New horse being beaten up by other two

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jodi14391

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Hi.
I have just bought a 2yr old rescue foal. We put him in the field with our other two when we bought him home yesterday(one gelding and one mare) and the mare tried to attack him. The gelding was nicer to him and defended him from her. We are keeping him separated at night so we know he's getting the hay he needs.
However today when I put him out again they were both going for him. He ran through the electric fence at one point to get away.
The gelding clearly doesn't want him near the mare but the foal doesn't care and just wants to eat the grass.
I took the mare out on a hack, however the gelding spent the time chasing the foal around trapping him in the bushes and biting him. My dad had to go out to give the foal a break! When I got back the gelding was at the top waiting for the mare and the foal was down the bottom.
The two slowly wondered down the field eating as they went. And then suddenly the gelding charged after him, through the electric again and them so much so that the foal tried to chamber over some barb wire. Which we have since blocked off. He got a little cut but he's ok.
I know they need to sort it out but it's horrible to watch. :-( he's a rescue and just wants some friends. He doesn't even bug them he's just eating and they attack him.
My mum says to just let them all in together and walk away. But I don't want him getting stuck in any wire again. :-(
 
Too much to soon, introduce new horses slowly, youngsters are very low in the pecking order, two years on and my 4 yr old cob is regulary put in his place, I sometimes intervene and put the herd leader in his place, but the youngster needs to find his place in the herd
 
FGS! That is no way to introduce adult horse to each other, never mind putting a 2 yr old in with an established pair. AWAYS introduce horses gradually to each other over a barrier of some kind - and I suggest that this youngster needs company of his own age, in a mixed-age herd, preferably.
 
I would keep them apart and then let them meet over a fence when my gelding lived with my mare he wouldnt tolerate any horse in with them and was plain evil so I never put anything in with them, some geldings can be like that when turned out with mares mine is much happier with just geldings.
 
You say it is a rescue foal. Do you know its background? It may be completely unsocialised and not responding appropriately to the other horses, which could be a major problem now and in the future.
 
Introduce gradually!!! Get him out now while you can. My yard just shoved another horse in with a herd of 4 and it attacked my boy. I nearly lost him because of the injuries the new horse gave him
 
Agreed - ideally you should try to get a new horse next door to where it will eventually live. On my yard the new horse gets a whole field to itself for a week, getting to know its herdmates in a safe environment.

That said, when our mares were reconfigured last summer, mine was the only one who hadn't lived with her new herd (she had to be separated from another mare as they'd formed an attachment which was putting the other horses and humans at risk). The other mares didn't really accept her, but she was her own worst enemy because she just kept trotting up and down calling to her friend. I had to bring her in a couple of nights just so she could get some rest. It took a good four weeks before she settled, and this was with horses she knew, even though she'd never grazed with them.

I agree - you must get the youngster out now and start again. Hopefully they'll sort themselves out eventually, but it's going to take time, as they've already started to attack.

Good luck!
 
It is good that he is in a separate stable so he has a safe place at night. You need to fence off a little paddock for him so he can meet the others but they can't get at him and he can run away out of reach.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
FGS! That is no way to introduce adult horse to each other, never mind putting a 2 yr old in with an established pair. AWAYS introduce horses gradually to each other over a barrier of some kind - and I suggest that this youngster needs company of his own age, in a mixed-age herd, preferably.
Click to expand...

This ^^^^
 
jodi14391 said:
Hi.
I have just bought a 2yr old rescue foal. We put him in the field with our other two when we bought him home yesterday(one gelding and one mare) and the mare tried to attack him. The gelding was nicer to him and defended him from her. We are keeping him separated at night so we know he's getting the hay he needs.
However today when I put him out again they were both going for him. He ran through the electric fence at one point to get away.
The gelding clearly doesn't want him near the mare but the foal doesn't care and just wants to eat the grass.
I took the mare out on a hack, however the gelding spent the time chasing the foal around trapping him in the bushes and biting him. My dad had to go out to give the foal a break! When I got back the gelding was at the top waiting for the mare and the foal was down the bottom.
The two slowly wondered down the field eating as they went. And then suddenly the gelding charged after him, through the electric again and them so much so that the foal tried to chamber over some barb wire. Which we have since blocked off. He got a little cut but he's ok.
I know they need to sort it out but it's horrible to watch. :-( he's a rescue and just wants some friends. He doesn't even bug them he's just eating and they attack him.
My mum says to just let them all in together and walk away. But I don't want him getting stuck in any wire again. :-(
Click to expand...


This is how my late mare fractured her splint bone in 19 pieces, she was turned out into an established group. One horse had a vendetta against her and beat her up. I suggest you separate the new one for at least a week before re introducing the new one back in. Maybe even lead the foal around while someone rides the dominant one so they get used to each other under supervision and human control.
 
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