# Introducing new foal to other horses - issue today



## zoon (21 October 2010)

My weanling arrived today and we had a little bit of drama!

He was turned out straight away into a paddock next to my other 2 horses.  My big horse came trotting over to the fence line and the baby freaked - turned and ran, over the fence, through next field (which we aren't using yet as fencing is old and broken), through old fencing and onto neighbouring golf course (which opens on to a very busy A road on one side)  Luckily he trotted round a bit, hid in some rough and let me catch him after I'd run the distance wheezing (asthmatic with a rotten cold!) and walked back calmly!  He is now in his stable and is calm and happily munching his hay, injury free. No damage to golf course either, but rang them today to apologise for disturbing the games anyway! 

I can't move my other two to another field that isn't adjacent to the one that the foal is in, so my idea is leave him in for a couple of days letting him watch the others (he can see them from his stable as it is on the edge of his field), then let him out again on the end of a lunge line so I have him if he does freak out.  I may also be able to have someone hold the other 2 on the ohter side of the fence, but both are calm and friendly and were just coming over to have a sniff!

Do you think it'd be wise to let them sniff eachother over stable door? Or does my plan sound ok?  At the weekend my OH is putting up another line of wire on our fencing to make is a little higher (we have stock fencing - worried foal won't see it and run staight into it and hurt himself).  What would the best plan of action be?


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## millitiger (22 October 2010)

i would have him on a lunge line to start and then when he is let off i would have a double fence up so he can see the other horses but not get scared by them being too close.

was he just out with his dam before you bought him or is has he been socialised with other horses before?


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## magic104 (22 October 2010)

Did you show him the boundaries of the paddock?  I thought when you asked about this before the replies were either leave him in or as I suggested take him in-hand & let him get used to the paddock.  I also suggested you just have him cope with one horse at a time.  Why could you not have put the older horse in the stable until the foal had settled a little?  One of the issues with foals/youngstock is they have no self-preservartion, it is why you were being told to leave him in.  

Well its done now & until you get your fencing sorted out he is probably best left in.  Next time allow him some time to get used to his new surroundings & the boundary fencing.


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## bj_cardiff (22 October 2010)

TBH his reaction was quite predictable and could of been avoided.. I'd of kept him in for at least 24 hrs next to a quiet friendly horse,ideally in a stable where they can interact over a wall. Shut all doors once their in there too! Then the foal would attach itself to the older horse when turned out. 

Just glad no damage was done and I'm ure its a mistake you'll never make again


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## aimeetb (22 October 2010)

Agree with above, pop one of the horses in next door if poss for a day or 2 even if just overnight if you dont want the other one in so much then turn foal out with this other pony into the paddock but keep hold of foalie until they are calm. They will soon settle then after a couple of weeks of chatting over the fence you could probably introduce the other one. It is intimidating for a baby to have two much older probably bigger horses running towards him, at this point the he wont be sure whether they mean to say hi or run him off!

Hope it goes ok from here on in x


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## CBFan (22 October 2010)

The foal needs to be turned out with a nice quiet companion (preferably not too big) in a safe, well fenced field. Stock fencing is not ideal as it is not very easy to see. Personally I think electric fencing (white), as long as it is properly tensioned and you use it high enough (taller posts rather than short ones) is much safer as it is easier for them to see and they learn to respect it VERY quickly if they touch it.

Keep him in until your fencing is sorted and you've found a sensible companion for him.


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## SSM (22 October 2010)

Your poor weanling has just been through a tough time, mum has gone, moved to a new place, new paddock and suddenly great big strangers coming up to him - remember he would have hidden behind mum - not surprised he ran!

We have had Buck's back shoes removed for a week and he is now out with Little Jack and his foster mother - so that Jack is socialised and ready for weaning with a friend so it will be less traumatic - Today I put them out in a new paddock, he was obviously out of his comfort zone even with his mother and big brother and pulled his foaly cack cack face and clung to his mother for quite a while. You need to go slowly - let him meet strangers in a safe secure place and then gradually let them intergrate - also agree about finding a companion - Jack has one coming when he is weaned.

I would also make sure all fencing is safe and secure, foals can jump so post and rail with electric would be my prefered choice - or as stated high electric with secure tape/rope and the power on


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## zoon (23 October 2010)

millitiger said:



			was he just out with his dam before you bought him or is has he been socialised with other horses before?
		
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He was out in a large group of mares and foals



magic104 said:



			Did you show him the boundaries of the paddock?  I thought when you asked about this before the replies were either leave him in or as I suggested take him in-hand & let him get used to the paddock.  I also suggested you just have him cope with one horse at a time.  Why could you not have put the older horse in the stable until the foal had settled a little?  One of the issues with foals/youngstock is they have no self-preservartion, it is why you were being told to leave him in.  

