The stress-free way to relocate your horse to a new home
Changing yards can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. This guide to all the important points you need to consider will help keep you and your horse happy on moving day
IF MOVING TO a new yard is not handled sensitively, there’s a chance you might hit a snag or two in the first few weeks. Dehydration and colic, due to changes in management routine and feeding regimes, are a common physical response. And, of course, your horse has no idea what’s coming, so waking up at home one morning, only to go to bed that night with a yard full of strangers is confusing and unsettling. This could cause a deterioration in your horse’s behaviour, even if he’s usually a good boy. Thankfully there are things you can do to make moving yards as smooth as possible for him.
How stressed?
“It’s hard to know how stressed horses get when moving yards without taking scientific measures, such as cortisol levels,” explains physiotherapist, trainer and assistant instructor Sue Palmer. “In my experience, whether or not a horse gets stressed is largely down to character. Some are obviously stressed when they move to a different field or stable within the same yard, let alone to somewhere new. Others don’t appear stressed, but it’s all going on inside.” Horses may be exceptionally well behaved initially because they can mask their stress for a while, but their behaviour may deteriorate as time goes on. It’s difficult not to assume horses have similar emotions to humans, and when we consider how stressful moving house is for us, when we know why we’re doing it and where we’re going, it must be harder for them. “The effect of change is often very much underestimated, and the horse is expected to just accept his new home from the start,” says Sue. “It’s worth bearing in mind that if your horse’s behaviour alters, he’s not being naughty, he’s showing stress at the change.”
Preparation is key
“Before the move, make sure your horse is comfortable travelling,” advises Sue. “Don’t wait until moving day to find out he won’t load. If he’s used to travelling he’s likely to accept moving home far more easily. And if he finds going to a show or staying away from home very stressful, it’s more likely that he’s going to find it more difficult.” So, have a plan to address any issues ahead of time, which may involve a behavioural expert or vet. It’s likely that the routine, level of turnout and type of feed at the new yard will be different, and it’s worth introducing some of the changes before moving day. If you’re taking your horse to your own place, you can easily adopt his usual routine once there. But if he’s going to a livery yard, speak to the manager in advance to find out what’s in place. While some yards have strict routines, many will be flexible if asked. “The more time you can spend with your horse before he moves, the more reassuring you will be to him when he arrives at his new home,” adds Sue.
The big day
“The best way to handle the day itself is to be really confident in the yard you’re moving your horse to — you’ll be much more relaxed about it all,” says Sue. “Competent, caring staff who communicate with each other and with owners clearly and promptly make all the difference. Like-minded owners will help you to feel part of the gang and give you a sense that
they’re looking out for your horse when you’re not around. I recommend treating moving day a lot like going to a show, except your horse doesn’t go back to his previous yard at the end of the day.” If you’ve got lots of goodbyes to say, do that the day before, or pop back a day or two after you’ve moved your horse. If you’re upset or nervous, your horse will pick up on this, so try to keep calm. Make sure you have a supportive friend with you if that will help. “If it’s possible to move your horse first and your kit afterwards, do it that way round, so that he isn’t confused or unsettled by routines he’s not used to,” urges Sue. “Just as you would at a show or a camp, treat him as though he’s there to do a job, and this will help both you and him to remain calm.” Many horses are used to going away for a couple of nights to a training session or a show, so remember that your horse doesn’t know this move is any different to then.
Keeping your horse chilled
“It’s important to maintain contact with your horse, especially straight after the move, and particularly if he’s gone from DIY or part livery to full,” explains Sue. “Many horses develop more of an attachment to their owners than people give them credit for. It’s putting human emotions on them again, but I think some of them struggle with a feeling of abandonment if they move home and this coincides with their owner being around less. “Of course, I’m not advocating staying with your horse overnight, but perhaps visiting two or three times a day for the first couple of days would put your mind at rest, as well as boosting his confidence.” Other than that, the main goal is to keep everything as close as possible to how it was at his previous yard, especially in terms of nutrition and level of work and turnout. “This is essential,” explains Sue, “as sudden changes can cause gastrointestinal or musculoskeletal injury. The stress of moving can exacerbate gastric ulcers or hormonal dysfunction, as well as the more obvious risk of colic.”
