Welcoming a new horse

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Cor

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Hi there, I will have my new horse within the next few days, can you please give me some tips regarding how to welcome the horse, introduce myself to the horse and make it feel comfortable to his new "home"? Many thanks!
 
Have your stable ready with a haynet. If he's going straight into a field, I expect he will be on his own for a day or two with horses over the fence to sniff at but at a safe distance.

Get into a routine. He will soon learn when you are coming to see him, when you will feed him etc.

I don't believe in letting them 'settle in' for a few days before riding. If you have tack for him and it fits, then I would say get on in your school (if you have one) and have a short session in there. I think it's better to just get on and 'do' them as you are going to.

And don't fall into the bad habit of giving him loads of titbits now to make him feel at home - you will only turn him into a greedy pocket shuffler, who begs you for titbits all the time.

I hope his arrival goes well. I'm sure you will have a lot of fun. And don't forget to come back on here with some pictures.

Good luck
 
Many thanks for your reply. He will be kept in a stall for a couple of days and then he will go on to share a paddock with my thoroughbred mare. My new horse is a gelding, would you also have any tips on how to introduce them to each other? I guess first I should establish visual contact, perhaps my mare could also spend a couple of days to her stall, she will be right opposite him. Then let them sniff each other and see how it goes.. And also my other concern is how to best help him adjust to his new diet, both hard feed and haylage will be quite different from what he is used to now... (i have bought him from another country). Many thanks...
 
Many thanks for your replies. My new horse is a 7 year old gelding and my mare is a 12 year old thoroughbred. They will both share a paddock as soon as the new horse settles in, but for the first couple of days the new horse will be kept in a stall. Unfortunately my mare is quite dominant as far as her food is concerned, perhaps placing two buckets for hard feed in the paddock would help? How would the horses understand which one is for them??
 
allow them to sniff each other the stable doors and introduce gradually. I would never feed in the field, bring them in to eat in the comfort of their stables. Saves any fighting and anyone getting hurt (inc you).

Before you turnout take the back shoes off both horses. xx
 
Lol! Hard feed in the field not such a good idea, op. The change in diet would concern me a bit, I would soak the haylage foe the first few days so that he's just getting the fibre, then introduce everything else slowly bit by bit one at a time.
 
I've recently bought a new horse. He went out straight away into a paddock with a quiet mare. After a week, I split a paddock in two and he went in one half (with the quiet mare) and the other two horses were in the second half. After four days (today!) we took the electric fence down and all four horses are now together.

Can you split your paddock in two and have one horse either side for a few days?
 
This is a great idea actually, I may give this a try. I will see how they interact the first couple of days and decide then... I really hope he settles well, he has been traveling for a week now. I have my horses in an equestrian centre, what should I do the first couple of days as far as exercise is concerned? Perhaps walk him around the first day, let him looser in the arenas, then the second day would lunging him be a good idea?? Ideally I would like to ride him on the fourth day, if all goes well. Also can you please suggest any vitamins or supplements that would help his digestion system, perhaps making the transition to his new diet routine easier??
Thanks to all of you for your comments, they are really helpful. I really cant wait to welcome him :-)
 
A pre and pro biotic like pink powder is what you are thinking of for his diet. Im not sure I would bother with one though. Where is he coming from if he is travelling for a week, thats quite some journey!
 
Exciting time, my new boy arrives wednesday too:D

Echo what's been said about having the back shoes off and separating by leccy fencing for a good few days. No hay or hard feed in the field together if poss - I'd say for a good few days.:D
 
Hi there guys, I have an update regarding the arrival of the new horse. As I said before, he did have a long journey, and to be honest, he looks quite tired and UNFIT. For a horse that was being trained to medium level, I would expect it to be able to canter two rounds in the arena non stop. But he has come to a far different climate, much hotter weather, different facilities, and he had a long trip. What do you think is wrong? will he need a lot of time to adjust? and how do I help him regain his muscles and fitness??
The yard manager says that he drops his lower lip sometimes when he is stabled, and that there is some "discharge" in his nostrils. Do you find these worrying? The only thing that concerns me is his breathing, even after 20 mins of very light work he breathes quire heavily.....
I would appreciate your comments and views...
Thanks
 
If you are worried, get the Vet to give him a quick check and possibly do a blood test. He could just be worn out from all that travelling.

You could also talk to the previous owners. It sounds like he was an expensive horse, so once you agreed to buy him, they may have stopped working him to reduce the chances of an injury. You will need to build up his fitness again, starting with lots of walking. The other option is that he needs to adapt to the new climate. Again, a proper non-rushed fitness programme will help.
 
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