Well its done now & until you get your fencing sorted out he is probably best left in.  Next time allow him some time to get used to his new surroundings & the boundary fencing.
		
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That sounded a bit rude!  I am only asking for advice.  I'm afraid I didn't see your advice in previous post or I'd have done just that - it was sound advice that I just didn't think of.  I only have one stable and it was filled to the brim with hay - which is now outside and we have rain forcast for tomorrow.  Never actually used it as a stable, nor was it construvted for that purpose really.


There isn't really anything I can do with the fencing or stable situation - we have stock fencing (4ft high minimum, some sections are 4.5) and a single stable attached to the big field shelter.  Post and rail is too expensive and there is no electricity to have electric fencing.  I'd need far too many batteries to charge our boundaries and wouldn't trust battery powered fencing anyway.  I do have plenty of electric tape I can wind around top wire of fencing to make it more visable if you think that'd help.


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## Maesfen (23 October 2010)

zoon said:



			That sounded a bit rude!  I am only asking for advice.  I'm afraid I didn't see your advice in previous post or I'd have done just that - it was sound advice that I just didn't think of.  .
		
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Perhaps next time you ask for help it might be a good idea to check regularly for any replies otherwise we are talking to thin air plus it's a waste of our time and our experience in trying to help you; I can see why Magic was a tad pee'd off.

Anyway, you'll know for next time how frightened young foals can get when they're moved to a new home away from all they've ever known.  If just one other person in the same position of taking a newly weaned youngster on sees this and what happened to yours, then hopefully it will help them be more aware of the dangers that can happen and their introduction will go a lot smoother without any calamities.
I hope your chap settles in soon when he's got to know his new gang and will look forward to seeing pics.


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## aimeetb (23 October 2010)

There isn't really anything I can do with the fencing or stable situation - we have stock fencing (4ft high minimum, some sections are 4.5) and a single stable attached to the big field shelter.  Post and rail is too expensive and there is no electricity to have electric fencing.  I'd need far too many batteries to charge our boundaries and wouldn't trust battery powered fencing anyway.  I do have plenty of electric tape I can wind around top wire of fencing to make it more visable if you think that'd help.[/QUOTE]

Hi Zoon, 

I would do that if thats the only option, if it would make it more visible then that can only be a good thing. If you havent already I would chose the quietist of the 2 and pop him in the paddock with your little one but keep him on a lunge just until they settle, it shouldnt take long for him to realise your other chap means him no harm then just let them settle and bond for a wekk or so then introduce the other one the same way so they are all together, it will be fine, just all a bit new and intimidating for the foalio at the mo! 

x


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## magic104 (23 October 2010)

Zoon Im not going to apologise for being blunt or rude as you put it because an animal was put at unnecessary risk.  Please see your 1st post on this;

My reply 13 Oct- I personally would not just turn him out with them both. Is there no way he could just have the 2yo for company to start with? Failing that I would let him get used the field boundaries without the hassle of the other 2, then perhaps put the 2yo in let them settle then put the older horse in. I have a dominant mare & even when one of the others has been away for a few weeks I let them get re-introduced over the fence. The one thing that you want to avoid at all costs in your baby getting cornered. 
You replied
My problem is, I do not have any stables to bring the others in and my other field currently has no fencing around it at all (just rented the field next to my land). I figured it'd be quicker to divide my current field in 2 than fence the whole new field. Work full time as well and now it is dark early I only have weekends! Will get our fingers out this weekend to divide field so he can go out alone and meet the others over the fence.


Just like you I have made mistakes in the past, (not just with horses of course) but if I have asked for advice & ignored it then I only had myself to blame.  And my response is a lot less rude then ones I have received for ignoring people who have more experience.  Of course where horses are concerned you tailor it to fit your circumstances & your horses, because what works for one wont for another.  BUT you can be sure that a foal WILL react in some form to the situation you described.  That is why it is important they have the chance to get to grips with their surroundings without the hassle of older horses.  He would have been wound up anyway with it all being new & just coming away from his herd.  At least no one was hurt & they all get a 2nd chance, believe me some dont!


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## Spot_the_Risk (23 October 2010)

My (totally untouched couldn't get near him) weanling was herded from the trailer into our big field shelter, must be about 20' x 20'.  He stayed in there for a few weeks, my cob was out by day and they couldn't see each other, but in at night and I always let them chat over the door when going in and out.  There was plenty of room for the youngster to back away if he needed to, but they buddied up.  After about three weeks, I'd let the weanling graze in the yard attached to the field shelter, he saw my cob at the far end of the field and took on the post and rail, nearly cleared the top rail (four foot), broke it, but was luckily none the worse for it. After that, they lived out happily together.


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