How To Introduce Horses To Each Other

Earlier this summer I purchased a new horse. Earlier bringing him to our farm, I gave a lot of thought to how I would introduce him to the 5 equines already living on our subcontract. I let my horses as much social contact as possible given that horses are social animals. "Although husbandry conditions for horses have improved over the last decades, many horses are withal kept singly with limited or no physical contact to other horses. This is surprising, given the fact that keeping horses in groups is recognised best to fulfil their concrete and behavioural needs, specially their demand for social contact with conspecifics, as well as to accept a beneficial effect on horse-human being interactions during preparation." (Hartmann et. al, 2012). In one study, "results indicate that based on physiological and behavioural measures incorporating social contact into the housing design of domestic horses could improve the standard of domestic equine welfare." (Yarnell et. al 2015).

The separations and introductions in this project were for behavioral purposes but. I did not need to medically quarantine the new equus caballus from others, as I had a 5-year immunization history on him and knew the husbandry practices of his farm of origin. Anyone without this information should prevent all contact for longer than I have done here.

A mutual approach for introductions is to allow horses to meet (sniff each other) over a fence, which usually involves some squealing besides equally possible striking (kick forrard with front hoof) (see Diehl, 2016). If either equus caballus is loose, it may also involve one or both turning hind ends to the other and kicking out with hind feet. A sturdy contend normally protects them from injuring each other, as well every bit preventing farther chasing. These protected greetings can be done immediately or after a couple days with the new equus caballus on the property. During this waiting period, horses tin can exist placed in stalls side by side to each other or turned out in adjoining enclosures to get to know each other without full access. In a written report involving young Danish warmblood mares, "pre-exposure of young horses in neighbouring boxes may reduce 'contact assailment', especially biting, in the paddock and 'bite threat' shown in boxes may help to predict contact aggression when horses are after turned out together." (Hartmann et. al, 2009).

I wanted to avoid potential issues and try to set things up for the all-time take chances of success, meaning the least stress or potential for impairment, be it physical, mental or emotional. I didn't really desire my horses to "work information technology out" if that included kick, chasing, or other behaviors that would be unpleasant for whatever horse involved.

Another factor that encouraged me to be cautious is that the 5 equines I already owned had lived together for v to 10 years, and for three of them this encompassed their entire lives. They weren't accustomed to horses coming and going as occurs at some facilities. I had introduced but i other equus caballus to the group during that time, an aged mare who lived here for the remainder of her life. Her death had acquired a considerable amount of stress to one of my homebreds, so I knew at that place were some pretty tight bonds in the existing group. I wanted to requite this new equus caballus the opportunity to motility in with the all-time take chances of developing calm relationships, so they could co-exist happily as one grouping, rather than having to split anyone into smaller groups.

My plan was to introduce the new horse very gradually, over many weeks. I had set things upwardly to go on him physically separated, while still fairly shut and in sight. I was hopeful that past putting this extra thought and effort into my introductions, I would facilitate a polish transition.

Things did not become as I thought they would. While I exercise believe that minimizing full-body contact for longer periods of time is advantageous, I did not expect the stress exhibited past the existing horses when separated from their familiar companions. Fortunately I was able to adapt my plan when this became credible, without requiring major environment changes.

Setting

• Two buildings: one four-stall barn, where the existing horses could exist confined (two ponies sharing a stall) and i x-human foot by 20-human foot iii-sided "pony shed" where the new horse would accept shelter.
• Each building had an attached sacrifice paddock (the grass being sacrificed to heavy equine traffic). The new horse would take full access to his sacrifice paddock ("2"). The equines in the barn could be confined to their stalls simply when in their sacrifice paddock ("one"), likewise had access to a shed roof extending from the side of the barn, which I will call the "run-in shed" to differentiate from the "pony shed" where the new horse was. Both sacrifice paddocks had sturdy fencing, one being v-pes round pen panels and the other existence v feet of high tensile woven wire topped with a strand of electrical wire. This fencing provided a secure barrier between horses until I was ready to allow them contact.
• There are two additional non-grass areas I had available. One was a sand round pen ("Sand Pen"), also with 5-foot round pen panels. The other was my seventy-pes by 150-foot sand arena.
• The 2 sacrifice paddocks were separated past 75 feet. This allowed me to put a skillful distance and two solid fences between the new horse and the others from the offset.
• Grass pastures surrounded these buildings and paddocks. I utilize a rotational grazing system where I carve up large fields into strips. The equines have access to 1 strip for a few days, and so move to a new strip. Each grass strip leads dorsum to respective sacrifice paddocks with access to shelter and water. The strip fencing is one strand of electrical rope. I had no intention of assuasive horses to meet or interact over this, so I planned to use plenty of concrete distance in the initial days to cut down on temptations to get to each other.
• I would then decrease the distance betwixt the grass turnouts as I moved them every couple of days.

