Have I taken on Devil pony?

[LOZHUG]

Please don't shoot me down...

Well my three little ponies I have re-homed have been with me just over a week. They were turned out on Saturday with electric fence separating them and my own two. Saturday's turnout went well no running round a quick hello over the fence and that was that = happy ponies both sides.

Today on the other hand.........

Jack my ISH is now needing more grass so I have sectioned him off in the next field with electric fence and he can still go to the gate to see the others. Muffin my own sheltland can't go in with him yet as there is too much grass for him.

I thought well all the Shetlands can go in together...... Hmmmmm tried it and Muffin my Shetland who is normally top dog (with any horse or pony no matter what size) but NO way the smallest of the new three (devil pony) and her companions battered him. Poor Muffin was being chased round and round I thought he was going to pass out as he wasn't getting a second to stop, they were biting and kicking him and cornering him so I have for now taken him out and put him in his own section.
I know they will sort it out but I couldn't leave him to be battered whilst I couldn't stay to be on hand.

Any tips on introduction for when I try again?

I feel like a right softy but it was awful I have never seen an introduction go so bad

Cookies and tea for reading x Thanks x

 

[Brightbay]

Don't beat yourself up! These things happen

Take one - and I would suggest the one that's not the most assertive nor the one that's the quietest, but the middle one - of the new ponies, and let them in with your Shetland. Leave them like that for a good while if you can - two new Shetlands, a new plus an original Shetland, and your big boy. You may need to experiment to work out which new one gets on best with your wee fellow.

Then, if everything seems to have settled down, consider putting the groups together. Again, you may need to do this carefully. Remember, putting one into an established group (especially an established group who are probably sticking closely together to guard what they see as a very uncertain future) is likely to cause trouble - but putting one friendly pony in to an existing, secure pony's field is likely to cause much less trouble, provided they have enough room to keep a comfortable distance from each other. It's even better if you can put introduce two ponies to each other in a space that doesn't "belong" to either of them.

And that will be the key when you put them all together - they need to have (1) enough food, including grass, so that nobody feels the need to defend resources and (2) enough space so that nobody feels the need to defend space. And it helps if they each have a friend, so nobody feels the need to treat having a companion as a resource either.

Depending on your grass situation, and his laid-back-ness, you might consider putting the remaining two newbies in with your bigger fella to start with.

Lots of options there - trial and error is your best bet Devil pony is only being devil pony because she's uncertain and so defending herself against any possible, imagined, harm - once she's settled, things will be much better.

 

[LOZHUG]

Thanks Bb. They have plenty of room as they are in a 2 acre field but not a lot of grass on it as Muffin has been in there over the summer with Jack on a diet. Once jack has eaten his patch down Muffin can go on there and I will move Jack on again.

I daren't put them with Jack at the moment as it is so wet and he is so clumsy I am terrified he will injure himself as he does like to self harm. I think Muffin and the middle one together first and see how we go and give them time to adjust before adding anymore into the equation.

 

[AmyMay]

Introduce one at a time. No wonder the poor little guy got a hiding.

 

[zaminda]

Our established herd is not good with any interloper. When my pony comes back off loan, the others will chase him as a pack given half a chance. I would introduce him to one at a time, when he has been in with all three seperately, then I would have him in with 2, then with the three. Are they currently able to chat over the fence? If so, I would stay like that for a while first,then pick the most submissive of the other three as his first companion.

 

[LOZHUG]

They are able to chat between the fence and have done so for 4 days and there is no bother of face pulling, kicking out or squealing like this.

Not sure how I am going to manage one at a time as little madam devil pony is no trouble to catch or anything and she has the attitude. The other two on the other hand one won't let me anywhere near it and the other is ok at times.

Maybe if I work on gaining the two others trust before introducing them so that I am able to put one at a time and this will maybe let little madam and one of the others of her gang bond more as the one that's really nervous hangs around a lot with the gelding and not with little madam.

I am really surprised as Muffin won't take off anyone no matter how big or small and has never had problems when he was introduced to the others where we used to be. But as it is all new for the other three they are sticking together.

Ahhh ponies good job I didn't take the five

 

[Fools Motto]

Agree with putting Muffin and No2 into a 'neutral' area.. let them make friends. Leave it at that for some time. Make sure neutral area is not directly next to the no1 and no3 ponies, or they will still gang up on Muffin. This method may help you catch/befriend the tricky one (assume no3?) who will probably feel bolder with one removed above him. Of course it may also mean that no1 gets bossier and more protective of him, so make sure you watch all angles!!

As strange as it may sound, there is one more thing to mention. Some ponies (devil pony?) may not like Muffin, purely because he is grey. Has been known before that they take aversion to the colour, - this may be why he was chased so much dispite him normally being top 'horse'.

Whatever happens, keep the photos coming... little fluffy bundles!! - AND Jack!

 

[Twinkley Lights]

As strange as it may sound, there is one more thing to mention. Some ponies (devil pony?) may not like Muffin, purely because he is grey. Has been known before that they take aversion to the colour, - this may be why he was chased so much dispite him normally being top 'horse'.

!

This is true and chickens do this too! Good luck sounds like you just need some patience and lots of electric fencing

 

[LOZHUG]

Thanks, god help me as both mine a grey! Will keep you updated on how we get on. Just wish this bloody rain would stop for the ground to dry up a bit, it was really slippery in the field earlier and we have just had yet another downpour

 

[ladyt25]

Well it takes our lot weeks (last time was nearly 6 weeks) to accept a newbie although it is generally the new one who gets chased. However, it sounds like you just introduced your pony to the new ones yet they are already an established 'herd'. If you have a very dominant one within there then they will protect the rest and will want to keep the 'intruder' away from their herd which is what it sounds like was happening.

Take time, we always introduce the least aggressive for a bit before working up through the heirarchy with introductions. That way the lowest ranking ponies are not as interested in meeting the new horse and the dominant one has less reason to attack/chase/keep them apart. We've always found this is the best approach. I would not put the most dominant in with yours and separate her from her bunch as, if she's anything lik my dominant gelding, this could cause her to be very distressed.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Here's some photos of when I introduced my gelding (a yearling at the time) to reassure you that what you have seen is not unusual.

I put the gelding in one paddock with my TB as she was a broodmare in her younger days and is very gentle. She is also a middle ranked herd member. You can see that they were fine together straight away.

In the next door paddock was the chestnut (top rank) and grey (bottom rank). The grey was furious that a new horse had tuned up and ran at the fence (electrified so she did keep her distance from it) aggressively. I've owned her from when she was 12 months old and she had never behaved like this before.

I left them in separate but next door paddocks for approx two weeks. Then I divided one paddock in two with electric tape and had them either side of it in pairs.

Then after a further couple of weeks I took the tape away.

The chestnut (top) was fine with him but the grey was still bossy for a while, but she didn't attack him (just grumpy faces and the odd nip)

The funny thing is that now the gelding and the grey are best mates and I now have trouble because he is distraught if I take her away from him. Who would have guessed that?! Bleddy ponies.