New pony advice please!

K

Kitkat

New Member
Sep 7, 2015
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My children's first pony is due to arrive in the next couple of days, and I'm suddenly in a complete panic! Am a returner after a long break, but have never owned, although have been sharing for the last 2 years.
The plan was to have pony living out (we have 2 veterans renting a paddock from us, and the owners are happy for pony to join them.) Pony has lived out in the last year or so, but been at livery for the past couple of weeks.
Should I turn pony straight out on arrival with the other 2, or keep pony fenced off but in line of sight of the other two until settled? Secondly, pony has been on hard feed (whilst at livery) am I ok to just feed grass straight off the bat, or should I wean it off hard feed feed for a short period? Sorry for such silly questions......
 
See what they tell you. When I got Ziggy it took him several weeks to be accepted by the gelding next door, who tried to kick the daylights out of him the first time we put them together. When I introduced my second horse Mattie, however, he sniffed noses so happily with Ziggy over the fence that we let them meet at once and they were grooming within 5 minutes.

Because there are two together already they will have formed a little herd, and it is harder to join a group than a single horse, so I would be inclined to give them a day grazing with a fence between before they meet.
 
When I got my youngster I left her in the field next to my older two for 24hrs before introducing her to them. I did however make the vital error of underestimating one of my horses, and removed the boss to give D a chance to settle in with one older mare. In hind sight I should've removed the other, however boss has always been funny with other new horses coming in and kicking ten bells out of them!
 
Personally I like to keep them separated to worm and incubate any infectious things they could arrive with so as not to infect the existing residents, so I keep a newby in line of sight and after a week-10 days if no sign of nasties let them get closer/touch noses over a fence and put then in together once they are settled and grazing alongside each other.
Re feed, if he's just been getting a token feed (most ponies don't get tons) I would just put straight on grass and/or hay, but if he's been getting loads I would ask the livery what they are feeding (and why he's getting so much) and think about weaning him off once you get him home.
 
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They're not silly questions!
Its hard to know what to do, but I like the idea eml has.
When Chloe arrived Storm was alone cos J had just died so I let them say hi over the stable doors and then popped them both in the arena. Different cos there was just two and no already estsblished herd.
Hope it goes okay for you.
 
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