Schedule

The summer schedule is that equines are in stalls (or pony shed) during the heat of the mean solar day when the flies are virtually miserable. In the late afternoon they are turned out in grass paddocks for a few hours until nighttime. They don't need 18 hours of grass a mean solar day, so just earlier night I bring them into sacrifice paddocks where they spend the nighttime sleeping or interacting. In the forenoon they go back out on grass for a couple hours while it'south cool before coming into stalls once more.

Sometimes all five are together, and sometimes I separate the pony mares to lower quality grass access.

Equines

I will call the new equus caballus by his initial, "W." I take assigned the others a number in the order they were introduced to W. I thought that would be an easier way for readers to follow than trying to remember names. I ranked them all in order of resource guarding tendencies and introduced them from lesser to superlative. Descriptions of each are as follows. I include physical descriptions because historic period, size, and gender all impact interactions, while breeding can affect reactivity. Also, none of my horses wear shoes, which decreases the likelihood of astringent injury with any kicks that made contact with another equus caballus.

W: 16.1 mitt, 10-year-erstwhile New Zealand-bred Thoroughbred gelding. The new horse had been exposed to many sights and sounds in his life, living on three different continents before he was #5 and living in diverse boarding and abode facilities since existence brought to the states. As a result, I expected him to have his physical transition smoothly. At the fourth dimension I purchased him, West was living out in a field 24 hours a twenty-four hour period with a group of horses, including some immature ones. I was told he was the one who got first pick of hay piles, but was not a bully. This history was a benefit to me since not all horses have experience living in a big grouping of dissimilar ages. I certainly did not desire a bully. He was larger than any of my others, in both pinnacle and substance.

#1: 14 hand, 15-year-old Pony of the Americas gelding. #1 is the least likely of my equines to resource guard anything: nutrient, infinite, or company. If threatened or cornered, he rapidly exits and keeps his distance. He does not pair up with whatsoever of the others for food, play, or fly protection. He is likewise the least reactive, and so I count on him to be a calm influence in many situations, thus he was my first choice to share space with W.

#2: xv.iii hand, ix-year-sometime Thoroughbred/warmblood gelding. #2 is the most sociable of all my equines. He will share any resource with anyone. He can arroyo any of the others who have resources guarding tendencies and is accepted. He will make mild attempts to go along ponies away from a hay pile but will share the water tub, human attention, or shelter without a trouble. #2 enjoys chasing games and bitter games at times when there is no food available. He and #four play long and hard when turned out together. Because of #ii's history of existence accustomed by all the others, I was a little concerned he might blunder into W's space and get into trouble, so I wanted to observe W's reaction to someone else earlier introducing #2.

#iii: 12 hand, aged Welsh cantankerous mare. Like #ane, she is highly unlikely to resource guard anything and tries hard to keep her altitude. As the smallest and a mare, she'south likely to squeal and kick if she feels herself threatened by being cornered or chased (thus, she is #2's favorite for the chasing game). She often holds herself quietly away from any grouping, especially if at that place is conflict.

#four: 14 hand, 11-yr-former Quarter Pony gelding. #4 is the equine about probable to resources guard anything. If resources are plentiful, #two tin usually share anything with him, just if resource are limited or when access is first gained, #iv will occasionally warn him off and #2 needs to sneak his way in carefully. Considering both #4 and W were accustomed to first option of resources, I wanted to be very careful in how I introduced them.

#5: 13 paw, xi-twelvemonth-old grade mare. #five is the daughter of #3 and they share space and other resource well, although Mom gets showtime selection of food.  The only affair #5 resource guards is her female parent, but she does and so vigorously. The others can accept a hay pile or infinite in the shed from her, simply if she perceives another individual getting as well close to her dam, she will gallop across the field to intervene and repeatedly double barrel (kick with both hind legs at once) the offender, regardless of who information technology is. They all back off. Due to her farthermost reactions, she was the last one to be introduced.

