Trouble Introducing Horses

Question
Hi Lyn,
I have had my Fox Trotter and Quarterhorse together for a couple of years. At times they have been with other horses but most recently they have been alone in a pasture. Both are six going on seven. I now have a 2 y/o mustang and have tried to introduce them. My Mustang is very sweet and calm and wants to join the other two. My Quarterhorse is equally clam and laid back and is very accepting of the Mustang. My Fox Trotter is another story. He doesn't bite or kick the Mustang but he ran him for quite awhile when I first put them in the same pasture and later settled down a bit but would chase my Mustang off anytime he got too close to my QH or myself. (This was after keeping them in separate pastures for several days where they could see each other, touch noses, etc. I have tried multiple combinations including placing my Fox Trotter with the Mustang and separate from my QH and putting the Mustang and my QH together separate from my Fox Trotter. When my Fox Trotter was with my Mustang he completely ignored him and kept his focus on my QH across the fence. If the Mustang appeared to be getting to close to my QH across the fence then my FT would chase him off again but otherwise ignore him. When I placed my QH and Mustang together my FT went nuts trying to jump the fence and pacing it. I do want be able to be together but don't know the best way to handle this now. I separated them at this point because my Mustang is so young and new to the property. I don't want him to be hurt or run through a fence at night. Please offer any suggestions.


Answer
Jeanie,

You are having herd dominance issues.  Your other 2 are bonded and have formed a little herd of their own.  The FT is the dominant one of the pair and is behaving in a stallion-like fashion about your QH.  He doesn't want to share his partner with anyone new.  Since your Mustang is a youngster, only 2, the FT is behaving in a bully fashion because the Mustang will back down.  He's a Mustang, he understands herd dynamics.  Your only solution is to put them together and let them work it out.  I'm not sure that the FT will ever let him get too close to the QH but if he is disrespectful towards you when you go out there for the Mustang you have to assert that you are "lead mare" and go after him.  Let him know in no uncertain terms that you will not tolerate this behavior from him.  My guys all know that I will turn into a screaming maniac and chase whoever disrespects my position in the field.  They will all come around but no pushing, shoving or ugly faces are allowed.  They've all learned.  You have to establish some rules for the FT.  But resign yourself to having your youngster bullied for a while until the FT is satisfied that he knows his place.  Your little Mustang may well always be the odd man out if there are only 3 of them in the field.  He may well sustain some battle damage but that's all a part of the horse world.  He's a Mustang, he's smart enough to take care of himself.  He comes from a long line of survivors.

I've had similar problems with one of mine, also a Mustang.  He is a definate bully and will go after any new horse I put in with the herd.  If the horse stands up for itself and refuses to let him bully it then there's no problem.  I had one horse here that was a bigger coward than Lightning and Lightning bullied him mercilessly.  I finally put side-hobbles on Lightning and when he rubbed his pasterns raw on one side I moved the hobbles to the other set of legs because he was still going after Wizzy.  He tore up the other pasterns as well.  I took the hobbles off and he was too sore to go after Wizzy for about a week and by then Wizzy had fitted in with the rest of the horses.  But as long as Wizzy was here and well after his pasterns had healed up Lightning would make fake lunges at Wizzy just to watch him run off.  But at least he did nothing more than that.  

Bullies can be real problems to deal with.  When you have to keep them in with other horses it's even tougher.  So, this is the best I can tell you.  Let them be and they will work it out.  Or, you could try my solution of side-hobbles on the FT.  Herd issues are instinctive and modifying undesireable behavior when the horses are by themselves is nearly impossible.  

I hope this gives you some help.

Lyn

Lyn