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[RC] Introducing horse to a new herd - JulienneHey everyone, I've moved Isabella to a new barn this past month. She was in quarantine for 10 days and this past Wednesday I turned her out with the new herd of 6, a mixture of geldings and mares in a 7 acre hilly pasture. The herd is an established group, very very mellow and lazy, led by a bay mustang gelding. When I turned Isabella loose Wednesday morning, she was immediately surrounded by the curious herd. No real kicking went on although I did hear her squeal a few times. She ran away from the herd to the other side of the pasture. The gelding 2nd in command followed after her a few times, chasing her back to the herd, but she would immediately retreat back to the other side of the pasture. I haven't been able to stay out there during the day, but she's been keeping to herself the past 2 days, coming down occasionally to grab a drink to eat. The feeders have been tossing her hay into the hill and she's been eating fine. Last night when I took her out to supplement her, the other horses immediately trotted up and surrounded us.. no squealing, just curious about her. I checked her over, she didn't seem dehydrated, she had a little dried sweat on her. She's losing a little weight but nothing alarming yet (I figure it's just the stress of moving to a new barn). After I fed her next to where the herd was eating, I let her loose and she immediately ran away from the herd back to the far side of the pasture. She doesn't seem anxious.. she's not pacing or anything. She has the paddocks in sight where she was in quarantine before, so she can see the other paddock horses, which is why I think she's not in a big hurry to join the herd. She's never been a real independent horse.. she's been in 2 herds in the past 5 years and she's integrated herself fairly quickly, being the low mare on the totem pole, and being very attached to her herd. Has anyone seen this kind of behavior before? Is this normal? I'd like to hear observations of what other people have seen introducing new horses into herds.. how long does it usually take? Julienne &Isabella __________________________________ Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 http://mail.yahoo.com =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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