The plan

As I stated, I wanted to introduce W to everyone very gradually. To start, I was going to keep him completely separate physically. My hypothesis was that giving anybody fourth dimension to see, smell, and hear each other for a couple weeks at a distance, would result in little to none of the striking, kicking, and chasing when I eventually allowed them physical contact.

Afterward this time of separation, I planned to introduce each 1 separately for a twenty-four hour period or two during turnout. Grass was abundant, so at that place would be no demand for resource guarding during their time together, which would be limited and supervised. When it was time to come dorsum to sacrifice paddocks, W would over again be separated and then in that location would be no need for anyone to challenge for shed space, water, or hay.

Due west with his haynet

The Process

When W arrived, the others were in barn stalls with hay. I put Due west into the pony pen with a full haynet hanging in the pony shed. He was underweight, then I planned to keep hay in front end of him to serve every bit a pacifier too as a method of weight gain. Everyone was looking, listening, and smelling, merely quiet, according to plan. They had about 2 hours before turnout time.

West was kept divide from the others for the following week, although by day #4, I allowed some protected sniffing.

My beginning unexpected upshot came on the second morning when the well-worn tracks of W's pacing back and along along the fence line indicated to me that he was not content in solitary solitude.

I had been told he was fine when living alone previously, simply I should have expected the possibility of upset for four reasons.

1. Even though he had lived lonely previously, his nigh recent experience had been in a grouping of horses.
2. Due to the high quality of my grass, compared to his previous living situation, I did not give him 24-hour access to grazing, which is calming to a horse. He had hay when confined to the pen but not grass, which is both more appealing to a horse and a more than natural and time-consuming form of eating.
3. I know that there is a difference between a horse living alone and a horse pastured alone when other horses are in sight. When truly alone, they can appear calm, but if there are horses in sight, they tend to call to the others and endeavor to get to them.
4. I accept had issues with horses being worried in that shed and pen previously. We sometimes take deer and moose traffic on our driveway backside that shed, which is plain apropos to horses when they aren't used to it. Additionally, my befouled cat loves to spend time in the copse behind the shed. He comes out to sharpen his claws on the back of the shed, making a racket that is frightening to anyone inside when they can't come across what is making the noise. The tracks W left from pacing all dark were non forth the fence closest to the other horses. They were contrary the shed, which led me to believe the pacing might be related more than to fear than wanting to go to the others.

Evidence of pacing

Since my program was based on W living lonely and that was my only other shelter, I crossed my fingers and left him at that place. I would have liked to pick upwardly the shed and move it elsewhere, but that was obviously not practical. Some mornings he was more than upset than others, and I became anxious to become him some company. I began to consider a more rapid introduction plan.

The following table charts the progression and results of the start calendar week.

Twenty-four hours		Setup	Observations
1	PM turnout	Geldings in far left Grass Paddock ane, pony mares in Sand Pen, W in Grass ii.	#2 exhibiting lots of motility- racing, bucking, high headed staring at W. When brought in to Cede ane, Equines #2 and #4 watched W advisedly over gate.
2	AM turnout	Equines #one-#v in Grass Paddock 1. Due west in Grass Paddock 2.	Tracks in pen indicate West was pacing during the night. Westward whinnies when others come in.
2	Midday	Took Westward to Arena to allow him to explore.	Equines #1 and #2 watched closely over Dutch doors.
2	PM turnout	Equines #1-#5 in Grass Paddock 1. W in Grass Paddock 2.	W cantered around a bit when others went out.
3	AM turnout	Equines #1-#v in Grass Paddock i. Westward in Grass Paddock 2.	When the others came galloping in from pasture, W only turned from his grain bucket to look.
3	PM turnout	Equines #1-5 in Grass Paddock one, with access closer to W W in Grass Paddock 2	Allowed Equines #ane-#5 to spend some time in temporary alley, closer to W. Lots of watching and smelling.
4	AM & PM turnout	I tried various turnout options to permit others closer admission to Westward. I still did not want contact only hoped proximity would help at-home W'due south occasional whinnying and pacing.	Serenity
4	Midday	I brought W into barn for first fourth dimension. Others were confined in stalls with grills closed. I gave W a bath in wash stall, then put him in a stall while I had that horse in wash stall. So all went to respective grass turnouts equally above.	West pulled toward each stall every bit nosotros passed, and the others sniffed through the grills (#four sticking his nose out feed pigsty). I did not let nose-to-olfactory organ contact on the style in, but did after the bath. Equine #two and Westward had nose to nose contact possibilities while W was in stall but W was most interested in looking out over the Dutch door out into Sacrifice Paddock one.
5-seven			uneventful
8	AM turnout	#1 in Grass Paddock two with W kickoff full contact	#i paced the fence separating him from other horses, trotting and cantering 5-x minutes. Kept his back to W. Then grazed.
8	Midday	Hand walked W down road	Lots of whinnying from anybody. Westward high-headed and looking/pulling back toward barn.

