Introducing a new horse to the herd.

Horses are herd animals by nature; they form close relationships within the herd, compete for status, and fight among themselves. The herd never readily accepts a new horse, and the addition of a new individual can completely alter the herd's social structure.

Horses, like people, don't always get along with each other at first. They are sensitive animals and tend to experience stress when moving to a new environment or joining a new herd. Simply put, introducing a new horse into a herd can be complicated and unpredictable.

When a new horse arrives, there are a number of steps we take to ensure the safety of the new horse, the current resident horses, and ourselves.

The first step to prevent the spread of disease is to quarantine the newly arrived horse (keeping it away from other horses) for seven to ten days. We keep the new horse in a pen without nose-to-nose contact with other horses, but it can always see other horses, people, and the world around it. This way, it gets used to its new home, new smells, and its new human, equine, and other companions (dogs, cats, chickens, etc.).

We assess their overall health through initial observations to ensure we address any issues as soon as possible.

There are some issues that are especially common in new horses: hoof problems, mobility or joint problems, parasites, lack of socialization, and more.

Even if a newly arrived horse appears healthy and shows no clinical signs, some health conditions may take time to manifest as external symptoms, and it could be a carrier.

Quarantine is essential for all new horses, even if they appear healthy and even if you know exactly where they came from. Quarantine procedures protect other horses and the humans who care for them.

As caregivers, we take advantage of the quarantine time with the new arrival to get to know them and work on building trust. Every interaction with the new horse leads us to draw certain conclusions about their safety and our own.

Unfortunately, the process of moving, transporting, unloading, and separating them from other horses can be perceived as negative by the horse, even if it is done gently and carefully. To combat this, we must always be calm when interacting with the new horse and ensure positive interactions every day. This will greatly help build a strong relationship between us and the new horse.

At Cavalls Wakan, horses are typically barefoot, without shoes, so we also remove the shoes from newly arrived horses. Studies have shown that the risk of fractures after a kick is much lower with bare feet than with shod ones, and we don't want to take any risks when joining them with their new herd.

Furthermore, most of the horses we receive don't work and simply enjoy their retirement peacefully, so going barefoot allows the hoof to work the way nature intended: absorbing shocks, properly utilizing the frog and soft tissues of the hoof, and distributing the horse's weight over the wall, the edge of the sole, the heel, and the frog. A horse's hoof is a great reflection of its overall health.

Once we're sure the new horse is healthy enough to join the herd, we start by pairing it with a companion. A friendly, well-socialized horse in the herd, we pair it with in a field and give them time to become friends. This way, the two can bond before being introduced to the rest of the herd. The new horse will have established a social connection and will feel supported by its friend there when it meets the rest of the herd.

It's time to pair the new horse and its companion directly with the herd, but first, we carefully walk around the entire paddock. We make sure everything is secure, that the fencing is safe, with no holes or protrusions so no one can get caught in it, and strong enough to prevent it from breaking. Or, insulated and with the power turned on in the case of electric fences. After making sure everything is secure, we block off dead areas, including corners and shelters, as horses can get trapped in these areas.

Once we've ensured the paddock is safe, we try to release them when most of the herd members are grazing or resting, and always in a paddock with as much space as possible so they can choose to stay separate if they wish, and enough room to run and get away.

This will help them avoid conflicts and allow them to interact on their own terms. Ideally, select a field with grass so they can keep busy grazing, as well as visual barriers such as trees, field shelters, etc., so they can choose to remain out of each other's sight.

Always during the day, when the new horse can see well enough to run, and we can be present to observe and intervene if things get out of hand. We will wait for another time to introduce a new horse if the ground is slippery from mud or ice, or if the temperature is too high.

Horses are social animals that have evolved to live in stable, close-knit groups, which we call herds. In a stable group, all relationships are well-established and there is little to no conflict over resources, making it an ideal environment for horses to thrive. For this reason, from a horse's perspective, maintaining the integrity of the social group is an important survival strategy.