To work or not to work?
It’s important to try to keep your horse’s work routine the same after the move. “If I were moving my horse, I would work him the day he arrived at the new yard,” says Sue. “I know some recommend giving the horse time off, but personally I think they settle better if things are kept normal.” Obviously don’t push it. Just work within your comfort zone until you both feel happy. “Lots of behavioural problems are at least in part due to the horse not feeling as though he has a purpose, not understanding what his work is, not feeling as though he has a job to do,” explains Sue. “If you were going to a show, you’d arrive and ride him within a short space of time. Do the same for your horse when you move yards, and ride him as soon as you get there. This will help him to stay calm and to trust you in this new setting.” If it’s not possible or appropriate to ride the day you move, Sue suggests doing some groundwork or lead him out for a short hack. “I think working with your horse, either on the ground or ridden, is one of the key ways
of communicating with him. If you’re not having conversations with him when he’s just moved home then he’s going to feel lost.”
What to expect at your new yard
The ideal livery yard owner will listen and communicate with you, respect your feelings, give feedback on how your horse is settling in and respond appropriately to queries. “For many of us, taking our horse to a new yard is an extremely nerve-wracking and emotional time,” says Sue. As a horse owner themselves, the yard owner can empathise with you while still remaining in charge of the situation. “Ideally your horse should have similar feed, amount of grass, turnout and level of exercise as normal with a gradual progression to fit with the routine of the new yard,” suggests Sue. “Individual turnout initially is ideal, even if the eventual aim is to integrate your horse into a herd, at which point you can introduce them to each other over the fence first.” If you have to find a new vet and farrier when you move, make sure you do your research and remember you don’t have to use the yard professionals if you don’t want to. “I would personally be wary of yards that are reluctant to welcome other professionals — some yards can be quite pushy about this,” warns Sue. “It’s important that the yard owner has contact details for your horse’s ‘team’, including the vet and farrier, so they can contact them quickly in an emergency.” You should also be given a contract, which makes it clear what the yard rules are.
The yard owner’s view
“For me, the most important thing when welcoming a new horse onto the yard is to keep everything as stress-free as possible,” says Emily Hempsted, owner of High Haden livery yard in Cambridgeshire. “I chat to the owner beforehand so they can fill me in on the horse’s personality and how he reacts to new situations, then I’ll put a plan in place that initially mirrors the horse’s normal routine. “To help the horse settle quickly, we don’t throw anything unusual at him. He needs to feel safe in his new home and sticking with what he knows really works. I ask the owner to bring bedding, feed and hay from the old
“If the eventual aim is to integrate your horse into a herd, introduce them to each other over the fence first”
yard and we’ll gradually transition the horse onto what we use here. This is particularly key to prevent ulcers forming or a bout of colic, which can happen when horses get stressed or if their feed is changed suddenly.” Emily manages arrival day carefully. “I make sure all movement on the yard is minimal. So, if the horse is arriving in the morning, I’ll have the others turned out already as it’s disturbing for a new horse to walk onto the yard just as the other horses are leaving. There will be a full bed down, fresh water and hay. Everything is in place so he can relax and we just let him acclimatise, while keeping a close eye on him. I also work at keeping the owner calm.” The next day, the horse will be turned out and from here he will gradually join in with the yard routine. “Unless there’s been a problem, I like to turn the horse out straightaway as it’s worse for him to be left behind,” says Emily. “All our turnout is individual and for the first two weeks the horse will be slightly away from the rest, so he can see them but not touch. This gives us time to ensure he’s infection free before he interacts fully with the others.”