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Later on one full calendar week of keeping all equines physically separated, the greetings through protected contact led me to believe we were ready to introduce shared turnouts. While at that place had been great interest in each other and enough of sniffing, in that location were no squeals, strikes, or kicking of walls. On twenty-four hours viii, I put #1 out with West for morn turnout. This was my 2d surprise, and it was a shocker. I expected #1 to avoid contact with W if possible and as long as he was left alone, to graze quietly. Instead, he paced the fence that separated him from getting to his familiars. He trotted and cantered back and forth, demonstrating more than stress than I have e'er seen from him in all the years I've owned him.  Westward was not chasing him, but grazing quietly, although he did pick his head up to spotter #1 occasionally.  W tried to interact with a little sniffing, but #1 kept pacing. I expected #1 to quit any second, and then continued my chores while watching. But when I was nearly to arbitrate, #1 started to serenity, stopped to grab a few bites, and then paced, and then grazed some more, and finally settled.

As a issue of #1's unexpected stress, I decided to attempt a different combination. Since #ii is my near social individual, that afternoon I let W and #two run across each other through an open window in #ii's stall grill. #2 arched his neck and all 4 nostrils were very active, but information technology was without squeals or strikes, so the next afternoon I let them meet over a gate.

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In this video, yous tin can see #2 arching his cervix, which is somewhat conformationally based for him, merely also indicates a state of arousal and excitement. Eyes were broad and he showed busy nostrils, but W walked abroad in less than xxx seconds. #2 connected to follow, but in one case W was next to the fence with the hot wire on top, #2 could non reach over information technology. Since #2 did not have a history of being a threat to anyone, and W seemed to have lost interest, I opened the gate and immune #2 to go out with W.

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half-dozen/28, Mean solar day nine

#two came out flinging his head effectually, which is typical for him when he is excited. He immediately approached Westward's side, stopping brusk of touching him. At that point West turned to sniff #ii's forearm, and #two lifted that leg. When young horses meet older horses they will sometimes lower themselves past bending a leg and dropping down. I'm not sure if this was what #2 was doing or if it was a defense to avoid having his leg bitten. He then backed away, neck still biconvex and ears alert. W sniffed his forearm over again with the same response from #2. Equally #two turned, his caput passed over W's neck, putting him in a potentially vulnerable position, although #2 did non really bite his neck (a fighting tactic). All the same, West gave a niggling bleat and small strike out with his front leg. #2 increased his speed of retreat. He did not kicking out with hind feet equally he left. W did not pursue him. They spent the remainder of that turnout fourth dimension together, charily sniffing at times. What was nearly interesting to me was #ii hanging close to the barn, rather than going out to the good grass that W rapidly discovered.

I continued my introductions the following mean solar day by putting #3 out with W in his grass paddock in the morning.  Here once more, #three clearly indicated she did not want to be with this strange horse when her friends were elsewhere. #3 unremarkably keeps her altitude from conflict and is not one who frets when separated.

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half dozen/29, Day ten, 7am

As this video shows, #3 was non a happy pony as she trotted around with her head high, looking oftentimes toward the others. She too calmed in fourth dimension, but by this bespeak, I was seeing a pattern that told me that my existing horses were exhibiting more stress at being separated from their familiars than they were due to whatever direct contact with Westward. That was uncharacteristic of all of them. The only individual who usually showed stress at separation was #4, so I abandoned any thought of introducing him to Westward separately, as well as my plan of introducing #5 to him separately.

Instead, I decided to try #2 and #4 together out with W. #four is the one I was most concerned well-nigh due to the resource guarding problems.  This presented a conundrum. I wanted an affluence of resources when I turned them out to avoid guarding.  This would accept meant turning them out on the grass. My concern was that #iv has been known to blow through fences when wound up for any reason, and I also wanted to be able to take hold of anyone easily if things didn't become well. I had to brand a choice. I chose to turn the three of them out in the sacrifice paddock where the fence was secure and I could more hands remove one past slipping him in through a stall door in a pinch. Instead of excess nutrient resource (grass underfoot), there was no food to guard.

It turned out I was right to be concerned about #four.

