A new horse can bring excitement and energy to the barn, and even reinvigorate your passion. However, there are also a myriad of new problems that can come with a new horse. Learn how to introduce him properly to avoid these common issues.

The day has finally come, and the search has paid off. Now there are no more ads to read, no more drives to arenas to see if your high hopes will be dashed, no more anxiously awaiting the results of a pre-purchase exam. You’ve found the perfect horse for you. The paperwork is signed, the money has exchanged hands, and today you bring him home. It’s all sunshine from here … right?

Whether he’s a show horse that will take you to the next level, a dependable trail mount that can carry you to new country, or just the sweet, solid horse that will give you back your confidence, a new horse brings new energy to the barn. However, a new horse can also bring new problems.

This Isn’t the Horse I Bought!

After your new horse steps off your trailer and finds his way into your barn, the excitement has just begun. You might find yourself hanging around the barn more. Spending time with him, making plans in your head for all the adventures you’ll have, and filling your camera roll with photos. Bringing home a new horse can recharge your passion and fill you with excitement for the future.

But maybe you start to notice characteristics in this horse that you didn’t see when you tried him out before buying. Perhaps he seems a little watchy on the ground, or he isn’t eating well or settling into your barn’s atmosphere. Maybe you took him out for the first ride in your arena, and he just didn’t perform to the level that he did when you tried him at his old home. He might even be losing weight and doesn’t look as great as the day you picked him up.

These seemingly sudden changes can fill you with doubt and even dread. Did you make a mistake? Is this really the horse you thought he was? Why is he acting differently with you than his previous owner? Before you dive off the deep end and begin to catastrophize, take a breath, and try these tips to avoid common problems that horse owners face when bringing home a new horse.

Stay Consistent for a Smooth Transition

Let’s dig into the common problems you might face when you bring home a new horse. And how to solve them and preserve your peace of mind. Perhaps you bought a horse that was fit, shiny, sleek, and at the optimal weight. He was in shape and at the top of his game when you brought him home. Now you’re noticing that he’s dropping weight, or his coat looks a little bit dull. This is a common scenario that plays out when introducing a horse to a new facility. I often see things like GI concerns such as diarrhea, gastric ulcers, and weight loss with a new diet and new stressors.

New stressors can include everything from new herd dynamics, a change in turnout time and access, different hay and feed, to changes in weather. Horses can easily be stressed by all of those factors and will show it in their coat or weight. There are a few easy steps you can take to avoid GI distress as much as possible during this transition period.

Horses Love Consistency

His diet, exercise, and environment need to stay as consistent as possible, with slow transitions over time. I suggest that buyers work with the previous owner to understand a new horse’s diet and feed plan. Take a couple bales of the hay he has been eating to his new home, and slowly transition him over to your hay. If you plan on keeping him on the same feed plan, try similar grain.

Opt to feed him by himself until he settles into his new environment. This is so he isn’t battling new herd dynamics at the same time, which can put him off feed. Be watchful for signs of gastric ulcers that can occur from stressful situations. These include weight loss, dull coat, behavior issues, and grinding of teeth. When bringing in a horse that is likely to have ulcers, such as one off the track, some folks like to administer GastroGard (Omeprazole) and Sucralfate for 30 days.

Another consideration to avoid GI distress is to consider the climate that the horse is coming from, and the climate that he’s moving to. Weather changes can be hard on your new horse, so be mindful of the time of year. It’s hard on a horse to go from Florida to Wyoming in the winter, or North Dakota to Louisiana in the summer. Try to make those transitions to new environments when there are not extreme climatic differences.

Don’t Forget Health Records

Another consideration that can be easily overlooked when bringing home a new horse is the status of his recent health treatments and records. Problems can quickly arise if you’re not in the know of your horse’s last teeth floating, vaccinations, or deworming schedule. Checking in with the seller to educate yourself on the status of your new horse’s health is a key part of the buying process. A common issue I see is a lot of assumption on the preventative medicine program. Make sure you know when and what vaccines he had, when the last deworming was, and which product was used. Find out when his teeth were done last, too.

Other health considerations come into play if your new horse is traveling from a completely different climate. And even a different geographical area than where your barn is located. Just a change in climate can cause health issues.

[READ: Protect Your Performance Horse’s Joints]

Horses from Europe that are imported to the U.S. are often not vaccinated for West Nile Virus, as it is not as prevalent. Having a thorough physical examination and preventative medicine program in place is important to avoid future problems.

