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Original poster

Helping new mare settle

27 replies

Framewhite · 01/02/2025 08:58

Hi we took arrival of dd’s new pony. Pony had always been handled by children and was great during the viewing. Vetting was good.

i took for granted that given her calm nature she would be just the same with us. In fact she is quite the opposite. Searching online this is very common as her whole world has changed.

she is very bargy but we are working on this and she is getting better. But she gets stressy. Throws her head up and gets very alert. We are waiting for saddler so been unable to ride her and so have been doing a lot of ground work. I have actually enjoyed this and she is doing well.

i know that this is all common but it’s kind of thrown me. I know that they say it can take months to settle but it feels like all the things we want to do with her like hacking, low level comps etc feel so far away as there’s no way I’d try any of those anytime soon.

So I suppose I’m asking that if you took delivery of a new horse, how do you help them settle. Any activities to do that really help with the bond so she feels more safe etc?

OP posts:
Original poster
Framewhite · 05/02/2025 23:18

Bayonetlightbulb · 04/02/2025 14:50

Is she big enough to easily see over the stable door so she can see other horses?
Our horses live out 24/7 unless there is a storm- could this be an option. Also when ours come in they can actually touch each other and interact in their stables as the partitions are only full height for half their stables, so they can escape interaction if they want to but can touch, groom etc if they want to as well. I couldn't go back to enclosed stables now I have seen how nice it is for them.
Is it possible to move her to a different stable to see if position in the yard might help. Is there a pony she seems keen on when turned out? Maybe being stabled close to that pony would help?

The yard is full so moving stables isn’t an option at present but two ponies are due to move to a retirement home soon. But yes she is big enough to see over the door and can see others

OP posts:
CountryCob · 06/02/2025 11:25

That is a shame but understandable. I think if an opportunity comes up to move you should take it. If the mare barges to see what is going on in the wider yard she has limited sight of then it does appear that visibility is the issue. I moved yards once after my horse which didn't settle with limited visibility ended up jumping over the stable door and bruised their back. One vet looked at the situation and just said they can't stay there given how the horse reacted in the stable. This was summer and they weren't even staying long in the stable. We lasted about 2 months which was really fustrating moving the stuff for 2 horses, including buying new mats. Had owned thay horse for a decade so minimal routine change and no changes in handlers, the main factor was their environment which I was forced to reassess from their point of view despite it suiting me location, hacking and child friendly wise which is not hard to find. The only other side benefit was that yard also had a really nasty yard "boss/ bully/ know it all", not the owner, who I was also happy to leave behind....

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