Emotional Day 3 Integration/Mustang Halo Joins a 17-Horse Herd

Day three of Halo’s homecoming at Starr Horse Retreats. On this 3rd day Halo meets the entire herd of seventeen. As with every new arrival, there are rules the herd follows. In the beginning, the newcomer isn’t allowed too close to the core group at feeding time. It looks dramatic, but it’s more of a ritual than a real threat. The herd uses this distance to establish hierarchy, to show who leads, and to help the new horse find her place.

We put hay in three different locations across the 30 acres, with three watering stations spread throughout, so the newcomer always has access to food, water, and space to get away.

That morning I felt a little bad for Halo, so I dropped an extra pile of hay for her, but she was promptly shooed away several times until her new friends safely guided her to an alternate feeding station.

To be continued.

Mustang Halo Joins a 17-Horse Herd