Introducing a young one to 4 geldings.

[ohsusanna]

I was asked to board a 1 1/2 yo gelding colt. He has had some ground work, and he seems alittle high strung.
I kept him in the round pen for over 24 hours and then let him out with my 4 geldings 3 yo to 6 yo. My geldings didn't do anything just ate hay while the colt ran around the pasture bucking and checking things out.
Today though they aren't letting him near the hay and when they approach him the colt runs away.
He basically stays hidden in the trees where I can't see him, and when I go check on him my geldings follow me and the colt runs. Also, he hasn't done that mouthy smacking thing when they get close.
I am just leaving them alone to work things out. Is this the best way to handle this?
My geldings are super sweet and mannerly to people, and horse to horse they seem to get along fine.
They are pastured, with just a run in barn. Lots of hay and feed 2x a day.
I am just nervous and hoping I'm not missing something.

[jill.costello]

I think you're doing fine. I'm a bit surprised he hasn't "baby-faced nah-nah'ed" at them, lol, but maybe where he came from he didn't have to "beg" the others to be nice because he's a baby....

What I would do is make sure there are SIX piles of hay evenly spaced FAR apart, so that even if one of the big boys is guarding 2 piles, there is STILL one left for baby to get to.

[Irish Pixie]

I do the same as Jill- at least two more piles of hay than there are horses. That way when they play musical hay piles there's always at least one open. :happy0035:

[ohsusanna]

Thanks so much. I have arranged the hay piles spread out and extra piles. My oldest gelding (and the head horse) actually knows this colt from the barn we board him at during show season, but he was never pastured with him just sniffed through the fence. I think they are fine, I will update if things don't go well. again Thanks So Much!