moving town horse to the country!

[greyanbay]

Hi we are moving to the country in march just wondering how others have coped.
i have 2 horses that are great in traffic as we currently ride on roads and woodlands, they have not seen cows,sheep,pheasents and not ridden in huge open spaces/stubble fields before!!
I am a bit concerned how they will be with all these things to cope with.
has anyone else done a move like this before and how have your horses been with it.
Your experiences greatly appricated.

[horsefeed]

I'm sure they will be ok, good luck with the move :-)

[ajes]

Hi
Mine were taken from Wimbledon to Lincolnshire and were ok - the usual a bit excited first times on Stubble and a bit funny with the traffic on quieter roads - like it surprised them as they were used to constant traffic - to be honest the horses I have now born and lived in the country are cheekier with things like pheasants and stubble fields!!!

[cobalmighty]

been there and done that, in both directions


key to success is to introduce everything gradually. Build up to things you expect to be scary / exciting. So don't go hacking across a massive open field covered in cows and pheasants on day one hahahahah!

It's the same as introducing anything, whether it's tack and working to a young horse or traffic to a youngster, steady intros and small steps. And then they'll adapt fine and thrive in the open air and rolling fields, lucky gee gees!!!

good luck with the move and enjoy
x

[Trouble]

They will love it! And so will you!

[laura]

echo cobalmighty really ...... countrylife is abit different, there will be lots new things but they will see / hear quite a bit form the fields before you hack out I suppose.

What I found, it depends on the area really , was that in the town we could see much more because in the part of the country we moved to there were big hedges on narrow lanes .... cars could sneak up on us ..... or come fast as they could not see us because of bends ! so it wasnt more wide open spaces as such ,,, twas the getting to them !

Bird scareres were another thing as well as she phesants . but that gets even horses used to the countryside

soory

serious now ........ I let them chill a bit in the field to get used to the area and its sounds generally , then hacked out with steady horses as company . If there are sheep / cattle near by maybe you could take gee gees in hand to meet them first with no pressure to go past or to mingle . we were lucky and had some in the next field so they were ok.

It will also help if you tell company out hacking that yours are not used to gallops over the fields etc so any canters are "organised" and they set off steady horses first and do short canters, maybe up hills first or in small fields !

good luck