Indroduction process (new horse moving in)

[Winklepoker]

Obviously I meant Introduction Process!!

I have read a lot of statements on here lately such as - 'horses mix well as long as a good introduction process is used'

Would anyone care to elaborate on what they believe is a good introduction of a new horse (PEBBLES' NEW MARE!!!!! ) into a paddock with one existing horse (My freckley man!).

We have post and rail topped with electric splitting it in half if need be.

Both Pebbles and I have a pretty good idea of how we want to do it but it would be interesting to hear other peoples thoughts.

 

[ladyt25]

If just putting in with one other horse then I wouldn't be overly concerned (depending on what the current horse is like with other horses in general anyway). The problems normally occur when a dominant horse in an established herd is trying to keep the new horse away from his/her herd.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I would put them either side of a fairly solid barrier at first. Just watch carefully then to see whether they appear to be friendly or not. You just have to use your judgement about the best time to actually put them in together. Sometimes if you can keep them in the stable for anohour or 2 with nothing much to eat, if you then put them on grass togetherthey will be more interested in eating than fighting.
I have known 2 mares who just stood side by side with a fence between them until we went back to put them together and at the opposite extreme we have a mare who has been with us now for 5 months (introduction process took almost 2 weeks) who is still kicking out when she feels like it at brining in time - good job she has no shoes on.

 

[Pebbles]

Thank you ladies, much as we had planned and only the 2 together so hopefully not a big problem. Any more thoughts welcomed anyone - as you can imagine I am very excited!!!!

 

[much-jittering]

Personally with just 2, meet over the fence etc/ride out together, then chuck out together, suited and booted if you wish and while somebody is vaguely around on site.

We move our mares in and out of herds a lot, usually they'll have been out with members of the group before so even if they've been elsewhere for six months we chuck them back out with their 'new' companions straight away, they'll all hurtle a bit but always slot back into their old place in the order pretty quickly.

Our geldings don't have so much change in their life, apart from certain herd members being seperated into the field next door or similar every now and then. So when introducing a new gelding (which rarely happens, it's means we've bought a new one in generally - a newly gelded homebred they'd already know anyway) we do turn it out alone first, then with another member of the group, then out with all of them for them to work it out themselves.

IMHO however much you faff, if you keep big groups together they'll all have to work out their new order at some point so as far as I'm concerned you may aswell get on with it sooner rather than later. In our case the reason we turn out with 1 first is really to make sure the new horse is ok with another, not how the other is the new one. I'd be staggered if slowly introudcing a horse to each new field mate one at a time still didn't mean they'd all have a hooley when they first all went out together, it's totally natural. Our herd of geldings is currently split on age lines, we bought a new 5 year old and the 6 older ponies in the paddock don't think much of him, and he's teemed up with the 2 and 3 year old that are out there. When they've all got the idea of what is and isn't acceptable to the older ones, they'll all integrate more.

 

[indie999]

My way is split paddock electric fence or whatever fence so they can meet over the fence and after a day or two let them get on with it! There will always be argy bargy, but just give them plenty of room to meet when they do go together.

So far its worked for me. But I am usually intro one to another or 2/3 horses together so I dont have a huge herd.