OMG I just bought my first horse!

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Tayto

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So after loaning a lovely horse for a while, I decided to buy my own one. My new girl is a cob x clydesdale called Tash. She is being delivered to my livery yard on Thursday afternoon and I am going through various emotions right now. Excited, scared, nervous, happy - the list goes on!

Just wanted some feedback on what I should do when she arrives. There is no stable where we are so she will have to go straight into a herd of 9 mares. This is my plan;

Get her off the lorry
Tie her up on the yard, give her some water
If she is ok (not too nervous or obviously in distress), give her a groom
Give her a walk round the yard on the lead rope
Give her some pony nuts and carrots (up until now all she has been getting a handful of pony nuts as she is a good doer and hasnt been worked much)
Put rug on and boots on her back legs and put her out the herd

Come back next morning to check she is ok and go for a gentle hack late afternoon/early evening.

Obviously this would all be if she settles down quite quickly and is not in any sort of distress.
 
PS - I am so nervous about her going into the herd as I know that my loan horse is a bit of a bully. I know I am going to want to go up every hour to check on her but I suppose I will just have to let nature take its course?
 
Not sure it's a good idea to release them straight into a herd.

Probably best to put them in field next to them, then in with one that isn't going to cause a problem before you gradually introduce the rest.

Some people get away with just letting new horses out loose into a herd, but there's a higher risk of an accident happening when it's done this way.
 
FlyingCircus said:
Not sure it's a good idea to release them straight into a herd.

Probably best to put them in field next to them, then in with one that isn't going to cause a problem before you gradually introduce the rest.

Some people get away with just letting new horses out loose into a herd, but there's a higher risk of an accident happening when it's done this way.
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Well I would prefer to put her in a field next to the mares but unfortunately the livery yard I am on does not have this option..... new horses that come on the yard are always introduced right away to the herd they are going in to. Oh no - now I am really worried :eek:
 
Hi there and congrats on your first horse.

I would be very careful with hard feed and carrots, sometimes they can make horses a little silly, so if she is a good doer I would just stick to chaff perhaps with a balancer of some sort and forage (grass/hay).

With regards to turn out, if you can I would separate off a section of the field (with electric if nec) to start and put her in there, so they can touch noses over the fence without too much risk of injury, then after a few days of all being well you can introduce her to the herd.

I hope you enjoy her, she sounds lovely and best of luck :)
 
lara b said:
Hi there and congrats on your first horse.

I would be very careful with hard feed and carrots, sometimes they can make horses a little silly, so if she is a good doer I would just stick to chaff perhaps with a balancer of some sort and forage (grass/hay).

With regards to turn out, if you can I would separate off a section of the field (with electric if nec) to start and put her in there, so they can touch noses over the fence without too much risk of injury, then after a few days of all being well you can introduce her to the herd.

I hope you enjoy her, she sounds lovely and best of luck :)
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Thanks for the advice - I have gone for a light chaff reccomended by my local feed shop and was going to gradually change her over to that. I was just wary of giving her a new feed staight away in case it upset her tummy? She will also have access to hay in the field. I will speak to the yard manager about sectioning off a part of the field for her :)
 
I have put mine straight out providing they were wormed before I picked it up. Never had a problem... Obv ideal situation would be to put in field near to herd, buddy them with one of the herd then release but not all of us have that luxury.
I too feel the need to visit every hour to check, I don't think there's anything wrong with that, a horse is an expensive animal, who hopefully will become a well loved part of your life... Its only natural for you to want make sure she's ok.
Let us know how she gets on... Youll have plenty of time to update whilst your sitting in the corner of the field ;)
 
I guess sometimes horses are ok going out into the herd, people do do it, but what are you going to do if its not? I think it would be best to section off an area even in that means buying tape and posts yourself, but your YO should really be understanding about this, its your new horse that is likely to get damaged but hopefully a YO wants to minimise damage!

I had my horse in her own paddock next to others, when I bought a companion my horse kicked her repeatedly and she meant it, I was not going to leave her to pulverise the poor thing so put her in the vacant paddock next door, it took her a week to stop kicking out rearing and biting, so I'm glad I was able to do that! I would have sectioned otherwise as would not have been safe to leave it. They are friends now.

