Making a yard move less stressful for a horse

[Trouper]

Just because we can make horses do things they might not choose to do (outings, shows etc) doesn't mean they like it. Some do, some don't - some just get used to it. Moving "house" is stressful enough for us and we are not herd animals who take their security from companions and place. If we can do anything to make these essential moves easier for them, why would we not want to do it?

 

[Fieldlife]

Just because we can make horses do things they might not choose to do (outings, shows etc) doesn't mean they like it. Some do, some don't - some just get used to it. Moving "house" is stressful enough for us and we are not herd animals who take their security from companions and place. If we can do anything to make these essential moves easier for them, why would we not want to do it?

I agree with this.

I also think some horses and owners are used to boxing out, competing away from home, staying away and are very well adjusted.

Others stay in one place with one herd snd change IS a big deal.

 

[HorsesRule2009]

Just remember this time she already knows you and your routine,
Once you arrive at your new yard I would just try and stick to the same routine as you have now as much as possible.

I am another that doesn't believe in time off/down time when i move yards I just stick to the same routine sometimes I work them ever so slightly harder in the first week so when they go into their stable or field they are happy to just eat and mooch around.

I have to say i agree with Winters post I expect my horses to behave, i understand that some horse are more anxious/stressed than others but I worked and managed yards for 15yrs and most never to long to settle but were always straight into our routine.
Also they will pick up on your stress so try and think positive.

Good luck and enjoy your new adventure

 

[Boulty]

I'd say judge what you do based on how she reacts. Try to keep as much of her routine the same as possible & judge based on how she is whether she'd be best with cracking on with ridden work, doing groundwork initially or having a few weeks off to process it all.

She may not react the same way again as she'll still have you as something familiar. The Welsh I used to have lost his mind when I first got him & was not pleasant to deal with. He never reacted quite as badly on any subsequent move as did when I first got him, I guess as I went with him so he had one thing that stayed the same. (He spent a stint at Rockley without me & definitely soaked up the chilled vibes there but basically as long as he got a decent amount of turnout & had adequate company he would learn to cope... He did better when chucked out to get on with it than with extensive over the fence introductions as he found being on his own harder to deal with emotionally than having to make new friends)

 

[AntiPuck]

Thank you, Boulty - it sounds like your Welshie and my horse are/were similar in that sense - I think turnout and friends are the main factors for her, as once she got out of isolation and in with the group she did start to chill out, but until then she was super anxious and on edge

 

[AntiPuck]

I wanted to quickly update on this - I needn't have worried, my horse was as good as gold, with no hint of rearing, no bargy behaviour, and only a tiny, very short-lived episode of calling and pacing. She was an absolute superstar, and if anything the other horses at the new yard were a lot more bothered than she was about her arrival!

I rode her briefly the morning of the move at her old yard to use up some energy, and then took the HHO advice of taking her straight out for a short hack with another horse at the new yard once she'd arrived, and she was excellent.

Absolutely night and day when compared to the horse that came off of the box now 9 months ago!