The herd never readily accepts a new horse, and when a new horse joins the group, the established herd's social structure changes, leading to an initial period of heightened conflict and potential for aggression. While this is a normal and natural process, it carries a risk of injury and can be stressful for both horses and owners.

We always consider individual temperaments when deciding which group of horses to join with a newcomer. By nature, horses are born with temperaments that can be high or low on the scales of fear, confidence, curiosity, or dominance, among other traits. A horse is born with its temperament, which will largely dictate where it falls on the herd's social ladder.

We monitor the group and pay attention to how each horse reacts to the new member, and occasionally we separate some more dominant members until the dynamic has stabilized. A short period of solitary confinement can cause the aggressive horse to reconsider its behavior next time, while the new horse becomes comfortable with the rest of the herd.

When two unfamiliar horses meet, the outcome can be any number of things: they may be indifferent, like each other, hate each other, or want to kill each other. Most often, the horses are either indifferent or get along. When they don't, sparks can fly, and horses can be injured.

They usually approach each other and smell each other's breath, then approach each other's genitals and sniff each other there before approaching again. At this point, we may see an aggressive posture (raised neck, arched back, wagging tail, swatting) and hear a squeal, which indicates that aggression may be brewing.

In the midst of the fight that often erupts when an unfamiliar horse appears on the scene, let's remember that brawling is an innate aspect of equine nature. Horses have been fighting and surviving these introductory battles for at least 10,000 years, without the benefit of the safety precautions we've previously taken. Remember that aggressive behavior in horses is only intended to threaten, not maim or kill.

Depending on the horses' age and energy level, it may take them a while to calm down. Within hours or days, the group will most likely have settled back into a calm routine, and the stranger will have become an accepted member of a smoothly functioning social order.

We'll continue to monitor how the horses react together over the coming days and weeks as the new horse adjusts. We check each horse daily for wounds, cuts, bites, or lameness. We monitor your horse's hydration status and appetite so you can determine if other horses are preventing it from eating and drinking.

Horses find security in a familiar environment, where they are kept with the same herd and their daily routine. Moving can be especially stressful for horses, as they leave behind other horses they know well, an environment they are accustomed to, and the people they know. A new horse's behavior will likely change, and we should be understanding and give it time to adjust, removing any additional pressure in the first few days or weeks until it becomes more relaxed.

The stress of moving and the change in diet can also affect the horse's gut, affecting immune function and nutrient absorption. Therefore, early in life in a new herd and environment, they often lose weight.

A certain level of stress is helpful in a horse's life to protect it from potential dangers and allow it to learn and adapt to its environment. However, excessive stress caused by change can have a negative impact on its well-being. That's why, with good management, we'll help him feel safe enough to eat, rest, and sleep, providing him with friendly company and plenty of space in wide meadows.

To reduce the risk of digestive problems in new horses, we feed them a forage-based diet, primarily hay, avoiding long periods without access to it and ensuring they drink plenty of water.

Feeding and management play a key role in maintaining intestinal health.

When a new horse has lived primarily in small stalls and paddocks, the transition from being alone to being in a large herd and spacious pastures is a significant change, and we will integrate the horse into an appropriate social group based on factors such as age, size, and personality.

We will pay special attention to their adaptation, as these types of horses often wait for their feed, not understanding that they should lower their heads and graze the grass on the ground. The artificial routine created by humans has numbed their natural instinct to spend the day walking while grazing, and they need time to reawaken that free-roaming instinct.

Herd horses, who graze freely in pastures all day, have more opportunities than stabled horses to meet their behavioral needs. The most important thing is to take time when integrating a new horse into a herd and employ a strategy. Everything we can do to reduce risk and stress levels will help the horses.

We will help the newly arrived horse adapt to its new environment, never forgetting that each horse can adapt to the moving process differently and should be cared for individually, understanding the specific needs of the new horse and responding accordingly.

A successful transition will result in a free, healthy, and happy horse, ready to thrive in its new home with its new herd.