deep cuts on his buttocks and has obviously taken a kick or two elsewhere. I now feel really mean and am wondering whether to just put him back in his old field and put up with the negatives of it...

I know they have to sort out pecking orders etc but I do feel like I've just put my boy through that unnecessarily (even though there was good reason for doing it)... argh! what to do?
 
Probably a silly question and not any help but did you introduce him to the more submissive field members first or just put him in with the whole group?
 
Have absolutely no idea then (as you could already tell :p)... did he mix well with the original introductions and does he have to be with this group (most of the horses on my livery yard are either on their own or are in groups no larger than 3)
 
You need to give it more time.

Doesn't matter how slowly you introduce there is always a high chance of rough playing in the first few days.

You need to decide to take that risk, or remove him.

Sorry if that seems a bit hard, but horses will be horses.
 
I realise you have to give it more time but I have decided I just can't risk further injury so he's going back in his original field. The move made sense in a lot of ways but it wasn't the be all and end all and I just can't put him through any more upset. He was so sad this morning and I've had to leave him in with his legs bandaged up as he'd got a kick and was quite swollen :(. Cuts and grazes I can put up with, but kicks are another question.

I know horses will be horses...
 
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