new pony to stables HELP needed on introduction to other horses

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debonhorse

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Please Help.

At the moment I have 2 horses that are still out 24/7. On Wednesday I am picking up a new horse, she will have to travel 3 hours in the box before arriving at my stables.
I am not sure how I should introduce her to the other 2 horses. I thought maybe I would put her in the stable for the night until she has got used to the fact she has moved areas. On the following morning I thought I would bring the other two horses in to their stables and lead the new horse to their doors to say hello. I would then put her in the field on her own for half an hour to get used to her surroundings and then put the other 2 back in with her. Am I doing the right thing?? or should I just bring her back to the field and let her straight in with the other 2??. this is the first time for me, I will also have Shetland arriving in a few weeks, so need to know how to do this for his benefit too.
Please help, as I am stressing over this, I obviously dont want any of the horses hurt!!! at the same time, I dont want to be stressing the new arrival by leaving her on her own in a strange stable over night. Should I just let her in stable for hour or 2 and then turn her out?????? more question marks LOL ????
 
hmmm when ever we've had a new horse we have either put them in a stable if the others are in and if they are out we put them in a separate field next door so they acquaint themselves before they go in together just in case they dont get on, then after a couple of days of them not being in the same field but being on the same routine as the others we would introduce them in the same field as the others but watch for 15 mins or so and then check ever hour for the first couple of hours just to make sure their getting on
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hope that helps, id be interested to see what everyone else does.

good luck with the new horse
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that sounds fantastic idea but big problem, I have a 6 acre field without any area fenced off, there is no where to put the horse where he can see the others, I do have a few other fields but none adjacent to each other. I do know that all 3 horses are actually quite friendly to others (outside the field) but I am not sure how the 2 originals will take to a new sharer. Thanks for suggestion tho!!
Any more suggestions, this must be quite a common thing.
 
don't put them straight in. Introduce them slowly. Do not whatever you do put the two out at once with her, they will likely gang up.
Introduce one, then maybe a day or so later introduce the other.
I would bring the two in and let her have the field when she arrives as she will have been travelling, depending on if she's wound up or not and what she's used to.(i.e. if used to stabling, keep her in)
Then maybe turn turn one out the next day with her and go from there.
 
As both the other horses are out 24/7 still it is hard to keep one in stable for too long. How about the following please let me know who agrees with this.

1. we will not be arriving bsck at ours till about 4.30 pm and as clocks go back tonight it will be getting dark, so I will put new one in stable (perhaps after hour or so, when she is a little more settled before it is dark! 1 lead her to the field gate to say hello to the others) and then put her back in the stable for the night .
2. in the morning bring the other 2 into their stables, which is across the yard about 20 feet away, so they can see each other from a distance. After an hour walk the new one out to sniff them over the doors and say hello again.
3. put new one in the field on her own for a few hours while I do the grooming hacking etc.
4.I put the older more gentle mare in the field as well.
5.After a couple of hours, mid afternoon by now but before dark coming in!! put the 3rd mare in the field.

Does this sound like a good plan. I know it is all done over a short period of only a few hours but I really cant think of any other way.

Do you think this would work??
 
possibly, if you feel happy and confident give it a go - its probably not the most
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"correct"
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way to do it but hey come on we have to make do with what we have available and sounds like this is a good plan to work around the existing routine - good luck and have fun with the new one , let us know how it goes
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agreee up to 4. Then I might bring the new one in and repeat steps 2-5 again, so she's not overwhelmed with the two on one day.
 
OMG YES that sounds better, on day 2 put her out with horse no.3 and leave no.2 in the stable and then on day 3 put all 3 out together. PERFECT wish me luck.

Thankyou, I will be able to have goods night sleep tonight now.
 
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