Nothing compares to the excitement of getting a new horse even for experienced horse owners. Welcoming your equine companion can be a worthwhile experience not only for you but for your horse too. Like human beings, change is uncomfortable if you have not smoothly transitioned from what you used to have to where you are going to be. We can’t stress enough how important it is for horses to get acclimated to a new environment in a manner that is healthy and invigorating.
They may have been uprooted from familiar surroundings and separated from pasture mates. Water may taste different. The feed may change slightly and things like shelters, stalls, and fences will be in different places. There are new people, companions, and schedules to learn about. All the changes may make your horse a bit nervous. Some will become very unsettled and take a bit of time to adjust, while others will feel comfortable quickly (1).
Here’s a quick guide that will ensure your horse adjusts to his new environment as smoothly as possible. These are divided into three phases:
Knowing as much as you can about the horse’s prior life will give you the best chance of ensuring that the transition goes as smoothly as possible for them. Here are some questions that will come in handy for the transition:
- What type of grain or supplements are they fed? How much per day?
- What was their feeding schedule?
- Are they turned out with other horses for a few hours each day or do they
- get individual turnout time? How long?
- How often are they ridden or worked?
Vet check
Before your horse arrives, arrange a vet checkup to ensure that he’s in good health. This will give you peace of mind, and prevent him from bringing home an outbreak of strangles or other contagious diseases that may affect the rest of your herd.
Prepare his space
Your new horse must have a suitable living space to move into. If you already have horses, chances are, your farm is well-equipped to accommodate another herd member. If that’s the case, just be sure there’s enough space in your paddock and barn. If this is your first horse, make sure you have the following:
- An adequate supply of hay,
- A healthy amount of pasture grass,
- Clean, fresh water,
- A good, strong shelter,
- Any feed or supplements that your horse requires (2).
Provide equipment and necessary kit
Although you can buy things as you go along, you will need a few essential pieces of equipment before your horse arrives:
- Headcollar and lead-rope (it is a good idea to have a couple in case they break),
- Feed and water buckets,
- Brushing boots,
- Rugs (depending on the time of year),
- Saddle and bridle: if your horse doesn’t have any, then you will need to arrange an appointment with a qualified saddle fitter. Ask around for recommendations.
- Grooming kit- this should include: Body brush, Dandy brush, Water brush, Rubber curry comb, Metal curry comb, Mane comb, Hoof pick, Hoof oil and brush, Stable rubber, Sponges, Sweat scraper, Box to keep equipment in.
- First aid kit- this should include: Bandages, Thermometer, Gauze pads, Antibiotic spray, Wound powder, A ready-to-use poultice, e.g. Animalintex, Cotton wool, Tweezers, Scissors, and a First aid box with the telephone number of the veterinarian (3).
Check the surroundings
Look for any dangers where your new horse could damage itself, such as fences, stall walls, gates, and doors. Make certain that all fences are solid and in good condition. A nervous horse can try to surge through a fence, climb a gate, or jump over a stall door. Ensure the safety of everything.
When compared to how it behaved in its previous home, your horse’s conduct may initially appear to be very different. After a period of adjustment, most horses become calm. A horse experiences a lot of stress when moving to a new residence. While some horses are more confident, others are more hesitant.
So, you’ve prepped his space, looked into his needs and requirements, and got everything sorted out – time for his arrival!
Just like any other newbie, be prepared that your horse may feel anxious. This can be a challenge when leading him to get off the trailer. If unsure of what to do, you can ask someone who’s more experienced with horses to assist you at this stage and have him handle your new horse as he first arrives at the barn.
Then, check in with your feelings. Before even walking up to the horse, make a quick assessment of how you’re feeling and maybe take a few deep breaths to recenter yourself. Horses are very observant. They can tell if you’re not in a good mood before you even interact.
As you interact and get him acquainted with his new owner, remove his travel boots and put him in his stable with clean water and some hay, allowing him to take in his new surroundings. Make sure he can see the other horses in the barn (if there are any) and expect a lot of whinnying.
It is best not to do much with your new horse for the first few days so he can have a chance to settle. Spend time gently grooming him so the two of you can start to bond. Brush him slowly and talk to him so your voice becomes familiar. You can also lead him around the grounds using a bridle for greater control (4).
Finally, you’ve come to this point where you can slowly get your horse comfortable with his new home and introduce a routine.
Yes, it can be tempting for new owners to ride right away, however, that simply won’t do. For a certain period, the horse must be able to settle into his new surroundings first. Quarantining him in his paddock will help him adjust gradually to his surroundings without pressure, helping him to familiarize himself with the whereabouts of his feeding station and water sources.