Start Your Own Records!

Once you learn your new horse’s health history, keep a record of the previous products used for vaccines and deworming. This helps you knowledgably and slowly transition your new horse over to your program. Knowing the horse’s health history in general will give you the best idea of what to expect when you bring him home. And help you avoid unexpected issues that might be lurking under the surface. A pre-purchase exam can rule out existing issues or give you an idea of what you’ll need to do to support your new horse when you bring him home.

I see a lot of folks spending a lot of money on horses without a pre-purchase examination. If you’re buying a horse for over $5,000, I recommend you spend the $500 to $800 for a pre-purchase examination before purchase. I also recommend thinking ahead should a problem arise. When buying a new horse, it’s also worth considering equine insurance. It’s not extremely expensive but can come in very handy where there is an injury or unexpected emergency surgery.

Finding His Place in a New Herd

Horses are herd animals and do best in a setting where they have herd mates to play with, learn from, and socialize amongst. However, introducing a new horse to the herd can have negative consequences if not done properly. Although the way you introduce your horse to his new herd can depend on a variety of factors, there are some general guidelines to follow that can minimize stress to your new horse and the horses already living at the barn.

I am an advocate for a 14-day quarantine period when bringing home a new horse. Although this might look differently depending on the type of horse you bought, his training level and personality, a quarantine period gives him time to settle in and adjust slowly. He gets to observe the hustle and bustle of his new home, transition over to your feed program without fighting for a spot on the totem pole, and adjust to his new environment slowly. This quarantine period also decreases the risk of transmission of infectious disease.

A Slow Introduction

A new horse introduced to a boarding barn environment might be able to go in his own stall, then immediately run and meet the horses next to him over the fence without much adjustment. If you plan on putting your new horse in a large corral with other horses, I suggest introducing the new herd mates slowly. Have a safe fence separating him and new herd mates for a couple days before introduction into the new herd. This adjustment period will not only relieve the stress of being thrown into a new environment without time to adjust, but also can help you avoid injury to your new horse or those already at the barn.

Although eventually the herd will have to sort out its new dynamic and your new horse will have to find his place among the other horses, a slow introduction can relieve tensions and help avoid territorial reactions from horses already at the barn. For a smooth transition, I want to emphasize the importance of a gradual introduction. The quarantine period is equally important for both the new horse and existing population of horses.

Becoming a Team Takes Time

Ruling out common causes of problems that can arise when bringing home a new horse, starts with his feeding routine, health history, and the way he is introduced into the herd. From there, don’t forget that things just take time. As much as you might try to keep consistency for him, he’s still in a new place, with a new rider, new tack, and a new routine. Often a buyer will bring home a new horse and be disappointed that he doesn’t ride around exactly as he did during the test ride. But, when you make a new friend can you expect to know their every quirk, character trait, and need within the first week of knowing them? That’s just not feasible. It’s the same with your new horse.

Build Your Bond

The adjustment period to mesh with your new four-legged friend and become a team can vary depending on his training level, and your riding ability. However, temper your expectations, and don’t expect perfection within the first week. Even if your new mount is an accomplished show horse with a win record a mile long, he’s still going to have to adjust to his new environment. He might be quicker to adapt, but you still need to put in the time and effort to become a true team. And this often looks like being patient, and just spending time with him to learn his personality and needs.

Sometimes this means just sitting in his stall and enjoying each other’s company. Or perhaps it’s long grooming sessions to help him relax. Maybe instead of diving right into training and showing, you spend the first few weeks just riding and learning his buttons, quirks, and behaviors.

Don’t Rush a New Horse

Not taking the time to bond with your new horse won’t yield you the results you’re looking for. One of the worst things you can do is to bring a new horse home, toss him out in a pasture of other horses, and then start showing him the next week. It takes time for a horse to adjust to a new environment with new friends and new people. You want to make him feel comfortable and confident in that new place.

Bringing home a horse is exciting. It can reinvigorate you, energize the barn, and even ignite your passion for horses again. You want to build a lasting partnership with this horse and become a team that can conquer any challenge ahead. So let him adjust slowly, know his history, and take your time. There are a few things that every horse can benefit from when they go to a new home. Patience, love, and observation are the most important for a horse and his new owner. Learn his character, what he likes/doesn’t like, get him a routine to follow, and over time he will begin to trust you.

And now you’re creating a mutual respect that can truly help build a lifelong friendship.