Not trying to worry you but I don't want you to have to deal with injuries on your first day of horse ownership :-) the rest of the plan sounds fine :-)
 
How exciting! I agree about a section of electric fencing if possible. My old yard was the same and my poor boy was chased round all night and had a couple of kicks, he was fine and after a couple of days he was settled in the herd, he had no serious damage but not something I would repeat! More for my nerves if anything!
 
Exciting news. Enjoy your new horse.

Ours get put straight out with the herd as the isolation paddock is away from the others. They have a hooley and a bit of excitement but soon get back to eating.
As long as they have enough room and aren't too restricted, they'll probably be fine.

Its a good idea to be around to keep an eye on things for the first day/night especially to reduce the time between visits when potentially, an injured horse is not seen.
 
I don't have any advice to offer except for what others have said, I just wanted to congratulate you on your first horse, so...
Mega-Congratulations on getting your first horse:D! I'm still waiting for that life changing (and, in my opinion, long overdue!) 'yes' from my parents:(. I've saved up enough money to actually purchase a horse, but everyone knows that's the least expensive part of horse ownership:rolleyes:.
I hope the introductions go smoothly, have fun with your new horse and NEVER forget how lucky you are to be owning one:)!
 
With both my boys I left them in for the night with a stable mate then turned them out in the herd. Though it is only a heard of four and only one mare ;). I hung around for a long long time and popped back up during the day. Both times the boys were more interested in exploring the turn out (20+ acres) than the other horses but then they were both ex racers so had probably moved about a bit and were used to meeting different horses. Do you know if she's used to moving and used to going out in a herd? No doubt she'll let you know when she arrives how comfortable she is and what's for the best. Hope she settles in well. x
 
:):):) I'm so glad youve joined the rest of this clan - I can still remember sitting on a gatepost watching my grey 14.2 gelding meeting the rest of the herd & thinking "this may well be the best day of my life - I'm 17 and that gorgeous boy is really MINE" He was with me during the next 24 years of fun, fear, exhilaration & love - and yes that was one of the best days!!!

So I'm so pleased for you and just agree with other posters that sectioning off some field is probably a reasonable compromise. My current yard has HUGE fields which we work our way round each year - just divide into boy/girl herds with "sin bin" areas for the fatties (ie most of them as mainly live off thin air New Foresters)

Don't worry for one minute about too many trips to see her - I'd live at our yard except I'm not keen on rats & my husband might notice (about 3 days later)

Good luck with your girl and enjoy every minute:D:D:D
 
I don't always think fencing off is a good idea... Just depends on how your horse would cope. I use to be at a yard that new horses arrived and they were wormed and put out with there herd the next day in the few years I was there there was never a problem.. Another yard I went to they fenced off for a week or so to get to know each other which was fine but when she was put in to herd it was a whole different ball game and ended up in a huge fight and a poorly horse! Sometimes I think just putting them where they will be sets them straight on sorting out the pecking order and its all done. Just enjoy your horsey and do what suits you and your horse as we all know not all horses are the same xx p.s have fun x
 
Congratulations on your purchase! I personally would never put a new horse straight in with an established herd but then my experiences on introducing new horses has not been brilliant as we have an established herd with two very dominant geldings - one the boss, one his sidekick! For that reason we always take time. However, with 9 in a large enough paddock it may be ok as possibly less likely to have a herd leader of all of those especially if the herd does change regularly. If you can section yours off for a few days then I think that would be the best option and will reduce chances of injury.
 
She'll be fine she's a big girl she'll sort herself out in the herd. Your plan sounds fine. Enjoy your new horse and don't worry! :)
 
If you don't have a choice about the field, you don't have a choice. Personally I would not tie her up, groom her, feed her, etc. as that might wind her up more. Quick rug change and pop her out. Get someone to help you with the gate and, if safe, with keeping the others away for a moment so you can release her. Wear a hat, gloves and decent shoes and be careful when you are trying to let her out in the field. I also try to watch from far away where the horses cannot see me as it sometimes winds them up if they are being watched and there isn't much you can do anyway.
 
