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Top Tips To Settle Your Horse Into a New Yard

Jun 01 2025
Katie Nicholl

The excitement/ nerves of buying a new horse or moving your own horse to a new yard can sometimes be overwhelming, not only for you but for your horse too. At least we as the owner know what is coming…it’s a complete surprise for your horse! If you have ever gone through this yourself you will know it can take a while for horses to adapt. Do not panic if your horse seems completely out of character for some time. I have known some horses that don’t completely settle until a full year has passed, and others adapt right away. However your horse reacts I have found the following points really useful in settling horses into a new yard.

Get everything ready at the new yard before your horse arrives. Get the stable bed down, fencing checked and field water ready. Pop a welcoming haynet up ready if they are going into the stable or even some hay out in the field. The last thing you want is to be clinging on to an anxious pony whilst putting banks up in the stable.
Know your horse’s previous routine and try and keep some sense of familiarity for them. If possible turn them out/ bring in at similar times. If buying a new horse be sure to ask their previous owner about their day to day routine.
Make sure their companions are around. Asking your horse to be on their own too much at a new place can heighten their anxiety as they wont yet be secure in the environment. This should ease over time.
Be firm but fair, setting boundaries with your horse’s behaviour can help them feel more secure.
Use food / hay as a distraction and to keep experiences in the new environment positive.
Be prepared to adapt and trust that you know your horse. On arrival you may have planned to get on and ride your horse straight away. This can work well for some horses as it helps get them straight into their familiar routine. However others may arrive and need a little time to adjust and take a breather. This is when knowing your horse comes into play! It’s a little difficult if you have just bought a new horse but perhaps you can have a chat with the previous owner.
Do some in hand work. I have always found this really beneficial in settling a horse into a new place and increasing your bond. Hopefully this is something you have built into your horse’s work already so it will be familiar to them. It could be as simple as taking your horse for a walk around their new surroundings and asking them to back up/ stand/ move their hind legs over etc.
If your horse is going into a new herd I have often found it beneficial to initially graze your horse in a separate paddock next door. That way the horses can get to know each other over the fence and there is often less drama when they are put together. I normally keep them separate for about two weeks.
Keep calm and stay confident. Don’t tip toe around your horse, go about the day to day routine like you normally would. You might be feeling a bit nervous as you are trying to settle into a new group of people but try to put these feelings at the back of your mind and focus on what your horse needs from you.
For your first hack out arrange to go with a calm, confident horse that knows the route well. This will build positive first experiences.

How do you find moving horses? Do you have any other top tips to add to the above?