Pandapal
Member
Hello all.
My horse moved to a new yard about 7 weeks ago and has generally settled in well.
Unfortunately one or more of his new field mates took a dislike to him and he has been coming in with bite and kick marks. This doesn’t seem to have settled down so the YO suggested we move him to a different field.
He went out in it late this morning and seemed to settle well. The other horses were fairly unbothered by him and there wasn’t any squealing or upset. They all had a good sniff then settled.
But several hours later another owner messaged me to say that my horse was very upset, pacing and kicking at the gate, and coated in sweat. He came in and I cleaned him off and he calmed down, happy to be back in his stable. He has no new marks or injuries and the other horses were apparently still at the other end of the field, so I think he’s just worked himself up by being in a new location. But he didn’t do this when he went into the first field. He was quite happy out there from day one.
I’m hoping if I reintroduce him to the field gradually he’ll start to relax in it. But I wondered if anyone else had experienced something similar.
For context he is a thoroughbred gelding, an ex-racer but he has been off the track for over four years. I’m both fields he was out with around 8 other geldings. They’re big fields with plenty of room for them to find their own space if they want it.
My horse moved to a new yard about 7 weeks ago and has generally settled in well.
Unfortunately one or more of his new field mates took a dislike to him and he has been coming in with bite and kick marks. This doesn’t seem to have settled down so the YO suggested we move him to a different field.
He went out in it late this morning and seemed to settle well. The other horses were fairly unbothered by him and there wasn’t any squealing or upset. They all had a good sniff then settled.
But several hours later another owner messaged me to say that my horse was very upset, pacing and kicking at the gate, and coated in sweat. He came in and I cleaned him off and he calmed down, happy to be back in his stable. He has no new marks or injuries and the other horses were apparently still at the other end of the field, so I think he’s just worked himself up by being in a new location. But he didn’t do this when he went into the first field. He was quite happy out there from day one.
I’m hoping if I reintroduce him to the field gradually he’ll start to relax in it. But I wondered if anyone else had experienced something similar.
For context he is a thoroughbred gelding, an ex-racer but he has been off the track for over four years. I’m both fields he was out with around 8 other geldings. They’re big fields with plenty of room for them to find their own space if they want it.
