Introducing to a hers

ktj1891

ktj1891

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Put my boy out this morning in new herd. There will be 5 including him. The boss was in being ridden so got to meet others first they had a run around and Hooley and a few moments of the others chasing him. I hung around until the dominant one went back out and they said hello and all was fine he was even licking my guy. I went back up around 5 though and find he has 3 kick cuts on him. Don't know who did it put was told the boss was chasing him about around 4. So it's really worrying for me as I don't want him hurt he is already in the wars. Should I perserve? How long does it normally take to sort out? They are all out 24/7 ATM but my guy is in at night on vets orders will this matter?
 
How long it takes depends on the horses involved, there is no simple answer. If someone else at the yard can tell you what the alpha male horse is like that will give you one clue, the other major factor is your own horse's social skills.

In general at the yard I'm at it usually takes between an hour and three days for a new horse to establish itself in our gelding herd. Shortest time is taken when the new horse has good social skills and low status. It takes longer if the new horse wants to work its way up the pecking order quickly, and if your horse has poor social skills it might not happen at all (sorry). If the field boss is very dominant he is likely to feel the need to ensure that your horse knows his place (beat him up).

Personally I would expect it to take a bit longer if your guy is in at night and the others remain out, but it won't stop him from fitting in. To be honest if it was me I would plan to be there for a couple of hours next time you turn him out to see what happens. Is the field big enough that your horse has plenty of room to run away?
 
Yes plenty of room. He is very social but when he went out I think he was quite overwhelmed so when they were too up his arse he squealed and kicked out. But tbh he just wanted to go off on his own and explore. The field is pretty big! He has a good personality and has been out with others before and no problem. He has been in with only 3 mares before and no issues what so ever. As far as I could see they were just chasing him a way and the dominant one said hello to him very nicely and was even licking him. So not sure what happened between 1 and 5 today but I was told there was another hooley. I will stay and watch for a good while tomorrow and I will come up twice and check! Feel so bad for him.
 
Having plenty of room helps a lot to avoid serious injury, so that's good.

Horses will be horses, you can't do this for him, he's got to find his own solution. Putting a set of boots on might be an idea if you haven't done that. The other question I would be asking is how the field boss treats new horses and whether there is regular turnover of horses.

Good luck, I hope it all works out easily from now on.
 
If the other horses are shod and your horse has already had a good hiding i would not be wanting him to go back in with them until the hind shoes are off. Herds are fine for youngstock running together and by far the best way for them to grow up, but mature, shod horses that are coming in and out are far better, in my view, kept in pairs or singles if needed for a dominant type. As long as they can see one another they will be fine.

Of course, not everyone has facilities that will allow this type of turnout, and a horse can break a leg trotting down the road, but I have seen too many kicks break legs in shod herd environments, for me to even consider keeping horses in herds.
 
AdorableAlice said:
If the other horses are shod and your horse has already had a good hiding i would not be wanting him to go back in with them until the hind shoes are off. Herds are fine for youngstock running together and by far the best way for them to grow up, but mature, shod horses that are coming in and out are far better, in my view, kept in pairs or singles if needed for a dominant type. As long as they can see one another they will be fine.

Of course, not everyone has facilities that will allow this type of turnout, and a horse can break a leg trotting down the road, but I have seen too many kicks break legs in shod herd environments, for me to even consider keeping horses in herds.
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Absolutely agree 100% with you. You can't be too careful with introductions
 
Angus' yard said:
Absolutely agree 100% with you. You can't be too careful with introductions
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I was expecting a slating for my comment ! you have probably been keeping horses for decades to agree with my thoughts. Big herds seem to be very popular now, but it fills me with horror.

A friend of a friend bought a 3 year old very recently, chucked it out into a group of 8 in a big field. The horse got pulped and when the owner went into the field to try to retrieve the horse, the others starting barging and kicking out at her. She was terrified and had to let the young injured horse loose. She had to wait for other owners to arrive to help her.
 
I'm new so I can't exactly tell someone to take shoes off their horse. Don't think new horses come in all the time but it's a livery so inevitable to happen.
 
AdorableAlice said:
I was expecting a slating for my comment ! you have probably been keeping horses for decades to agree with my thoughts. Big herds seem to be very popular now, but it fills me with horror.

A friend of a friend bought a 3 year old very recently, chucked it out into a group of 8 in a big field. The horse got pulped and when the owner went into the field to try to retrieve the horse, the others starting barging and kicking out at her. She was terrified and had to let the young injured horse loose. She had to wait for other owners to arrive to help her.
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Totally agree with you. I've seen this happen with established groups particularly, forcing companionship is not worth the injury.
 
I don't know really I don't think it's been done that way before on the yard tbh he has been in a paddock on his own for 2 weeks but not next to the herd. He has been next to other separated horses. One gelding that just cannot fit into the group and one mare.
 
Having put my boy out with others he ended up with a broken elbow. I swore he would never go out in company again. He is right next to the others now just not in with them. Not worth the risk in my opinion but I get it that a lot of people want them out in herds.
 
I know I'm lucky as I have an established herd with no shod horses and as they all belong to me I could introduce newcomers carefully.

OP - talk to the YO, maybe a small area of the field could be electric taped off for your horse to go in for a couple of weeks? Just bunging a new horse in with a herd can go very wrong. If possible your horse could be introduced to a carefully selected member the herd first to buddy up with.
 
I'm on a large yard where most horses are kept in small herds of between 4 and 6 horses in single sex groups.

We normally introduce by turning out horse with individuals from the herd one at a time first before putting them all in together. Would it be possible to try something like this?

I accept there are risk involved with introductions, but I like the fact that my girl lives in a small herd as this is the most natural way for horses to live and gives her plenty of time just being a horse.
 
JulesRules said:
I'm on a large yard where most horses are kept in small herds of between 4 and 6 horses in single sex groups.

We normally introduce by turning out horse with individuals from the herd one at a time first before putting them all in together. Would it be possible to try something like this?

I accept there are risk involved with introductions, but I like the fact that my girl lives in a small herd as this is the most natural way for horses to live and gives her plenty of time just being a horse.
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This is a sensible and effective solution. It is so sad that because some yards can't be bothered trying to make introductions in a horse friendly way, horses end up being made to live alone :( The reason introductions are difficult are not because of the horses, but because of the way we choose to keep them. And somehow, instead of us being a little inconvenienced, or having to do a bit of complicated field mate shuffling, we choose the least horse friendly option - solo turnout. And then we complain that our horses get so overexcited when finally in with other horses that we have to take them back out and make them live alone again.
 
Well I have just gone back up again and he has been chased around and had his rug ripped I'm not happy! But no more kicks or anything injuries I can see. I really don't know how long I should wait to see if it settles?
 
Well it's been decided my pony is not going back with the group. He's been bullied beyond what I am happy with. So he will be going out with one other horse x
 
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