How soon do you ride your new horse?

I suppose you should treat every horse as an individual - probably a more laid back character would adjust and settle in sooner than a highly strung one!
We personally usually ride either the same day (after allowing a couple of hours chill out time) or the day after. I know the horse has to settle in but we're always keen to make them realise they are there to do a job and it's not a holiday camp!
It's worked for us, all of ours and well adjusted, happy individuals!!!!!!!
 
A day or two at most, but really depends on type of horse and its temperament. Wouldn't wait too long, think it encourages them to think thay can try it on if wait a long time to settle in, esp comp horses who are generally used to travelling, being away from home and are fit.
 
Rupert travelled for hours approx 12 hours until he got to hiw new home although he is used to trvaelling (been on plane, boat and lorry) anyway, we got him home at about 5 in the morning. I would have allowed him days but after 2 days he was settled and so i took him on a hack to loosen him off etc in stuble field.

depends on the horse, untill it is happy and content with its new surroundings, that is when the horse should be exercised.

STB- i hope you like your new horse! hope it works out for him, sounds lovely chap!
 
ours have all been ridden the next day or lunged depending if we had tack for them!
Ours have all had to be good travellers and good at settling in as we went to boarding school and the horses would come with us so would be at school for term time and then during the holidays they would come home.

The longer they aren't exercised the fresher they could get and as they all get competed they would have to go to new places and get ridden
 
Ive been reading everyones replies with interest, I thought everyoe would have different views and we certainly seem to!

I left my last mare a week because it took her a while to settle in and bond with me, plus she hadnt been ridden for 8 weeks prior so I wasnt changing her routine too much at once then.

With this new one, like people have said he is unfit and hasnt been ridden for a while, so I think I will give him a couple of days to settle in and if he seems happy take him for a stroll around the block so he can see the sights. he is so laid back I cant see him being stressed abut anything!

Thats another thing I was wondering, do you always take a new horse out in company or alone, Ive always taken them out alone.
 
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Ditto - start out the way you mean to go on. You don't give a horse a day to settle in at a show do you????

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EXACTLY!
 
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