introducing new horses into the herd--how do you do it?

[regalace]

I just moved my horse to a new barn a couple of months ago, and I’m liking the place a lot–not only is it cheaper, closer to my house, and has better facilities, the care so far has been good and the people are nice. I am still getting to know and trust their horsekeeping style, after having been at my previous barn for several years.

I went out last night and was rather startled to find that my horse was not in his pasture, but was a couple of fields over in a smaller pen by himself. I asked what was going on and learned there were a couple of new horses in the field (will be 7 total in a field of several acres, so not overcrowded) and their practice is to move the alpha horse out for a few days while the new horses get acquainted, and then move the alpha back in. My horse is the alpha and evidently was chasing the new horses before he was moved. (Note that I’ve had him for 14 years and have boarded at several different barns due to me moving a number of times, and he is well used to making new friends. He’s alpha but not a bully.)

I’m not opposed to being careful and slow in introducing new horses. When my horse moved in, it took him almost a month to go from settling in in the round pen, to pastured next to another horse, to integrated in the herd (at that time they merged him with another new horse so didn’t have to move the alpha). But it’s also my horse now, as alpha, who will be rearranged every time a new horse comes in. He doesn’t like being pastured alone, it makes him very clingy to me and somewhat worried. Also the field he’s in now has no shade and it’s quite hot here this week, and it has less grass and he’s already more thin than I’d like. I’m not going to be too upset unless he isn’t moved back within a week or two, but am I wrong in thinking this is a fairly unusual way to go about introducing new horses? Or have I been ridiculously lucky all these years that I’ve just kicked him out at a new place and let them sort it out and nobody got hurt?

[CHT]

They probably should have told you about their plan to move your horse before they did, but the general idea sounds like a reasonable technique. What doesn’t reasonable to me is that your horse doesn’t have shelter.

[uphill]

My pony and horse were turned out into a herd of horses they had been with before…though not sure if all of them were there before at the boarding barn. Long story short, pony got kicked, broke leg and was pts…

Chasing other horses is considered bullying in many barns. Keeping everyone’s horses safe is the responsibility of the bo.

[Bluey]

I think that they did what they thought best, but if I had been managing, I would have run it by you first, explained why and how we were going to handle this and hear anything you may bring to the discussion.

Management has to do what is best for all and right for everyone too AND let the owner know the what and why’s first, before proceeding, if at all possible.

Communication is one of the most important ways anyone working with others needs to consider, so all are on the same page, no matter what we do.

That you had to find out by yourself, that I would question and ask that next time, please let me know what you are going to do with my horse first, so I don’t come to find out after the fact and have to wonder what else is done without my knowledge.

[LauraKY]

That’s not how I do it,but it sounds like it works for them. They probably should have run it by you first. I never asked about changing fields though…stalls yes.

[sunridge1]

Short answer, it depends. After years of dealing with a bully alpha I understand why they did it what they did. Better safe than sorry. Your horse could have been hurt even though he’s an alpha. They should have mentioned it to you but understand they probably were considering everyone’s welfare.

[jenm]

It’s not unusual for the alpha horse(s) to chase a new comer around. Depending on the horse and the herd, it may take a few minutes or a few hours for everyone to settle down.

I agree the barn manager should have notified you of their plans. However, I would also want to know how “bad” the chasing is to justify moving your horse out.

The pasture where my mare is boarded has a small pen in it so owners have the option of putting the newcomer in the pen and letting the horses meet over the fence before being turned out. I utilized this with my mare and after a couple of hours, it was clear there would be no issues. The horses ran around for about a minute, and then they were all peacefully grazing like nothing had happened.

I am curious to know what your BO considers “too much” chasing.

[clint]

I have introduced new horses by removing the alpha, and then reintroducing. As far as I’m concerned, any chasing is too much chasing. I had a mare break her leg getting chased, so the longer I manage horses the less I like interpersonal squabbles. The barn manager should certainly have told you what her plan was going to be; it wasn’t right of her not to do that. However, sometimes it is hard to tell where things are going to go in the new horse introduction department, so maybe that was where she was amiss. I have paddocks inside my fields, so I let horses meet with the new horse enclosed. The next step is to remove the alpha and let the newbie get to know a new horse without the alpha interfering. I don’t know if your horse is boarded in a mixed herd, but I had an ancient gelding I boarded who always had to be removed if there was a mare involved, either incoming or already a resident.
What I would be upset about is the thin part. Putting a horse in a field without enough feed and no shelter would be a complete non-started for me. I hope that has been rectified.

[SMF11]

I agree with all the others. That’s not how I introduce a new horse (my technique is to take the lowest ranking member of the herd and put them in with the new horse, and then gradually – every few days – add in another member of the herd, in pecking order. I’ve read of people doing the exact opposite – starting with the alpha.