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half-dozen/29, Day 10, 5:xxx PM

There is a lot of detail in this video.

• W sniffed #4's forearm every bit he did when first meeting #2, but #4 immediately vocalized deeply, stomped that forepart leg, wheeled around with pinned ears and kicked at W with both hinds. W turned away.
• West approached #4 once again while #four stood notwithstanding. W turned his head away once on approach. #4 over again vocalized securely, wheeled, and lashed out with his feet 3 times, and with more than height to the kicks. This seems to me less of a alert and more than an attempt to brand contact. W chop-chop backed out of range.
• W trotted a few steps, keeping his hind end pointed toward #4, possibly ready for defense. He looked away and walked abroad. #4 followed him, mostly at a walk but did trot a few steps. I wouldn't phone call it chasing but he definitely followed, rather than allowing W to keep altitude between them.
• W stopped and allowed #4 to sniff his hind terminate, then turned. This is followed by another nose-to-nose sniff, although item is hard to encounter with #2 in the mode.
• W turned and left over again. #four trotted, shaking his caput. Due west elevated his head and trotted, so turned to encounter #4, but #iv placed himself with his butt facing W.
• Due west sniffed brush. #4 approached again.
• West sniffed #four'southward olfactory organ, not his leg this time, then pulled away. #4 vocalized and swung his barrel to Due west, only didn't kick out this time.
• W walked away over again.
• At this point, I thought it should be settling downwards, as Westward had walked abroad from #4 several times.
• I watched this for ten minutes, nonetheless, and #4 continued to follow W effectually, vocalizing and turning his hind feet to boot at him numerous times. This surprised me since aught similar that happened when they sniffed through stall grills. When they moved into the shed doing this, I decided information technology was too risky (no escape routes), and separated them.
• Incidentally, I first saw this farthermost reaction from #4 when he was less than a day old. If his mother moved while he nursed, he would pin his ears and kicking her in the jaw with both hind feet equally she grazed. #ii, on the other manus, e'er got along with others at all ages.
• I did find #ii's beliefs throughout this process interesting. He sometimes put himself between the others. Other times he kept himself out of the fashion but did not get out, instead staying close to #2 and sniffing him a couple times.

The next day I put #4 in the arena while W, #ane and #2 grazed forth the exterior. If W had called to approach the arena contend, he could accept sniffed with #four, but #4 was not able to go directly at W. West, #ane and #2 did well together grazing quietly and I decided to continue putting others in with W in groupings so that the long-term farm occupants did non become stressed being separated from their familiars. W seemed to exist comfortable with whatever of them, then I was not worried about him being cornered or chased.

On 24-hour interval 11, I put the pony mares (#iii and #five) in that same grass area with W and #2. #5 watched W closely and kept herself betwixt Westward and her dam (#iii), and there were no issues. Because I had larger groups than I'd originally planned, I left the paddock as a large area, allowing room for freer motility of more than equines, rather than maintaining the grazing strips.

Day 12, I added #four in with everyone on grass. This was the first fourth dimension the entire group was together. Considering everyone except #4 seemed to be OK, it would have been an option to just keep him separated. Instead, I chose to use the plentiful grass and the open infinite as a way to avoid resource guarding either of those things. I confined them abroad from shelter for this turnout fourth dimension and so that was not a business organisation. While I did non see conflict the first day, I did discover that the adjacent time W had some surface wounds on his legs that fabricated me remember that #iv had kicked him. #4 This was discouraging, as I had tried to avoid that with my whole experiment. They were not deep, and while leg injuries on horses can never exist treated casually, it's not unusual to have horses living in a group show up with "dings." It's the cost we pay for allowing them to exist in a social group. The only way to completely avert this is to keep them in confinement and that is not healthy either. I hoped that my carefully managed daily admission would requite Due west and #4 opportunities to develop a social bond without the extreme behaviors of the offset interaction.

The just other protective behavior that could be concerning was #5'southward guarding of #3.  Considering #3 kept herself away from the group when at all possible, I thought #5 would not experience she was threatened in this environment.

My long-term goal is to have anybody together in the winter.  They will have a large field with multiple hay numberless on overnice days, merely in foul weather, shed space is express. I did non desire to wait until then to try them all together. Instead, I managed the time they were together to brief periods when I was home and could go along an centre on things. I made sure the spaces were open up and I never left Westward and #4 together in the dark or when they wanted to be in a shed.

