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Holly Z.
Member
Username: Cowgrl
Post Number: 182
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 4, 2004 - 1:16 pm: |   |
Hi,
I don't know if this is addressed somewhere else but here goes. I just bought a new horse for a friend of mine at a sale. Friend already has two horses that have been together for years. We delivered her new horse and turned him out alone but next to the paddock with her other two. One of these two horses is extremely aggressive with other horses and doesn't hesitate to show it. She tried last night putting them out together to establish pecking order but the new horse got a cut leg and a couple of bites on his rear so she separated them again.
What is the best way to socialize these three with the least amount of fighting and possible injuries? I usually turn them all out together because of space restrictions and let them slug it out. The last time we introduced a new horse it was very anti-climatic and everyone now knows their place.
The problem here is this horse is more aggressive than others I have dealt with - even my mustang is more docile (although we did have one horse he just hated). Should she turn them out for short periods together and see if they get their differences ironed out? What has worked for you? She's really worried about the new boy getting hurt.
Thanks for any suggestions I can pass on to her.
Holly |
ANN COLLIER
Member
Username: Dres
Post Number: 347
Registered: 10-2000
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 4, 2004 - 2:30 pm: | |
Holly what has worked for me, is that i put the new horse on the other side of the fence for a week or more... i feed both sides of the fence close to it , so that they get used to standing somewhat close together at feeding time...
then i will turn them out after they seem friendly across the fence.. if there is a fuss when turned out .. i won't feed together for a while.. its a lot of work on my part, but i have had good luck with this method..
have fun..
Ann |
Holly Z.
Member
Username: Cowgrl
Post Number: 183
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 4, 2004 - 2:36 pm: | |
Thanks Ann, I'll mention this to her.
Holly |
Liliana Velasco Ariza
Member
Username: Liliana
Post Number: 133
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 4, 2004 - 5:20 pm: | |
One way that really works is to dress the new horse with a rug that belongs to one of the resident horses!. To start off the top horse owner of the field - sort of speak - will come and investigate the new arrival and when he recognises the smell then he will setle after a while.
Of course if they both are dominant then it will take a little longer.
We had a triangle once, a new arab x had a thing for top mare! and top horse did not like it one bit. Best thing really is to let them sort themselves out, the smaller the herd the more agresive horses tend to be.
It is my humble advice to put them together and watch how they get on without interfiering. remeber we transmit our emotions to them.
Love your horses
Liliana |
Tonya Skinner
Member
Username: Mftgirl
Post Number: 14
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, May 8, 2004 - 2:13 pm: | |
We usually keep new horses in our barn for a week or son, until we determine that they are not carrying any illness. We then make sure that we turnout in the daytime, early in the day, that way we can monitor the "discussion" and step in if necessary (if the horse gets pinned in the corner, we've had them jump the fence to get away). It also seems to work better to do this well before feeding time, as that is when ours will show their opinions the strongest. If they've already worked things out, feeding goes smoother. I've noticed too that when we have transferred horses from one pasture to another, it takes minimal "discussion" to work out the pecking order. Good luck. |
peggy outly
Member
Username: Dallas
Post Number: 8
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, Jul 17, 2004 - 4:58 pm: | |
I just put my 16 month old filly in the pasture with her adult friends. she lives in the barn with all of these horses, including her mother. she has been in a seperate pasture, where these horses cannot see her with the other foal/yearlings since weaning.
the only horse that showed aggression towards her was her own sweet mother! i was shocked. Her mother has bonded with a 2 year old recently and is very protective of her. When 'bugs' came into the pasture, she immediately came over, 'talked' to her and then reared up slightly. about an hour later, she ran over to her and tried to bite/nip at her neck. my gelding chased her away.
has anyone else experienced this? why would she be this way with her own offspring?
thanks much for the help
peggy |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 10804
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Sunday, Jul 18, 2004 - 8:26 am: | |
Peggy she is simply acting like a horse and attempting to maintain position in the herd, it does not matter that the horse is her offspring.
DrO |
peggy outly
Member
Username: Dallas
Post Number: 9
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, Jul 18, 2004 - 9:58 pm: | |
thanks dr o for the info. She must be a threat to her because we've introduced many mares over the past 6 months and she did not react this way towards any of them. |