But, if their technique works for them, they should do it. However, I also agree that no shade/shelter and not enough forage doesn’t sound great for your horse. Does your horse ever go in a stall? If yes, could he go in during the day and out at night? Could you hang a small hole hay net so he has enough to eat?

[regalace]

It would be good to know how much chasing is too much. A little run up and mill around is one thing, but certainly don’t want them to risk running through a fence! If I had known, I would have ideally been there to see for myself.

Edited to add: I actually kinda prefer not to introduce over a fence; if they’re going to kick and strike, I’d rather no fence to get tangled on. Which in fact my genius boy did, when we moved here, and pulled a muscle inhis shoulder.

I also was unhappy about the pasture location. His usual pasture doesn’t have a run-in (which would be ideal) but does have shade trees. If I had known in advance, I would have asked to have him put in a stall part of the time. The feeding issue is hopefully being addressed-we had a dry spring and the pastures weren’t coming up, but the BO’s wife is a vet and when she saw some horses getting thin, she increased the feed and hay. He should be gaining with the meals he is on now–but we just got some rain this week so I had hopes of better grazing!

I am trying not to be the problem boarder, but it’s their job to do what is best for the herd and my job to advocate for my own horse, and he just didn’t look happy in the situation.

[independentlyawesome]

Shelter, food, & water are the basic essentials that need to be provided for any animal. I would not be OK with boarding somewhere my horse wasn’t being provided with appropriate shelter! In fact, I’d be out there the same day demanding that my horse be moved to a pasture with shelter.

I wouldn’t be too worried about the herd dynamics otherwise.

[Bluey]

Herd dynamics are very important, as important as we ourselves consider that we would not like to have to live with others we don’t care for or worse, that abuse us.

I want my horses to be contented with the other horses they have to live with.
I don’t want them to fret here and there, all day long, having to watch their backs.

Lets remember that our horses can’t leave and go find congenial horses to live with or live alone if not.
We put our horses in certain horse groups and those horses don’t have a choice.
It is up to us to see that all in the groups are doing well there.

Horses are horses and will do horse things, like push each other around, especially around resources like food or attention or shelter.
That is the world of domesticated horses.
We have to insure that, when putting horses in that situation, only those that get along well are commingled, so no one is unduly picked on and stressed.

To me, that is important to the well being of any horse I care for.
It is our responsibility to see to their comfort all around, that who they have to live with is compatible with them also important.

[arlosmine]

There does need to be some safety protocal for introducing a new herd member. As others have said, the method varies. I do think that the BM should have alerted you to the plan of action.
My old mare was alpha in every herd she was ever a part of. She was, however, very protective of all of her minions and would allow NO CHASING by anyone other than her (and she only did it minimally, usually once, to make her point). We would put her in a paddock with the newbie for several days, then re-introduce both into the herd. She would allow no harassment of her new charge. This didn’t work only once, with another mare who had previously been alpha in her herd. The two girls had a short, but intense battle (my mare came out on top), and the new mare was badly bruised on her rib cage fromo being kicked (none of the hoses had hind shoes). We opted to keep the new mare out of the herd to avoid further drama.

So, maybe a chat with the BO about the game plan is in order. How long does your guy stay in solitary what’s plan “B” I’d things don’t go well?

[LauraKY]

[QUOTE=arlosmine;7643117]
There does need to be some safety protocal for introducing a new herd member. As others have said, the method varies. I do think that the BM should have alerted you to the plan of action.
My old mare was alpha in every herd she was ever a part of. She was, however, very protective of all of her minions and would allow NO CHASING by anyone other than her (and she only did it minimally, usually once, to make her point). We would put her in a paddock with the newbie for several days, then re-introduce both into the herd. She would allow no harassment of her new charge. This didn’t work only once, with another mare who had previously been alpha in her herd. The two girls had a short, but intense battle (my mare came out on top), and the new mare was badly bruised on her rib cage fromo being kicked (none of the hoses had hind shoes). We opted to keep the new mare out of the herd to avoid further drama.

So, maybe a chat with the BO about the game plan is in order. How long does your guy stay in solitary what’s plan “B” I’d things don’t go well?[/QUOTE]

That’s the way I’ve always done it. I keep them all in separate pastures across the driveway during a quarantine period and then in adjacent paddocks with the new horse and the herd boss. Then, I turn the herd boss out with the new horse for a couple of days, and then integrate the whole herd. It’s always worked out well. Did, don’t have a herd anymore. I’m down to one.

[RedHorses]

My horse has been “boss hoss” in his herds for years. Except when it’s not a herd and just a bunch of gelding gangs in one field. He found that stressful and I moved him after a few months.

I’ve found that if a new horse comes into his field he will chase the new horse and try to herd his horses away from the now one. Of course his horses are usually all trying to go say hi to the newbie.

So now I get him put into a different paddock (not his territory) with the new horse for a day or three until he’s decided the new horse is his. Then both go back into his usual herd. He will ignore the jostling and “oh look! new horse!” antics from the others for a bit, then get everyone to settle down.