How long do you keep trying to get horses to turn out together?

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Sophiesmum

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I posted about 3 weeks ago, about our very obnoxious old lady, who took exception to a new horse being put in her field. Old mare has been kept on her own for the past 5 months, with horses either side of her (not exactly a choice thing, we lost our gelding and were looking for a new horse). After a couple of days of being stabled opposite each other and riding out together we turned them out together and the new girl wandered over to say hello (and showed she was in season, I hadn't realised until then) to the gelding next door and the old girl went mental, chased her off, and later literally ran down the field to chase her for no reason. After about 20 minutes I did separate them. Since that day I have turned them out at night (with nothing else out at night), just with an electric fence between them. I lead them out together, get them in together and they are, on occasion, hacked out together. I moved them to a small summer field, and put them together for an hour the first day, 2 hours yesterday, and 3 hours today. They have been very good and I thought we had cracked it (and was daring to think about putting them out together overnight). Today, all was peaceful when I went to get them in, but YO told me they had had a tussle - and the new girl has 2 marks - just bald weepy grazes, as opposed to open wounds, one on her forearm, and one on her bottom.

I just don't know whether they might have sorted it out, or whether I am going to keep getting more of the same..................

So, should I try tomorrow and see what happens, give up and split the small summer field into 2 and split them up again, I could have back shoes taken off of the old girl temporarily, but she is still in work (and needs to be as she is a bit porky), but I would envisage she would get footsore very quickly as she is hopping lame if she loses a front shoe.

Help! I just don't know what to do for the best - caramel shortbread if you got this far - thanks!

Shoud also say, the new girl is very laid back and not confrontational, the old girl is always the boss, she is a very dominant character.
 
If the old girl is the boss then maybe I would persevere. Its so much nicer and easier once they learn to get on. Saying that, I have two dominant geldings and have given up after the younger kicked the **** out of the older one. Several times.

If you are not seeing the old girl really going for it both barrels, but its mostly just chasing, then I would persevere if it was me. Hard though, you don;t want injuries.
 
Either leave them out permanently together to establish a relationship properly - or separate them now.

I would imagine that separating them all the time is doing little to help the situation.
 
I'd personally persevere with it, they will need time to establish their pecking order. Once your old girl has established she is definatley boss then things should settle. Mind..I only have experience of boys. Girls are far too complicated for me! :D
 
Usually they come in about 6am, then go out about 6pm, but I just am not brave enough to turn them out together at night yet, so for the last few days I have brought them in as normal, then put them back out midmorning in the summer paddock, then when they come in they are in until the evening and time to put them back out in the original paddock - oooops, I didn't realise I could be making the problem worse
 
I would persevere. Turn them out and leave them out. If your older mare is dominant and the new one is quiet they should be able to sort out their pecking order quite quickly. If you keep separating them and putting them in together etc etc then it will only take them longer to sort themselves out.

My mare got turned out with another, I always thought she would be the dominant one. Turned out it was the other mare! Brought mine in one day with a horrible gash to her hock and needed stitches. I thought about separate turn out but knew she would be happier with a friend and I just kept turning her out with the other mare and let them sort themselves out. Since that kick they became best of friends.
 
If it was me I would take her back shoes off then at least she can't do any damage, and may just give her something else to think about (gasps from all bunny huggers expected), if only for a week or so - vets bills can be a nuisance and what about the poor bullied horse ?
 
I don't think the new girl has been 'bullied' as such during the last few days - I stayed out of sight and watched the first time, they were absolutely fine, grazed apart and together, almost eating the same blade of grass, day number 2, I watched for about an hour, then popped off for about 20 minutes, but a friend was in the yard and could see them, and then today I stayed about an hour, then left them for a couple of hours, when I got back they were just grazing, but the YO told me what had happened and obviously I have the marks.............
 
ive just brought to yearlings and already have a 2 yr and a 8 year old both of my two had been on there own for 6 months with a gelding next door .
when i put them in they where chasing both the new ones around .
i did wonder if to seperate or basicly let them get on with it .
my other half was going mad and saying he wanted fencing up between them . at that point
i felt they were not doing any harm
they where not showing hind quaters etc just chasing them and a few nips here and there . horses unfortualy have to gather pecking order . and this would include chasing and a couple of battle wounds , if there are not threats such as hinds lashing out,
i would leave it , the more you interfen the more you are setting back the process of pecking order .
both of mine went off and done what they wanted to do and the other two stayed away till they felt safe to start to intrerfen with the other two , all four of them are in love now and happily grazing by one another .
 
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Agree with amymay, just leave them out together full stop. They will sort it out.

If not then maybe put boots on the younger mare during the day, just to give her legs a bit of protection from injuries
 
Doh! Forgot to also say the other reason I was doing a few hours at a time and building up is because I don't want to just turn the older mare out on the summer grazing as she will be like a balloon! I was wanting to introduce the grass gradually - knew I'd forget to put something important down!
 
I would turn them out together and leave them together... a few scratches and scrapes are completely normal in the 'getting to know you' scenario for horses.

As for taking shoes off, it won't make a blind bit of difference to the potential damage that can be done. My then yearling gelding (barefoot obviously) managed to break my arm last year and most of the geldings in his field are barefoot yet he still comes in with scuffs etc... in fact, scuffs are most likely caused by teeth anyway...

if your old girl cant have too much grass have you considered a grazing muzzle in the interim? that way they can graze together but she can't pig out...
 
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