new horse in with existing herd? do you?

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texas

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As per title. ..

If a new horse joins a livery yard, or you move yours to a new yard, or you keep them at your own place... do you turn them out together straight away or let them get to know each other over the fence first for a few days?

I normally just chuck them out together but have a new one coming on Tuesday and am totally worrying! It'd only be going out with one other anyway.
 
My new horse arrived last Thurs. We put him out with his new field mates and all stood and watched for about 20 mins, then came back out. He went out with them the next day, but came in at night when no one would be around. He's now living out with them 24/7.
 
We put them out in the adjoining field for at least a few days to a week. Definitely until there has been no squealing/interest over the fence for a couple of days. Would never turn straight out.
 
If you have the space run the new horse in a paddock along side the existing herd. You should be able to tell who wants to be their friend. Then put possible friend in with new horse before putting the pair back in with the herd.
 
Usually put them out with one or two companions from lowish down the pecking order from the herd he will be joining for a few days before joining the gang once they've settled with those ones.
 
Thanks. I do have the set up for the new one to have its own paddock surrounded by the others. I can just open a gate when ready and keep an eye on them while I do the jobs.
 
When we add one to the herd, we put them next door to our friendly little pony who loves everyone - and then put them in together when they've got to know each other a bit. Then we introduce the others, but this way the "newbie" already has a friend.
 
mine are in a herd of 9, when I new one came they were kept in a smaller paddock with a fence to meet the others over for about 3-4 days, then just turned him out. the usual squealing, especially as girls in season, and a bit of bombing around, but they have a massive field so lots of space to run away, and all settled within a few days. over the last 2 years we have had 4 new horses come and go and it has never really caused much issue to the main 9 herd members. the geldings can be a bit defensive of the mares if it is a gelding that joins.
 
Just an update. New pony arrived Tuesday and I duely left it in its own paddock surrounded by the others Tuesday and Wednesday night. Turned up today and it had jumped in with the planned companion and was sleeping! Hope it stays put now!
 
Lol :)

For me it depends on what the horse is like and which herd I decide it would be better suited to. Most of my herds are good guys and so long as the new horse is too then I usually just put the new horse in with them straight away. If it's going into one of my tougher herds then I often paddock them first for a few days. All my big pasture fields have smaller paddocks or corrals attached to them so it's easy for me to do this. There's never normally any problems as our fields are all a good size and easy to navigate for newbies.
 
I've never had the luxury of an adjoining field, my usual is to have everyone suited and booted with full brushing / overreach boots etc to minimise risk of injury, have everyone well fed and no hay piles out to fight over.
 
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