How long does it take for horse to settle at new yard???

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Kate_13

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I've just moved my boy to his new yard and the poor boy seems quite stressed. He is going to live out and spent his first night out.

I bought him out of the field this morning and he was very stressed on the yard, I put him in his stable opposite another pony and he just shook and box walked, so I took him out back into his field.

How long does it take to settle? Should I just keep him living out as he seems happier in his field or bring him in for 10 minutes each day to get used to his stable if he needs it?

Poor lad, I won't ride him for a few days as he is clearly having trouble taking it all in.

Advice would be appreciated. Thanks
 
it depends on the horse really. some horses don't take very long while others get rather unsettled by moving. I think you are doing the right thing by gradually introducing him to the stable and hopefully with some time he will settle.
 
Spring took about 2-3 weeks to be fully settled on our new yard. But I think that this was because she had a huge change in routine as well as a change of yard. She went onto individual, 24-hour turnout and was also on restricted grazing to monitor her weight. She is also a fairly sensitive flower
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but has finally settled and is back to her normal self. If he has a large change in routine then it may take him longer to adjust.
 
My horse took about 3 weeks to settle and he has still not settled fully. He had never lived out before but, apart from some wild galloping when he was first put in his paddock, he took to living out really well and is now happy in his field with another gelding. Bringing him up to the yard stressed him a lot to start with. He wouldn't stand still for a second even though I was with him all the time. He is a lot better now because I just kept bringing him to the yard and tying him up for 15 mins or so and grooming him until he stopped stressing so much. He is not perfectly at ease like he was on his old yard though.

I have tried popping him in a stable temporarily whilst I went to poo pick his field just to see how he coped but he kept calling and looking over his door anxiously so we have some way to go with that. He is fine if the other horses are in and he has hay to eat.
 
It totally depends on the horse.

I would keep him to a routine that he is used to, and would not bring him into the stable to begin with if it winds him up. Let him settle and then start pushing the boundaries.

Suggest a calmer supplement would be useful at the moment.
 
I tend to keep them in thier stable until thier settled in there, then adventure out, increasing the time they spend out. I would be taking him out for walks first then lunging before riding.
 
would agree with the 'depends on the horse' opinion, and would add that it also depends on how quiet/noisy/relaxed the yard etc itself is.
although it would seem sensible to let them relax and not ride them etc to allow them to settle in, personally I've found that keeping them to their normal routine, schooling etc, gives them security and normality, and worked for me.
Either way, they all settle in the end - it's usually us that have the jitters!! Good Luck!
 
Moving yards can be quite stressfull for both you and your horse! The most important thing to remember is that horses are creatures of habit and so you need to try and establish a routine. If possible similar to the one you had on your previous yard. It's a good idea to bring him in on a daily basis even just for a short period of time. If he has any field companions bring one of them in too so that he's in company offer him a small feed/hay net or give him a groom to improve the bond between you both and let him know that your still with him! It may be a good idea to hack (in company) for the first week or so, so that he gets to know his new surroundings.
Good Luck
 
I think it totally depends on the horse. Some horses seem to settle almost straight away whereas others can take months. The last one I bought was so depressed but after about 2 months he began to settle and improved beyond recognition. It can hit some sensitive horses really hard. I would try and find him a buddy ASAP, ideally just leaving him out (where he's happiest, Id introduce the stable after he's settled) with the 1 other horse. Otherwise Id simply make sure they have lots of hay so hopefully he'll eat rather than stress and Id try and get a routine going as soon as possible.
 
Depends on the horse and the yard I think. The first yard I moved my gelding to, he settled instantly. I moved him to a different yard months later and he never settled, he lost weight, he was stressed, he went into depression, he was destructive, he was dangerous to ride and I couldn't do a thing with him. I moved again and he was golden.
 
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