Bringing home a new horse

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  • January 19, 2009 at 11:59 am #40105
    Donn Hewes
    Keymaster

    Hi all, well, it is a fun day when you get to bring home a new horse. Yesterday we got Connie, a five year old Suffolk mare. She is originally from Baldur Farm in Wisconsin and is a registered mare. I have paid less for horses and mules in the past, but I am thinking that over the lifetime of the horse the quality will easily repay me. She is friendly and calm, and seems to have excellent ground manners. I think she has had a harness on her back once or twice, but I will treat her as if it is all new to her. I hope to post a few pictures as I go along so you can see her progress.

    Yesterday, we dealt with introducing her to our herd. For better or worse this is how we do it. The fences that we use in winter is one strand of poly wire, in fact that is what we use almost all the time. This can be a problem when introducing a new horse. I made sure the fence was hot by turning off part of the farm. We tied our five in their stalls and led Connie around the perimeter of the winter paddock. It is less than an acre. I shook some of the fences to show her were they were. Then let her go and bring out each horse one at a time. Let them meet one on one, makes it easier for Connie, helps prevent her from being run through a fence, and lets you know if you will have a more serious problem. Fortunately, our other young mare seemed glad to see her. That left it to a thirty year old Halflinger and a four year old mule to fight over who would be first friend of the new girl. It was easy, and it went great, some might think that all our precautions were silly, but with out proper fences, it is very easy to have a bunch of “friendly” horses chase a newcomer right through your fences, I fed a couple extra bales of hay last night to give them plenty to do and plenty of room. You can see a couple of pictures here. Donn

    January 19, 2009 at 1:15 pm #49319
    Plowboy
    Participant

    Great looking mare Donn. She looks rugged and smart you’ll have her working in no time! I keep a team at my farm in the summer but have no water in the barn so all the horses winter at my Dads place down the road. My one mare and Dads black gelding squable alot. He’s the boss and when they get back together she challenges him. We have a small temporary corral built 5 years ago! Well it’s still there and is just across the fence from the other horses so now we keep them in there for a week or two until they get used to each other again and have far less biting and kicking when they do get together. I don’t think what you did was silly at all. It would really suck to get your new horse injured because you didn’t take a little time. That Suffolk would make a team with that Belgian by the looks. Good luck with her. Gotta go hitch our stud colt again this morning then go check in on one of our mentors thats getting close to 90. He still has 5 or 6 Brabants but can’t hitch them anymore. He does still drive if someone else will get them ready. Stud colt is going good stands well to get hitched we think he’s gonna be a good quiet rugged horse when he gets filled out.

    January 19, 2009 at 1:16 pm #49321
    Jean
    Participant

    She is lovely! Is she the only Suffolk on the farm?

    January 19, 2009 at 1:34 pm #49324
    Donn Hewes
    Keymaster

    Hi Plowboy and Jean, Thanks, we are excited to have her. Yes, she is my only Suffolk. Maybe a team of Suffolk mules in the future. Funny, but her partner this summer will be a 16 y/o mule. Show her the ropes. My team this summer, from right to left (teamster view) will George (four year old Percheron mule), Susie (four year old Belgian mare), Ethel (sixteen year old mollie mule), and Connie on the left side. I think Connie and Susie might team up down the road. Everyone happily eating hay this morning. Plowboy I know it is last minute, and you are probably working but I have a few friends coming to play with horses and mules on Friday afternoon. Don’t know what we will do but something fun. Come for lunch or stay for dinner. Take care all. Donn

    January 19, 2009 at 3:17 pm #49326
    dominiquer60
    Moderator

    Don,
    She is a beauty, my first thought before I read on was a pair of sturdy handsome red mules, what a great mare to cross with. Do you have a good jack in mind for her? Best of Luck with her, the mule crop and everyone getting along, nice to hear they are off to a good start.

    Erika

    January 19, 2009 at 3:22 pm #49330
    HeeHawHaven
    Participant

    Donn,

    We always keep ours in a pipe corral for a week or two before letting them out with the herd. It helps make them know where their feed comes from and lets the others come by and sniff them and get to know them before they go out with them. We think it lessens the power struggle once let out in the herd.