After the quarantine period, you can then introduce the following so he can fully immerse himself in his new home:
Companion and bonding
Horses are sociable animals. Once you’re sure that he is healthy and free from disease, you can now integrate him into the herd. As they live together, they quickly develop a hierarchy with leaders and followers. Quite often, there will be one leader who may have a favorite sidekick and some followers. Horses figure this hierarchy out for themselves with little interference from their human owners.
If you just have one or two horses, chances are, they’ll welcome the newcomer very quickly. There will be some posturing, prancing, tails up, sniffing, and squealing, but because horses like being in herds, they’ll probably settle in very quickly.
Turning the horse out in pastures or a paddock alone may help it to learn the lay of the land and familiarize itself with the smells left behind by the other horses (5).
Food and diet
Your new horse should initially continue to get the same feed that it was receiving before the move. Any further changes should be done gradually. If your horse hasn’t been maintained in a pasture, make sure to ease it into the lush grass slowly. A quick transition from hay to pasture grass can cause problems, such as diarrhea or even laminitis. If the horse is used to a certain kind of hay, you may want to buy a few bales so you can change over slowly. Also, be sure to have some salt available.
Riding the first time
Approach the horse slowly, making sure he/she knows your location well. Allow them to smell whatever it is you have in your hands – be it a saddle, bridle, or blanket. Make sure all of your movements are slow, planned out, and deliberate. Once the horse realizes that being saddled by you is the same as being saddled by anyone else, and wearing your tack doesn’t feel different from wearing the tack he is used to, he will most likely pass another milestone in accepting his new situation by becoming familiar with yet another new thing.
Ride the horse in a confined area at first, and make sure someone knows where you are and what your plans are for the ride. If possible, have someone hold the horse for mounting. Mount the horse slowly and with caution – horses are easier to spook in new places and you never know when something might run out from a bush or behind a car. Having a person he barely knows swinging onto his back like Tarzan on a vine isn’t going to help if something unsettles the horse.
Once on his back, just walk for a few minutes. There’s no hurry, what you need to do now is get to know the horse, the aids he responds to, what he likes/dislikes, and let him get to know you, your riding habits, and your seat on his back. Once you feel confident that you know what the horse responds to and that you are in control, step it up. Make sure you and the horse can work together safely at every gait before you take them out of the arena. If it takes two or three or even more rides for you to feel that way, so be it. Just like the kids at school, some horses are shyer and take longer to adjust. Be patient and give the horse the time, space, and understanding that he needs to adjust to his new life (6).
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In the next couple of weeks, your horse will learn his new routine and get used to living at your barn. Be kind and understanding to them. Remember that everything in their world has changed. Their former friends and comfortable surroundings are no longer there. Everything has changed and is new. While some may tend to misbehave, others will blend in much more quickly. Although you should still set expectations from the start, try to show more compassion.
What to Watch Out for
If your horse is losing or gaining weight, is getting beat up by other herd mates, or is showing other signs of stress, it’s time to make some adjustments. It can take weeks before your horse is fully habituated into its new home, depending on how different it is. The first year is a learning experience for you both as you spend all seasons and different situations together. Real bonding between a horse and owner takes time as does your horse’s adjustment to its new home.
So there you have it. Congratulations on this leap! Whether this is your first horse or the tenth, it’s an exciting time filled with changes and new experiences. Don’t be afraid to reach out to experts or contact the previous owner if the need arises. You can’t always predict how things will go, but you can try to set them up for success!
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What to Watch Out for
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Resources:
(1) Blocksdorf, Katherine. “Bringing Your Horse Home – the First Days.” The Spruce Pets. 01 Jul 2021, https://www.thesprucepets.com/bringing-your-horse-home-the-first-days-1886193. Accessed 08 Jul 2022.
(2) Halsey, Ashley. “Quick guide to welcoming a new horse.” Equine Wellness. 09 Sep 2020, https://equinewellnessmagazine.com/guide-new-horse/. Accessed 07 Jul 2022.
(3) Smith, Jessica. “Bringing Your New Horse Home: Tips For The First Time Owner.” Your Pet Space. 09 Sep 2017, https://www.yourpetspace.info/bringing-horse-home-tips-time-owner/. Accessed 09 Jul 2022.
(4) Smith, Jessica. “Bringing Your New Horse Home: Tips For The First Time Owner.” Your Pet Space. 09 Sep 2017, https://www.yourpetspace.info/bringing-horse-home-tips-time-owner/. Accessed 10 Jul 2022.
(5) Blocksdorf, Katherine. “Bringing Your Horse Home – the First Days.” The Spruce Pets. 01 Jul 2021, https://www.thesprucepets.com/bringing-your-horse-home-the-first-days-1886193. Accessed 10 Jul 2022.
(6) “Tips for Buyers on Helping their New Horses Settle into their New Homes.” Horse of My Dreams. https://www.horseofmydreams.com/acclimating-your-new-horse/. Accessed 10 Jul 2022.
