A Very Busy Summer - Integrating the Herd

The latest change was to add three board wood fencing around a new pasture. I have the original pasture in which the barn is located and now this one. I rotate the horses between the two. The run-in can be accessed from either pasture, and the horses have enough room to stay out of each others way, roam, and graze and still get into the run-in to cool off or stay out of the rain/snow.

As for herd integration: Derby, the alpha, is in love with Tilly, the new mare, Derby was Maestro's best friend until she came. Maestro is not happy with the change, so it's a challenge for Derby keeping Maestro away from Tilly so that Maestro doesn't hurt her. And so that Derby can keep his mare close to his side. I like Maestro, he's a sweet guy, but I am very ready for him to return to the Kressenburg farm from where he came. He is getting aggressive toward Tilly, which makes Derby aggressive toward Maestro, it is a point of concern for me. Remi, in the meantime, pretty well keeps to himself, smart boy that he his.

Integrating a herd is interesting, and feeding time makes it even more so as I have only a three stall barn: 3 stalls + 4 horses + 3 dogs, all to be fed in the barn, + 1 stall for hay, well you do the math.. The secret is being very patient, watching the language of the horses, gradually sorting through how to feed them so that a disaster doesn't happen. Even with that, I have found what is working best for my situation is to feed the dogs in the center aisle first. While they are eating, ready the stalls, including the wash stall that I have commandeered for a feeding stall temporarily, with feed, water, hay, and fresh shavings. I clean the stalls every morning and evening. When the dogs are finished eating, I remove their food (otherwise Maestro who is fed in the center aisle will eat their food), then go outside, halter Remi, lead him into his stall, halter Tilly, lead her into her stall, halter Derby, lead him into the wash stall, and Maestro follows, is distracted by his feed in the aisle, so securing Derby in his stall is easy.

I have learned that Maestro likes to play with everything in the center aisle. He methodically removes every crop from their hangers, removes all of the grooming brushes from their shelf, aggravates Derby while he tries to eat, and has torn the top off of the box where I keep my liquid supplies. So I now wait for him to finish eating, and turn him out. He can still see the other horses, so he's happy enough and it gives the other horses, and him, time to rest from one another. Then I turn out Derby with Maestro, keeping Tilly and Remi in their stalls during the day. Remi will gain weight too quickly if I don't keep him in and Tilly needs rest from Derby's amorous advances. Then I repeat the process in the evenings, except I turn Tilly and Remi out for the evening. It's a process. The poor dogs don't know what's hit them, but they are taking it in their stride. Did I mention that we also have a new dog? More on him on a later post.

Remi (far left), Derby, Tilly and Maestro