Indroducing new horse

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  • November 18, 2011 at 3:03 am #43223
    bradley
    Moderator

    I am buying a horse on Saturday and I have never dealt with introducing a new horse to the team at home. My primary plan was to put him in the stall next to the horses during the day, for the first couple days, to get them acquainted while tied up with a wall in between them. Then how soon could they be put in the paddock together? And what should I expect as far as territorial issues go? They are all teenage geldings.

    November 18, 2011 at 11:58 am #70360
    Does’ Leap
    Participant

    I have only introduced new horses on 2 occasions. Instead of a box stall, I had them out in a paddock for a couple of days separated by polywire. I think the box stall will serve the same purpose. After a few days, I put them all together in a large roundish paddock, no corner where the new horse can get trapped. Once introduced, they go at it and figure out the pecking order pretty quickly. No one has been hurt yet. What did you buy?

    George

    November 18, 2011 at 10:11 pm #70362
    bradley
    Moderator

    Thanks for the advice George, the horse is a brabant-belgian cross chunk, not the greatest match for my leggy belgians but just what I have been wanting. When I went to try him out, it had been a year since he had done anything, but he dove right into the collar and bridle. I was a little nervous when I first drove him out of the barn because he went out with speed but I am just not used to that with my team. We harrowed the owner’s garden and he was great.

    November 18, 2011 at 11:51 pm #70361
    Ed Thayer
    Participant

    I made the mistake a couple of months ago of letting a new horse in with my gelding in a paddock without seperating them, my belgian chased the mare right throught the fence and into the back pasture.

    I then did as George suggested and seperated them with poly wire in the paddock for two days. Then let them in together and that same day they were standing in the same box stall together. They figure it out quickly.

    Ed

    November 19, 2011 at 11:26 am #70359
    Does’ Leap
    Participant

    Bradley:

    Sounds like a great cross. Any pictures?

    George

    November 19, 2011 at 3:17 pm #70358
    Scott G
    Participant

    Introduced many new horses to the herd in the past and it basically follows what George mentioned. I’ll seperate them with a corral fence wood or pipe where they can’t get hurt if they kick it. Make sure its low enough where they can touch noses if they wish and give it 2-3 days before I turn them out together. They are still going to be figuring out a pecking order and there probably will be some kicking and squealing for awhile but they’ll figure it out. One word of caution, Bradley. If your horses are sporting caulks on their shoes you may want to do something to mitigate that. A normally harmless kick isn’t harmless if caulks are involved. Liking the new horse you’ve decribed. I’m a big fan of belgian/brabant chunks.

    November 20, 2011 at 3:36 am #70363
    bradley
    Moderator

    I brought him home and put him in the stall next to the other horses for a couple hours. They were calm other than my bigger horse touching noses and squealing a little bit. Then I put my team out for the night and left new horse in, he made some noise then when they were separated. Tomorrow I will put up a fence next to theirs and put him out. My team does have caulks on so I was a little nervous about that. I will put up some pictures tomorrow too. Thanks for the replies.

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