My two horses hate each other...

[Lady_Eboshi]

I’m going to second the people above who discuss territorial issues with the initial horse. Most often, a change of venue completely will change this equation. Horses’ strongest instinct is that they must stick together, so in a new place, with #2 the only other equine in sight, he’s going to look at him differently.

Your acreage sounds like each paddock gives them plenty of room to get away from each other. What I would do is pick a day when you have nowhere to go, and put 2 piles of hay at some remove from each other in one paddock. Boot up your boys and consider putting a strongly-made sheet on them (Baker fly sheets which are like Kevlar actually are GREAT) to keep the hair removal and bite marks to a minimum, turn them out together and let The Discussion begin. I would strongly urge you to do this when both are barefoot.

But stick around. Here is where you’re going to find out if #2 is engaging in normal dominance play, or is a genuine Bad Actor. The difference is, a normal horse backs off when the other guy submits. A Bad Actor will keep going until he’s putting him through the fence. If you see THAT kind of blood-in-the-eye aggression and it doesn’t let up, break it up FAST before there’s a wreck. And then you will know that #2 is a Single Turnout Only guy and you probably will have to build a “lane” between your paddocks.

But I’m betting they’ll be singing Kumbaya and sharing their hay in no time!

[AmarachAcres]

90% likely they will be fine once they are getting to know each other at home.

I’ve had mixed herds of all types and never had any issues go beyond a week.

Trust me, soon enough they will be so bonded you may curse under your breath as they scream at each other when one is working.

Some good advice on here for providing separate hay piles and let them work it out when you are home.

[cloudyandcallie]

I’ve seen people place lots of piles of hay around in order to allow horses to get to know each other without fighting. It’s always pretty tense, unless both horses are laid back. sometimes horses never get along. And sometimes horses get along fine. When I bought Cloudy, I was told to go out and buy another young gelding as then they would pair up and be buddies. Good thing I found an elderly OTTB mare, since neither Cloudy, nor the mare Callie, wanted to be buddies with members of the same sex. Both of them got along with each other but both of them would pair up with members of the opposite sex at barns. The geldings that Callie chose at each barn protected her from mean horses (but no sex), and the mares who chose Cloudy at each barn would protect him from mean horses (and his girlfriends made him put out.) After Callie’s death, I moved Cloudy to a barn when he met Hattie and she took over his care. I nearly adopted a nice old gelding being given away at that barn, but the gelding did not like Cloudy, and Cloudy ignored the gelding. So eventually I took Hattie and she’s protected him now for 6 1/2 yrs.

So my advice is to try to gradually get the 2 geldings to occupy the same field with each other by feeding them piles of hay around the pasture. And if you can get someone to lead one of them around (with a bridle/bit on) while you lead the other around, maybe they will get accustomed to each other. I’ve been at barns where my horses and other horses were dumped out in a herd with some pretty mean horses. I don’t like or recommend that practice. I’ve seen horses really beaten up badly. Fortunately mine weren’t hurt. But I’ve had to pull other horses off of other people’s horses when they were kicking and biting and chasing them down. And the vicious horses just got more vicious over time. And beat up some nice timid horses.

Both horses look great.

[Dressagelvr]

I wouldn’t risk it either unless you’re willing to risk losing them both. 1 wrong kick can end a life.

I will also say that I’ve seen mares tend to establish a pecking order & stick to it, but geldings tend to continue to pick at one another if there’s an issue between 2.

I’d reconfigure the pasture space so that there is a large run w/hot wire on top between their paddocks.

[the_other_mother]

I was in the same situation, bought a second horse to keep first horse company when we moved to our farm; they were boarded together and couldn’t be turned out together because they fought so bad. Introduced them slowly, over fence lines, they fought and were striking, when turned out together they came in at night with bite marks and kick marks. These two are half brothers too! Problem solved when we moved them home, they were the only two horses here so I guess they figured they better stick together. They are best buds now, groom each other, and really get along well. I suspect your two will do the same when they are left to themselves away from other horses.

[buck22]

The few times I needed to horses to learn to accept each other, I’ve had success sticking both enemies in a trailer and taking them for a ride. By the time we get back, they seem to get along much better. Guess its the “we’re stuck in here together so might as well be buddies” thing.

I once had a horse that was being mercilessly picked on by the herd. There was no option to separate him at all, so I had to figure a way create some peace (and I had no trailer to use). I took the most oppressive offender and the pony and put them both in the round pen together and put them both to work, hard. Kept their feet so busy the offender didn’t have time to pick on the pony. Like the trailer ride, both horses were suddenly in a position to need each other, so worked together. Didn’t change the pecking order, but the offender no longer savaged the pony either.

Same pony was cowering from the rest of the herd, so in an attempt to up his confidence, I rode him out into the lose herd and used him to herd the herd, push them around, hold them in corners, sort them, etc. Gave the pony a lot of confidence being the “boss” for a change and having complete control of the herd. Again, pecking order never changed, but the pony never cowered or had to run again.

[normandy_shores]

They already shared a 5 hour trailer ride, and will again on the way to new place. Ten days till we move and I can start the introduction!

[normandy_shores]

I figured I should update. We’re nine days in at the new place and as expected, they now get along. Spent one or two nights in separate paddocks and then I tried them together during the day. They’ve definitely worked out who’s boss. When I take Moo away Chevy is fine, and Moo has been fine to leave him and hack alone. If I take Chevy away Moo gets a little frantic but not dangerously so.

So far, so good!

[Bluey]

Good, thanks for the update.

You really never know what will happen when adding/taking a horse away, how they will juggle for dominance and protect reserves, like food and/or attention from humans or other horses.

Nice that they are figuring this out in a way all are safe.

[AmarachAcres]

Pictures!