10/16/2026
Willow has been at FHF for just about two weeks and she has settled into the life on the track. She is still finding her place in the herd and has made a friend with Sunny.
Every integration is slightly different and offers insight about the horse and the herd. Willow has been turned out in a herd before, though has never lived outside 24/7 in a herd. She was use to having her own time with feeding and at night. The initial integration went great, though when dinner time came the dynamic changed. For a few days I gave her space to eat and decompress by herself over night, while still being out with the herd during the day. She started to settle more and understand the routine and she has been with the herd 24/7 for about a week.
The herd continues to remind me that they are resilient and know more than I do about their dynamic. I also have to remind myself that though I’ve had two track systems for 9 year, this is the first time that the track has been joined and we’ve had a herd of 6.
Cameron Shirley
