introducing new horses

[mandwhy]

Just wondering what your standard procedures are for introducing a companion or other horses to the field.

My horse is in her own paddock and did take a while to warm to her new neighbours but has since been fine with all of them when they have ended up in each others fields (various fence breakage/gate barging/presumed jumping on all their parts but all within the outer boundaries!) She even shared her hay with the cheeky gelding who ended up in her field and didn't seem too bothered.

So I introduced a welsh sec A filly today, had my horse on a rope while new pony explored, my horse booted poor pony at least twice when she got too close and I decided to put big mare in the vacant field next door to calm down and they can get to know each other over the fence. They charged up and down and my mare squirted a lot and acted 'big' (she seems a bit hormonally confused!).

Anyway she settled down in the other field and new filly ran around having a lovely time neighing her head off but now seems pretty settled and happy I'm just wondering what to do next now, should I leave my mare in that field for a couple of days and try try to introduce them on leadropes to prevent any further horridness? Just not sure when it will be ok to put them in together really. My mare looked like she was going to mount the poor thing!

I am lucky that the lady who rents the next door field has moved early and said it was ok to put her in there but don't know how long it will be ok for! I have some electric fence posts otherwise and could borrow some tape.

Just wondering what you have done and how long it might take for them to settle down!

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I keep new ones apart from others when they come. They may get turned out next to each other if fully vaccinated, but there is always a good sized fence plus electric tape each side. I will then move tape closer daily so that eventually noses can meet. Usually after at least a week if not longer, will I then put together - and then after working them if possible to take the edge off 1st.

Or, you can do as my neighbour did with the last 2 who came in (August & December) - get them to the yard at dusk, open the gate & throw them out in the field with at least 1 or 2 others & leave them till next day!

 

[Lissa]

3 of 4 yards I've been on any new ones just get put out with all the others. All in herd turnout in big fields so plenty of room to get away from each other if need be. Always settle and I can't think of any instance where there has been a big problem.

Other yard they were in 2s or 3s, had to be in until wormed then owners of all horses in that group had to be there and usually YO . I saw more problems at that yard than any of the others. Was small (in comparison to others) strips of fields so no where to get away from each other.

 

[mandwhy]

That sounds like a good idea! I did ride my horse this morning and for the past two days thinking that might help but she is a funny one! She loves company and runs the fence if her neighbours go too far out of sight or heaven forbid go out, but then settles down quickly so it seemed obvious she needed a companion asap now that one side has moved. I'm sure they will be fine, I suppose I'll just leave her in there for a week if I'm allowed!

I am not that happy about leaving the filly in the field on her own overnight as she is not even 2 but she seemed ok grazing with the other neighbours near her!

 

[Inthesticks]

Personally, I do put them out together straight away. They have room to get away from each other, no bad corners and I know mine well. They will chase for a while and then start grazing and be friends.

In fact when introducing my new boy to my old mare I was shocked... I put new boy in the field with mare, he walked over to her and started grooming her and she returned the favour. That was it no running squeeling or anything.

New filly was introduced on one side of tape but jumped over it to go in with the others, they chased her for 15 mins and then had to replenish the calories and forgot what they were doing before! Cobs for you

 

[mandwhy]

Haha well my big mare is a 15hh haflinger, the filly is only 10.3 and fine so my mare obviously thinks she is an easy target! She kicked her quite hard and the filly didn't really run away specifically (she was running around anyway) so I'm not sure what would happen if I left them to it!

I went down to check them just now, the filly seems fine and my girl was alright really picking at some old hay far away in the spare field. I went and stood at the fence between them (mare would have stayed over the other side but I had pony nuts in my pocket!) and when the filly came within about 3 metres my mare reared a bit again and looked fairly dominant, so think I'll have to leave them as they are for a bit!