    I don’t think it’s funny that she’ll team with a mule. Any animal that knows its job would do. Suffolk mules sound awesome!

    Dave

    January 19, 2009 at 7:09 pm #49331
    manesntails
    Participant

    @HeeHawHaven 4980 wrote:

    Donn,

    We always keep ours in a pipe corral for a week or two before letting them out with the herd. It helps make them know where their feed comes from and lets the others come by and sniff them and get to know them before they go out with them. We think it lessens the power struggle once let out in the herd.

    I don’t think it’s funny that she’ll team with a mule. Any animal that knows its job would do. Suffolk mules sound awesome!

    Dave

    I do the same Dave, I set up a 40′ round pen in the pasture and let them sniff and nuzzle but not be able to “get to” one another until a week or two later depending upon how they interact.

    I have a Percheron rscue mare 27yo. She’s too old to work and just is a pet. I felt bad she had no buddy since my two geldings could not join her in the field due to their being waaaay too dominant. I was a fraid she’d get hurt, she’s so laid back. So, I got a white 13h Molly mule to put with her.

    That Percheron 16.1h and 1300lbs was SCARED STIFF of that little 750lb mule! I put her hay outside the roundpen so she HAD to eat with her. After 2 weeks, when I released the mule…..that Percheron was shaking like a leaf!!
    She crapped herself right there on the spot!

    Now, she bosses and even nips the mule! The mule just squeals and gets out of her way:D

    January 20, 2009 at 12:42 am #49318
    Carl Russell
    Moderator

    Just for the sake of conversation, I use the exact same technique as Donn. I have no pen, or corral, so I show the new horse the perimeter, and turn out the home horses one at a time. Every horse and situation has its own peculiarities, so I guess it might not work for everyone. I’m not sure I would bring home a horse that I thought had “issues” that might make the introduction a problem. Haven’t so far.

    Carl

    January 20, 2009 at 12:22 pm #49322
    Jean
    Participant

    When I have brought home a new horse I have tried to separate them, but my Percheron will have none of that. She takes down any fence she has to in order to introduce herself. I have tried hot, wood, metal gates, I guess she figures if she goes fast enough it won’t hurt for long. Funny she never tests the fence once they are all together.

    January 20, 2009 at 7:26 pm #49327
    Robert MoonShadow
    Participant

    Jean ~ What does that mare do, once she IS with the new one? Whip them up, or just says “howdy”?

    January 20, 2009 at 11:03 pm #49323
    Jean
    Participant

    Well, she comes into heat the instant another horse comes onto the property, so once she has kicked down the wooden fence, run over the metal gates, or plowed through the hot rope, she just says hello, ain’t I something to look at? There is some squealing, running around and biting, but nobody has gotten hurt too bad. A couple of surface wounds because she was being so mareish, she did not mind Kruiser biting her butt. Thank goodness he is a gelding! Maybe I should stop telling her how pretty she is and what a beautiful butt she has. It has all gone to her head.:o

    January 21, 2009 at 12:25 am #49329
    Ed Thayer
    Participant

    Don,

    Good looking mare.

    Hope she will work out for you. Very nice color too.

    Is that the Haflinger in one of the pictures?

    January 21, 2009 at 7:35 pm #49325
    Donn Hewes
    Keymaster

    highway, There might be a Halflinger in the back ground but the two with their heads together are the Suffolk mare (all red), and the Belgian mare (blonde mane). Some say they think there is a little Halflinger in the Belgian mare – but I don’t like to talk about it. D

    January 22, 2009 at 2:55 am #49320
    Plowboy
    Participant

    Thanks for the invite Donn but having a little trouble at work. Lost one guy to a medical problem. Had to fire another. If this keeps up I’ll be supervisor of myself with a hiring freeze. I’ll email you our event dates soon for the coming year. We’ll get together one of these days. Good luck with the mare she looks like she’s doing well already.

    January 22, 2009 at 3:18 am #49328
    Robert MoonShadow
    Participant

    Jean – Um, you might not want to let the neighbors & various passersby hear you talking that way to your horse – “pretty butt” or no. :confused: Just a thought?

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