New Horse not settling

[Vfairy]

Hi,

I have recently turned by new boy (he's 7) out into the large field with all the other boys. He had spent time in a paddock previously and has been "buddied up" with a couple of the boys already. However he doesn't appear to be settling with the boys and likes to hop over into the girls' field!

We have repaired the wall where we thought he was getting through and the farmer is going to do some further checks of possible escape routes. However he seems intent on staying with the mares rather than with the boys. I know he has been kept turned out with mares previously, both at his first home (where he was until last year) and with the lady I bought him from.

Any one any other suggestions for how we can get him to stay put with the boys?! He went back in happily enough after the farrier yesterday and was with the little pony he has been buddied with but I expect he has made his great escape again and I will find him with the mares again!

Any advice would be appreciated - unfortunately due to where I work in relation to the yard, going every morning and evening would prove very difficult and I don't want to disrupt him too much by bringing him in all the time and "breaking up" the herd - I feel this will render him always an outsider and not give him a chance to establish friendships (is that the right word) or his place in the herd.

 

[Damnation]

I wonder if he is being bullied OP? Sometimes when you first put a horse in with an establised herd, the top horse will run off the newbie until they have "accepted" them, and I wonder if that is what is hapenning and he is just running back to his girls for safety?

How long has he been out with the boys as an entire herd? It can take a few weeks for them to settle, the ground is very wet and slippy atm, I'd be worried about him jumping the wall and hurting himself by slipping on the other side!

ETA: Some horses do seem to have a preferred gender to be turned out with. My mare was kept with a gelding for over 2 years before I bought her and she definately prefers the boys, she will tolerate mares, but she doesn't "like" them.

 

[Cortez]

Fix the fencing. He will soon make new friends and settle in to his life in the herd.

 

[Vfairy]

Hi,

Many thanks - the fencing has been fixed as much as I can, the farmer has also been up and re-secured the suspected area (he could literally step over the wall).

He's been out for about 4 weeks in total but some of this has been in the paddock on and off (the paddock is within the boundaries of the boy's field). I did catch him being nipped by one of the other horses - so it is possible he is being "bullied" until he is accepted.

Sorry I might be over worrying - he's my first horse of my own and I hate to think of him being miserable! Although he's eating plenty and all he does when he gets in with the mares is eat - he's not interested in bothering them.

 

[Enfys]

Does he HAVE to be with the boys? If he was on my yard if he caused no problems with the mares then I would leave him there. When I had liveries I frequently changed horses around until groups were happy.

 

[Vfairy]

Unfortunately he does have to stay with the boys - yard rules.

He has got a couple of little friends but I think that when one of them gets brought in or if he is chased off by one of the others he just goes to his nearest "safe" place - which seems to be the mares when I or my OH aren't there.

 

[applecart14]

Could you not electric fence the area where he is getting over the wall. By having a double barrier, this might be enough to prevent him.

 

[9tails]

I think that fences have to be horse proof as much as possible. No way would I put my own out in an inadequately fenced field, so sort that and he should settle down once the pecking order is established.

 

[Vfairy]

Hi All,

Just a quick update. The farmer has checked all the fencing and repaired where necessary. Will was put back in the boy's field on Tuesday after his farrier visit by the OH and has remained in that field ever since!!

Thanks everyone for comments and suggestions. He seems to have found a few friends and is settling in a lot better, putting my mind at ease a little.