Taking our time....(hopefully) doing it right

Yesterday, the 21st, Wit was turned out in the ring next to the mares.
The fence is low and meant to be more of an enclosure for riding than anything close to a substantial holding pen.

He was left inside the barn until all four mares had been moved to the lower paddock and although he called and tracked in his stall a couple of things stand out in my mind.....none of the mares answered him.
The other outstanding thing is that the moment his door was opened his manners returned completely.

I led him through the gate and across the ring to the fence between he and the mares.
I did this rather than turn him loose at the gate so that there would be no excitable momentum gained...and it worked really well.

Jet has clearly moved through her cycle.

She was interested in Wit but in a horse to horse general kind of way. Perfect.

From time to time he'd let me know he'd like to go in with them. He wants grass!! and even though there is precious little in there this time of year he'd like a chance at it.

From time to time he'd wander around the ring...take a few trot steps and throw his head into the air...happy.
For the most part they simply ate together under the fence boards where I'd placed a line of flakes of hay.

 Trinity and Venus are more interested in nibbling grass than chatting with the new guy.

 The have lots of choices in 'hay piles'

 Frequent visitor lands above the horses' heads and stays for a few hours

 Jet was digging roots to nibble in her paddock..furthest in view...Wit followed suit on his side of the fence unearthing Fir root as well as blackberry. Both considered 'spring tonic' for horses...

Today, while my apprentice Hannah Roland is here we will be turning the herd out together.

Good luck to us!