First yard move

[LHIS]

We are embarking on our first ever yard move tomorrow and I am a little anxious to say the least. I'm going to try and channel my inner calm and hope my gelding follows my example and doesn't become a fire breathing dragon.
He will be spending his first night in his new stable, then on Saturday morning be turned out with a couple of others for a little while. Current YO said she didn't think this was a good idea, that best would be to turn him out with only one other.
My thoughts are he will do what he will do, I have to let him get on with it, have a mad moment or two, and do my best to give him routine and help him feel settled and safe.
This is the first proper livery yard I have been on too, so it's a learning curve for me.
Any tips please?

 

[Mister Ted]

Some suggest fencing him off from others for a few days if possible so he can interact with others and be introduced more gradually.The danger can be if they are in the same field from the start they can all rush around in excitement and slip in muddy fields or your horse could be bullied or kicked.

 

[alainax]

Is there no quarantine?

 

[LHIS]

Is there no quarantine?

Not that I am aware of. I've wormed him to their request of 2 days prior to the move.

 

[alainax]

Not that I am aware of. I've wormed him to their request of 2 days prior to the move.

I was more thinking for strangles. Usually it's a 2 week quarantine and blood tests. It's not so bad as gives the horse a chance to settle into the new environment before meeting the new herd. If there isn't one I'd be a bit worried about the bio security.

 

[LD&S]

I was more thinking for strangles. Usually it's a 2 week quarantine and blood tests. It's not so bad as gives the horse a chance to settle into the new environment before meeting the new herd. If there isn't one I'd be a bit worried about the bio security.

Unless the horse is from a high risk group I don't think quarantine is very common, it rarely gets mentioned when people are moving yards.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I wouldn't want to just chuck a horse out with a new horse, with no idea who has back shoes. Ask if you can put him in a separate adjacent field and let them get to know each other over the fence.

 

[alainax]

Unless the horse is from a high risk group I don't think quarantine is very common, it rarely gets mentioned when people are moving yards.

I'm quite shocked by this. Every reputable yard that I am aware of in this and the surrounding areas has quarantine for new arrivals. Standard practice regardless of the horse supposed "risk group".

I presumed the rest of the Uk would have similar if not stricter measures particularly in places where strangles is much more prevalent that here.

 

[LHIS]

I wouldn't want to just chuck a horse out with a new horse, with no idea who has back shoes. Ask if you can put him in a separate adjacent field and let them get to know each other over the fence.

Ok will do. If I can't, then I am probably left with no option but to put him out with his new field mates, is there anything I can do to make it as smooth as possible? He will be stabled overnight next to and opposite his new fieldmates.

 

[Nugget La Poneh]

If you are still based in Cheshire, then I would be expecting quarantine from a Strangles point of view as there have been confirmed cases in the North West.

Ultimately with the turn out I've known cases where the new horse has got on perfectly fine in small groups and then been turned out with the same horses but in a herd and it's all got a bit heated. Equally, I have seen several horses turned out into the big wide world and nothing has happened - but then the field was large enough for everyone to work out their issues without being confined.

 

[Amye]

I would also recommend a quarantine period - my yard does this, i'm surprised others don't.

As for whether you should chuck him out in the herd, people have different views, some will introduce over a fence slowly to let them get used to each other and some people will say let horses be horses and chuck them out together!!

If there's only going to be him and two others, I guess that's not a large herd so you might find that they sort out their issues fairly quickly. It might be worth speaking to the owners of the other horses and seeing how they think their horses will react? If they are generally calm and accepting of new arrivals then you might be fine putting them all out together. Consider what your horse will be like too.

When I first put J out in his field I just put him out with the other 2. I'd spoken to the owners and the horses were unlikely to cause issues as they were all pretty calm (as is mine) and we watched them for a while but they didn't really care and just grazed!

 

[Midlifecrisis]

Im always surprised quarantine and strangles tests are not required ...Ive been to 3 livery yards in 5 years and none of them put ponies into quarantine...only 1 asked for a recent clear strangles test (the local farmers - not the BHS approved one or specific horse livery yard) and in all three we had to turn out with others - no separation or gradual introduction...a sink or swim scenario.

Don't over think the move OP and just keep on with your usual routines...best of luck.

 

[LHIS]

Thanks all. He moved this afternoon, as I thought he was a little anxious but he's a curious sort and that got the better of him. One by one he other horses came in from the field and he squealed a hello to all of them.
Tomorrow he's out with the rest of the herd, bar some of the smaller ponies which are separate, so probably 5 or 6 and not the 3 I thought.
YO owner said two of the geldings (big geldings) are quite dominant, but suggested I put him out first with a quiet mare and let them buddy up, before the others join them later.
I asked if there was any option of introducing them slowly - no, no adjacent field he can be put into. So it looks like I have no choice but to turn him out with the others and hope for the best. The field they are going into is very muddy and I expect him to be up to his eyeballs in it by the time he comes back in at 3.30pm.
I can't be there to keep an eye on him either as we have houses to view tomorrow so I will have to leave him to it, though others will be around to keep an eye on him.
What I have learnt is things to ask at our next yard, which given our house is now sold probably isn't too far in the future. Whether livery yard life will suit us I don't know, we've both led quite sheltered lives so far on private yards, I think this will be quite an adjustment for us.