Introducing new pony to others - Advice needed!!!!!!

[Sprout]

I have over the years had to introduce new horses to our existing horses, and have never had a problem. I always put the new one in a paddock next to the others for a couple of weeks so they can get to know each other over the fence first. Then I choose a quiet day, usually after they have been exercised when they are a bit tired, I make sure there is grass to eat, and no issue over buckets etc, and just let them get on with working out their own pecking order. So far, the pattern is a squeal, some striking out, a bit of rearing, then a quick gallop round the field with some bucking, fly kicking etc and then they settle down to graze - pecking order sorted.

I have two ponies who are best buddies, and have established who is boss by the most subtle of body language, no sign of aggression needed.
Last weekend I decided to introduce the new pony, who has been saying hello over the fence for two weeks. I took "boss" pony out and put him in another paddock close by, and put the new pony in with the other one. To start with they just ignored each other, then my pony approached the new one, they sniffed noses and immediately swung and reversed at top speed into each other, bum to bum and then had the most ferocious power struggle trying to push each other out of the way or right over ( imagine two rams running at each other, head butting etc, but in reverse! ) then they suddenly separated and double barrelled each other repeatedly, before resuming the bum to bum power battle, then back to trying to kick the life out of each other. it was horrific to watch, and I have never seen horses sort out the pecking order in this way. It was too dangerous to go in and try to separate them, and I do wonder if mentally it would have been the wrong thing to do anyway, so I had to wait until they were both too exhausted to continue and they had retreated to either ends of the field, before I removed the new pony. I honestly thought they would have done each other serious damage as they are both shod all round and have road nails, but thankfully they only had superficial wounds.

Now, I am not sure what to do next, if anything. I dont want to risk serious injury to any of them, so maybe I have to leave the original two together and let the new one remain close, but on his own. I should add that my ponies are kept at home, so there are not other horses to try a pair bonding with.

Any suggestions, and has anyone else seen behaviour like this?

 

[archoak]

Leave the new boy on his own, Duke has a field to himself with others either side and always has done while we have owned him. They can say hello and make contact over the fence, they soon adjust and just accept it. Good Luck

ETS: All the horses on our yard have individual turnout and are all very chilled

 

[Sprout]

Thanks applechaff for your reply - I think it may come to that, but I was hoping they could all learn to get on together as it is more natural to be a "proper" herd, but I just cant risk any major injuries.

Anyone else seen this particular way of deciding who is boss?

Looking at the two of them once they stopped, neither looked as though they felt they had won the battle.

Any thoughts gratefully received.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I would take everybody's back shoes off. Then put 'Boss' pony and new pony together and if 'Boss' is still in charge let him look after his friend when you put the 3 in together.

 

[Kallibear]

I've seen that kind of fighting before between two dominate, but not top-dog geldings. It's horrible to watch (if also makes me laugh when fluffy bunnies say you should never smack your horse as you'll hurt him

)

I think taking out the boss horse may have been a mistake - depending on the lower ranking horses temperament, it can make them insecure and aggressive.

Personally I'd stick all three together (without shoes on!) in a large and, if possible, strange field and chase them to run together. If you can get them to run as a 'herd' (obviously the field needs to be safe!) they are often more accepting of each other afterwards.

 

[SO1]

I think it is more difficult when you have two and are adding a 3rd - like two is company - three is a crowd!

I have a dominant pony and when I moved yards I just put him out straight away into the group as that was the only option I had - but he is very greedy so all he was interested in was eating and thankfully so was everyone else so nothing happened. A few came over to say hallo - no kicking no squealing and then they all went off to eat and have lived happy ever after. This is in contrast to when I first got him and was on yard one where he fought constantly for 3 weeks and ended up with a hoofshape mark on his bum for six months where he got kicked and in his previous home where he did not get on with his only field companion.

I think ponies are individuals and not all automatically get on well with each other. My pony completey adores his current field mates but they are all ponies similar to him so perhaps he feels more secure.

I dont know how much grass you have but maybe if you turn them out when they are hungry they will be more interested in eating and less in fighting. Also perhaps hacking them out together in a group or tying them up next to each other on the yard as well might help.