Moving Advice Please

[suej102]

Hi everyone - I am moving in a few weeks, not too far but will be moving my boy from his current yard (not sad about that however - long story, mostly about sudden introduction of poo-picking rotas and similar horrors of a 'family-run' yard!). Anyway - so apart from the relief of actually leaving I would like to manage the introduction to new home as well as I can, he will be on OUR land and will share a paddock with a new friend, they will also be in the same barn together where there are stalls etc.

So, once I get him there (via horse transporter - too far to ride!), should I turn him out into his new paddock (alone) immediately or pop him in his stall with his new friend next door? How long should I leave it until they can both be turned out together (they are both boys).

Also, I will take some of his existing hay with us, but how would you go about introducing him to the new grazing and hay etc? Because there is hardly any grass out there now would it be ok to have him out for a whole day straight away?

Thanks for any help you can offer!

 

[Eaglestone]

Just a quick response .... but I would be more worried about only having 2

as I only have the 2 stabled and turned out together ..... I can take one out and leave the other at home, but not the other way around, otherwise all hell lets loose .... so wherever one goes the other one is normally there as well

I am sure that if I reguarly split them up I would desensitise the other one, but alas I work and then it's dark etc so would not be able to keep that regime up!

Hope all goes well .... when I got my 2nd one I just turned them out together and all went well, but I am not advocating that .... perhaps keep them seperated by leccy fence for a day or so, if you get there in the day and turn out or it they are stabled next to one another and can see each other that may be enough ... but it really all depends on the horses temperaments really

 

[suej102]

Thanks for that. I will be sure to take my boy out for a ride etc as soon as I can so that he doesn't start getting too attached! I think he will be quite good as he is 18 now, but his friend is only 7 so might get a bit attached. I think there is another pony nearby so that might ease things!

 

[AmyMay]

We always introduce horses by putting them next to each other in a stable for a while.

Depending on the signs they either go straight out together after an hour - or the next day if they need longer to get friendly.

My horse took a long, long time to settle with his new friends. A new horse joined us just after Christmas and walked in to the field as if he'd always been there. So they're all different.