I as well organized anybody into pairs when not on grass. Considering #2 is both careful and better accepted, he has become W'south companion in sacrifice paddocks. During turnout, I rotate the others in pairs with them: #3 and #five for morning turnout and #1 and #four for afternoon turnout. That keeps the ponies from eating too much grass and minimizes crowding in the grass strips. That setup turned out to be successful and is what I continue today.

#2 comes in with wounds but they are on his neck and face, a issue of "face up bitter games" such as those seen in this video.

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As you can see, #ii instigates it every bit oft every bit W, so the wounds are just from rough play and no ane is beingness unevenly harassed. There are some vocalizations, and enough of mini-rears, but no hitting with front feet nor kicking out with hinds. #2 approaches W's hay piles cautiously, and is allowed on the fringes.

W has been here for 2-and-a-half months and now is likely to pin his ears at the others, equally well as bite and/or chase them in tight spaces. If he and #iv come across in the alley, they pass each other cautiously. When it is time to come in, West is first in line. #2 has maintained his ability to exist close, but not too close, if grain is waiting for West in his stall. On grass, they all graze together peacefully, and even in close proximity to Due west.

Westward has learned to approach me in any turnout situation like the residuum practise, and allows the others to be close to me and him; I ensure that the resources of my attention and pocket contents are plentiful. Whether this has affected his relationships with others I practise not know, since I have nothing to compare it to. Since #2, #4, and #5 were born and raised here, I would say that their very different guarding tendencies do not bespeak that training lifestyle equalizes relationships outside of human interactions.

Interestingly, when turned out together, #1 is oftentimes closest to W. They are opposite when information technology comes to resource guarding, so it's interesting that they are close. #1 did not have anyone he hung out with before W'due south arrival.  #ii and #4 dear to play together while #3 and #5 have their mother/daughter human relationship. Unfortunately, West and #1 have very dissimilar dietary and shelter needs, so I don't encounter making them a pair of their ain.

With fall hither, I plan to brand the strips wider; the grass will become less plentiful every bit the weather changes, and I hope to become all vi together for a couple months of last grazing before I accept to first feeding hay in piles. I withal have concerns about sharing shed space come winter. Ideally, I'd have some other shelter attainable from a turnout area so I could go on anybody in pairs. Instead, I will take to continue to monitor interactions as the seasons modify, and brand adjustments to the schedule if farther social limitations are needed.

While I did not accomplish my desired goals of eliminating stress and injuries, I will never know if they could accept been worse had I not been so cautious. My v equines behaved exactly as I expected, with the exception of their odd behavior when separated from the others. I keep going back to all the situations when they accept been separated for other reasons with no stress. I do not know if Due west, who has now shown himself to be a presence to yield to, was somehow communicating that in a subtle way to the others that I could not see. Peradventure his presence simply raised overall stress levels on the farm so that all the others wanted the safety of their familiars.

This project did requite me a realization of how unrealistic we expect horses to be in their introductions. New situations bring out different characteristics in individuals, which tin upshot in renegotiating terms. A sure way of fugitive stress and the potential for concrete injury may be impossible, but it'south our responsibleness to minimize these when nosotros tin. Protected contact betwixt horses is a challenge due to their size and strength. Striking and kicking through a fence tin can be as or more injurious as without ane.

The introduction to a new farm is precipitous when transporting a equus caballus via trailer, rather than a more gradual approach. Even the nigh idyllic farm environments lack for space and resources when compared to the open plains. Facilitating equine introductions requires us to balance many factors and be ready to adapt as needed.

References

Diehl, Nancy. "How to Introduce Horses." TheHorse.com, #23 June #2016

Yarnell, K. et al (2015) Domesticated horses differ in their behavioural and physiological responses to isolated and group housing. Physiology and Behavior 143, pp. 151-157.

Hartmann, E. et al. (2009) Social interactions of unfamiliar horses during paired encounters: Effect of pre-exposure on aggression level and so take chances of injury. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 121(3), pp.214-221.

Hartmann, Elke et al. (2012) Keeping horses in groups: A review. Applied Brute Behaviour Science 136:2, pp. 77-87.

Jane Jackson is a trainer of horses, dogs, and people. She is a Certified Grooming Partner with Karen Pryor Academy, an approved passenger vehicle nether Alexandra Kurland, and a Level 3 TAGteacher. She trains out of her Bookends Farm in Sheffield, Vermont, and travels to conduct clinics.

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Source: https://iaabcjournal.org/introducing-a-new-horse-to-a-group/

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