Introducing new horse...and some help pls

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ldlp111

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Well after a few months of looking I decided to buy a little (or was when I saw her last in September) dun and white filly foal (she was cream and white when she was born :confused:)
She arrived last sunday and spent a few days in as she was pretty much unhandled. She has become friendly very quick and likes a brush and I am able to run my hands down her legs. :)
She was put into neighbouring field from current two horses (mare and gelding) on tues. She seems happy enough in her own bit but I would like to introduce her sooner rather than later. The gelding was occasionally lunging at fence when she got too close, the mare was being fairly nice, so I decided to put foal in new side (with lots of grass) along with the mare who is the less dominant of the two. It started off fairly well mare showed abit of interest but was more interested in the grass. She did chase foal abit every so often normally just for few seconds and wasn't actually making any contact with foal. They had been together for nearly 3 hours when she chased foal again and bite her and also turned her bum on her as if to kick etc. I decided as I was off out (ony to get lunch) to put mare back with gelding leaving foal in neighbouring field.
So my question is what would you do next to introduce them carry on with mare and foal together or leave them in neighbouring fields for longer? I've never introduced any before myself that was what my mum did so am abit unsure, alot of people just said to let them get on with it etc but I don't want any serious damage being done :(

I would post a pic but can't seem to get photobucket to upload (haven't used it in awhile!!)

Thanks :)
 
I'd do what you are doing, put the mare in whilst you are there to supervise and when you are happy that they are getting on leave them for longer. Then when you introduce the gelding do the same thing again, just put him in whilst you are able to keep an eye on them until you are confident that they will settle whilst you are away. You cannot guarantee that they won't run about or have a kick or bite at each other but I'd want to be sure that they were happy grazing together and not running the foal to the point it gets exhausted. Good luck and would love to see foal photos.
 
I would make sure that no-one has back shoes on before I put them in together, it doesn't eliminate risk of injury altogether but it does minimise it. Then, unless the foal is fretting on her own, I'd leave them side by side until they've all stopped fussing and have accepted each other. Then I'd put mare and foal in together and let them settle before adding the gelding into the mix.
 
If your adult horses have back shoes on then please give serious consideration to this decision because your poor foal could end up seriously injured. Young stock are best kept with their own age group so they can socialise and learn herd manners but foal in with two shod adult horses is a def no-no to me.
 
Just wanted to add she came from a big herd of semi wild horses inc the stallion so I don't think her learning herd dynamics is that much of an issue. :)
 
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