Pony Fight Club (introducing new pony)

[ElleSkywalker]

So I have 4 ponies I want to go out together on a track round a 3 acre field. Most have been in together at some point but one, who we shall call Stroppy Mare hasn't been out with the only one that earns its keep, who we shall call Cobbler and has been exceptionally jealous of her since I got her over a year ago. I want them out together as Stroppy Mare makes them all move about which they need as all porkers.

The players

Dominant Mare
Stroppy Mare
Idiotboy
Cobbler

Currently Dominant Mare and Stroppy Mare are out together and Idiotboy and Cobbler are out together.

All have been and currently are over a fence to each other.

Dominant, Stroppy and Idiotboy have been out together in past.

Cobbler has been out with Dominant mare in past.

Do I

1) Full on pony fight club and stick all 4 out in field together before the track is up and hope, as all have been over fence before.
2) Full on pony fight club on track. Track will be round the edge of field with two strips going across. Think 3 loop serpentine but without shut off ends so nowhere for horses to get cornered.
3) Put Dominant Mare, Idiotboy and Cobbler together on track, and Stroppy Mare in one of the middle bits for a few days then let Stroppy in with the others. Stroppy will be most upset by this and is likely to run about being a tit. She does need the exercise tho.

Will try and attach diagram of track but might be too large.

Tea all round for all as no biscuits ?

 

[ElleSkywalker]

Rough sketch below. Feild approx 3 acres, each track will be 10m wide including the bits going across. The three middle sections are useable as paddocks.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

TBH, it depends on how seriously the pony fights could get. We ended up separating our fighters into separate fields, each with a companion who they got on well with, for safety's sake. None wore shoes but the day they knocked each other over, like sumo wrestlers, with their bums, was the last time they were in a field together.

 

[ElleSkywalker]

Stroppy has never been out with anyone other than Dominant mare and Idiotboy except her own mother who was domiant to the current dominant one so the answer is I dont know. She tends to 'protect' her current field Buddy whichever of the two it tends to be by moving them away from anyone new and doing a lot of teeth nashing and tail swirling. Stroppy does not have shoes on, and depending how the grass does may also be in a muzzle. Cobbler has shoes and no muzzle. She is bottom of pecking order including being bossed about by Idiotboy and my shetland ?

 

[Annagain]

I'd put them out together before the track goes up so they have enough room to get away from each other if needs be. If most have been together in various combinations before, I would hope they'll settle without too much hassle.

 

[hobo]

I would think number one all in full field before you fence but these are animals that always try and get one over on you so no clue really.

Though maybe you should protect cobbler as she is the one you want to make sure says safe and sound. You may just have to have long thin strips for the different groups.

Good luck.

 

[Annagain]

I'd put them out together before the track goes up so they have enough room to get away from each other if needs be. If most have been together in various combinations before, I would hope they'll settle without too much hassle.

Just to add, I'd put the other three out first and give them half an hour to settle, then add stroppy into the mix. Whenever we add a new horse to the field they go out with just my boy first as he's the world's friendliest horse, then the playful ones and let them have a run around and add the grumpy one once they've settled. He's not nasty, he just hates having horses in his space so it's best to do the introductions without him and he'll then keep himself to himself.

 

[ElleSkywalker]

I would think number one all in full field before you fence but these are animals that always try and get one over on you so no clue really.

Though maybe you should protect cobbler as she is the one you want to make sure says safe and sound. You may just have to have long thin strips for the different groups.

Good luck.

Annoyingly Stroppy and Cobbler are the two best suited needs wise to go out together, as Dominant is lami prone and Idiotboy gets itchy and may need less turnout so as much as I want to keep Cobbler safe if they can get on it will be best all round.

She is weaponized though with shoes on and no muzzle ?

 

[PapaverFollis]

What annagain said.

 

[Leo Walker]

I'd put them out on the track. None of them sounds aggressive and there is plenty of options to get out of each other's way. I'd just do it on a day and time when I was going to be around for a few hours so I could watch for any major trouble.

 

[Spotherisk]

I’d stick them all on the track. A friend of mine always introduces new field mates at the beginning of the week so she doesn’t have a vet call out over the weekend!

 

[ElleSkywalker]

I did wonder if the track would actually give more scope to hide from each other than an open field? Lots of ways to get away and tracks to sneak down?! Also may give the impression they arent in same field if each on different bits? ?‍

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I'd chuck at least the 2 easiest ones out, stable the 3rd whilst working the one that might well clobber everyone else.
When back (having worked hard, very hard) then throw the remaining 2 out.
Day 1, plenty of room for all, poss day 2 too, then day 3 create tracks as you intend to.
Grab cuppa, deck chair, lunge whip and carrots......

 

[ElleSkywalker]

None of the others except cobbler are workable

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

None of the others except cobbler are workable

Bum

 

[ElleSkywalker]

Bum

They are however starveable (not actually you get what I mean) so plan was to put them about when all nice and hungry in hope the excitement for grass beats excitement for fight club

 

[PapaverFollis]

If they've been living next to each other for a while there will probably be minimal fuss. Have you done any poo swapping? I'm pretty sure that really helped when introducing MrT to Beast. They had each other sussed before they went in together. We had one kick mark on Beast 2 days later and now MrT just has to look at her funny and she shits herself and pegs it. ?