Originally Posted by CountrySmiths

I always think it's odd that people say don't ride for a couple of weeks when you buy a horse - and yet think nothing of taking their horse to a show, camp, on holiday, etc and ride it straight away without giving it 2 weeks to get used to the strange place! OK the owner is the same but the place is different, and when you buy a horse the horse has to get used to change of owner and change of place, but when people send horses away to be backed or schooled trainers don't give the horse 2 weeks to settle in before they start work!

I always try to get a new horse into a routine as soon as I bring it home and will ride it the following day. I think the quicker a regular routine is established the quicker they settle in.