When I bought my boy, a gelding, he was turned straight out with the boy's. A canter round the field and head down to eat. Don't feed so she is hungry. Good doers think of food above all else.

Good luck and congratulations on your first horse.
 
Congratulations. V exciting and scary times. I was terrible for first 3months, I couldn't relax.. Scared he'd get ill, kicked, etc lol but all was good. Neurotic mum lol!!
I put my boy in an adjacent field to herd. Failing that could u put him in manage or stable, just to give him time to relax at his own speed. With my first jorse Through the first 48hrs I spent time grooming, taking small pieces of carrot, even just sitting in his field! I'm a slightly nervous rider so before getting on, I took him for walks in hand round our village. Worked a treat as my horse settled v quickly. Have fun!
 
Congratulations!!!! I am going against the majority here... just turn her out with the others, she will sort herself out, she is a horse not a fragile piece of glass. Sectioning off causes more stress, danger in getting cought up in tape. I have taken TB mares to stud and there is no messing about, they go straight out into a field of barren mares. They need space not a bleddy bit of sectioned off field. Don't pussyfoot about, the sooner she is intergrated the better. Just keep an eye for a bit. Enjoy and be positive.
 
Well done you for becoming a horse owner.
As some have already said, it is much better to introduce a new horse to a herd over a period of time. I've done it over the period of a week before and this seemed to be enough time. But all horses are different. But if it's not possible you don't have much choice. I'm sure there will be lots of running around and squealing, and sometimes it's not nice to watch.
I think we will also have to see pics of your new horse.
 
Congrats! What a lovely cross too.

As Firewall said - she's not a tiny little flimsy thing - just chuck her out with them. They'll soon sort themselves out (as long as they have lots of room which I assume they do if there are 9 of them out 24/7!)

Enjoy
 
Congrats! I'd also put boots on the front legs, she could get kicked anywhere. Also has she got back shoes on? If so I'd get them removed, just incase she kicks another horse.
They will all go mad chasing her around for a couple of hours probably, but don't worry to much its normal. I was going to suggest putting her in a field next door but if its not an option then other livery's can't complain too much if there's some kicking going on!
 
Congrats! Hope you have many many years of fun together.
My neighbour was a dealer of sorts and I used to ride the horses she bought. When they arrived at the yard they would just be turned straight out. I wouldnt start grooming her, just turnout with boots on and no hind shoes.
She will look after herself and sort herself out. She will probably roll. Stay with her and after she has got aquanted then bring her in and love her :)
Enjoy her :)
 
I turned my mare out with " the herd" and the next morning she had a broken elbow and was pts 3 weeks later with a big big bill. Just be carefull they may sort themselves out but it can go wrong. Iv learnt the hard way in the past.
 
how exciting! I would be warey introducing a new mare to a herd of established members, maybe fence off a piece of the field so they can touch but run away if necessary?
 
thatsmygirl said:
I turned my mare out with " the herd" and the next morning she had a broken elbow and was pts 3 weeks later with a big big bill. Just be carefull they may sort themselves out but it can go wrong. Iv learnt the hard way in the past.
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Exactly... I am sorry to hear that it sounds awful. I'm all for natural living, and you could try putting her straight out OP but you need to have a plan B if there's too much kicking going on. They're not made of glass but their legs and joints are especially poorly protected against kicking hooves, especially shod ones.
 
I think whether or not its ok to throw straight out into a herd depends. If the herd itself is established, with a proper lead, & everyone knowing their place, they are generally ok. A herd that's ever changing, with continual dominance battles etc is entirely different. Although they can change, might be worth asking old owners if she's usually dominant or submissive, or just generally in the middle. I'd skip the grooming & after 5mins for a drink etc put straight out. But, take a thermos & a picnic & be prepared to watch for at least an hour. I'm guessing yo will have told other liveries incase they want to watch too? Then I'd be checking every hour or so first day, with last check late on & again early morning.
 
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