Let the horse settle or get straight on?

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Bens_Mum

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Just wondering what you would all do?

Would you ride a horse straight away or give it time? If you were to ride it first would you school or hack?

The horse is the ex point to pointer on my other post. Seems pretty chilled intention was only to hack for a while but there isn't anyone handy to go with. Has hacked out alone fine when tried would you just go for it?

It doesn't understand lunging etc so it needs schooling from scratch. It does stop and go but steering is interesting?

What do we think? Would it be bonkers to get on and just take it up the lane and back?
 
No I got straight on mine the hour he arrived fresh off the track and hacked him round the block with someone on foot
 
I always try and get them into a vague routine of this is your new home and we ride most days; whether its a new yard or a new horse, so i would get on and have some one on foot to at least walk up and down the lane.

As a result of this all of my horses have been easy to settle in new places, and dont have a problem going to new venues or overnight stays. We go places, i ride and thats how it works and they are happy with that!
 
Get straight on - but I'd always school first, at least to take the edge off them, before hacking out. And I would suggest having someone with you if you do hack out, just incase.
 
I always say it depends on the horse. This is a horse who is used to getting off the box and going, not standing about being petted for a day or two. I would not hack it without someone there, especially if the steering is interesting. Maybe even just a plod about the yard or arena with no real intention of working, just riding.
 
I always get on with it - get the horse in a routine as soon as possible. Last horse arrived at 4am last Tuesday, straight from the ferry, and went for a hack that afternoon. I've hacked him out nearly every day since, and we're going xc schooling at the end of the week.

He's been a delight. What you don't want to do is give a horse that has previously been in work, time off and allow him to get fresh and naughty.
 
I just get them straight into the roultine of my yard, and that means straight into work the next morning .
I think all sorts of problems are caused by this give them time to settle thing , you allow for and plan for the fact they may be unsettled but tired horses settle quicker so I give them plenty of work .
 
I got on the moment she arrived off the boat from Ireland (which probably saved me a fortune in hindsight as she was later diagnosed with a muscle myopathy so stabling her and riding the next day after that journey would have been a disaster!).
 
If the horse has been in regular work before purchase then we always crack on with riding them straightaway. If they are going to have problems settling in, then the problems are likely to be greater if they are fresh as well as unsettled!
 
BM's if the TB were here we would lots of walking exercise food would kept basic and turnout daily .
We would teach him to lead from another horse as well( saves time and nice for their backs ) if he's half sensible .
I would start small amount of school work by taking the horse into school after walking exercise and at first just walking on long reins and having a pat and fuss and gradually doing ten minutes of training .
Just start on the lunging from scratch like a three year old teach the horse to walk and halt in hand and build up gradually .
Have fun .
 
Going a bit against the grain...but I always give new arrivals a few days to explore their new environment and get used to new horses, people and routine. The time can be used for catching up on any stuff that needs sorting - teeth,tack etc. and generally starting to build a calm, friendly relationship. We've never had any 'settling in' problems or glitches with ex-racers or others.
 
I'd always try and get on, as it's similar to taking them to a show. You'd get on them right away, no time to settle in a new environment in that situation.

Saying that, my usually brilliant horse to load and travel, had an absolute paddy when we moved yards a few months ago, horrible to load and travelled really badly. Luckily it was only a 5 minute journey. But she was then settled on to the yard and turned out to calm down.

Any other time though I'd say crack on! Take someone on foot with you, even if you go out on a hack for 10 minutes, it's setting the routine from the off :)
 
Always straight into work- same day preferably if they haven't moved far, otherwise certainly the day after.
I'm happier to do it this way and give time off after a week or so when a routine has been established.
 
Straight on - you wouldn't give them a week off when they get to a show. Also keep up with the level of work the horse is used to - if it is used to 6 days a week work it could become a bit of a handful if given a week off to settle in.
 
Mine arrived home early afternoon after a 3 hour lorry journey and I took him hunting the next day. It seemed sensible to get on and go rather than hacking him on his own (which he wasn't used to) and he was fine. I think it i did him and me a lot of good to have a busy although not too strenuous day, no jumping or anything, with friends.

I would definitely say have someone with you though.
 
Well today was a disaster it poured with rain and no one was to be seen. Horse although settling well wasn't happy in the stable with no others to be seen so it wasn't the occasion to by trying to fit tack!
Took it in the indoor as he's never seen mirrors etc and he spent the whole time licking his reflection... Atleast no explosions. We now have a terminally loose shoe too so it looks like loose schooling till Monday and maybe introduction to the lunge
 
I was told by my YO to get on and take him up the driveway and back an hour after we got home .. I did and much to my dismay and his delight we ended up rounding up some lose sheep. It wasn't the day I fell in love with him (that took a few months) but it was the day I felt very safe after my confidence had been knocked with my previous horse.

Bens_mum ... you have an indoor school .... what's the rain got to do with anything? Get on it! ;)
 
I can't get the tack on the horse that's the problem. It needs fitting and this is a huge tb that won't keep still or go in its stable. I will recruit help tomorrow and get it on. It's the only time ever there was no one to be seen! He will happily be tied up outside though so either way tomorrow is the day!
 
Depends on the horse and the routine he was in before, and the condition he's in.

I once got on a new horse the day she was home simply because I was scared and thought that if I didn't then I never would! Took the Ds (OH and daughters) with me as back up / horse catcher / piggyback giver just in case.
 
Bens_Mum said:
Just wondering what you would all do?

Would you ride a horse straight away or give it time? If you were to ride it first would you school or hack?

The horse is the ex point to pointer on my other post. Seems pretty chilled intention was only to hack for a while but there isn't anyone handy to go with. Has hacked out alone fine when tried would you just go for it?

It doesn't understand lunging etc so it needs schooling from scratch. It does stop and go but steering is interesting?

What do we think? Would it be bonkers to get on and just take it up the lane and back?
Click to expand...

Never ride mine straight away, I always let them settle in first when moving yards. Anyway I have too much to do when I moved horse, to ride straight away anyway

Pay the transporter
skip their lorry out
take my stuff out the lorry
take the travel stuff off
put things away as I normally follow the lorry and have a car load to empty

So no chance in riding first
 
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I always get on straight away (or next day if too late to ride on the day). Have done so with all my horses. I wouldn't do much, a potter about, maybe explore a track/lane/small loop. Or as others have said go in the school. It depends on you and your horse and what feels right. You'll know yourself if the horse needs more time to settle or if it will be fine going out.
 
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