http://www.nwhorsesource.com/images/stories/0310_OE_scratchingb.jpg Practical steps to help your horses get along

A harmonious pasture comes from having compatible mates so make sure you follow some simple rules to develop this situation.

There should be enough room in the pasture to allow you to place you hay in several piles. This prevents horses who are lower in the pecking order from being driven away from the food by others. Put out seven piles of hay for six horses, for example, and make sure you give enough food so that your horses won't fight over the food.


There is a pecking order that develops in any group of horses and it is always going to have a horse on the bottom. This is fine as long as that horse isn't getting injured. If you find the lowest horse is getting injured you may have to rearrange your horses.

If you have a gelding that thinks they are a stud you shouldn't place this type of a horse in with any mares. This doesn't mean that you can't ever mix mares and geldings; rather the geldings that exhibit sexual behaviour towards the mares should be kept separate. This sexually aggressive behaviour can be reduced with medications if you have no other place to put these horses. You can identify this behaviour if gelding puts their head down to try to hear the mares or you.



Introducing new horses to the pasture should be a slow process. It is a good idea to start by hand introducing a horse over the fence provided you have the facilities and safe fencing. Also, one idea to try is placing a new arrival in a paddock with a proposed pasture mate. For example is you have horses A, B and C out to pasture and you want to add D then you can first place D and C together before adding B and A. This way D won't be treated so badly. Of course, you need to keep in mind the existing pecking order when choosing which one to introduce first.

If your facilities mean you must place a new horse in pasture with others because you have no choice then you should at least have a pasture that is big enough to allow the horse to get away if needed. It can't be stressed enough that you should make sure you have safe fences; this is the most important factor.



Although most of the time horses will get along when they are first introduced it is a good idea introduce new horses early in the day so that you can monitor them during the daylight hours in case something goes wrong. That way you can keep an eye on the pasture during the day.

About the Author:
For a free report on “How to Improve Your Riding” see Theresa’s Horse Aficianado blog at www.horseridingblankets.com/blog and have fun with other horse lovers

Originally published on ArticlesBase.com: Compatible Horses - Practical Steps to Help Your Horses Get Along (link to http://www.articlesbase.com/equestrian-articles/compatible-horses-practical-steps-to-help-your-horses-get-along-1317071.html )
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