[haflingerfriends] Introducing a new horse, your advice please.

Hi, I have a 12 year old Haflinger mare. She is very very sweet natured and sociable. She never kicks, bites or shows agressive behaviour to other horses. She is always at the bottom of the pecking order and tends to get bullied. At present she lives with another boarder's pony mare, but I am currently in the process of finding another Haflinger mare with similar attributes to her as a companion as we are planning to move.

I have always hated introducing new horses to her as she runs straight up to them to say "Hi, can I be your friend? May I groom you?" and usually gets kicked :-( I try to take precautions to minimise injury, boots, rug etc.

I would welcome your advice and experience of introducing a new horse.
I find it so stressful it makes me a bag of nerves. I know horses will be horses and we can't wrap them in cotton wool, but I think the world of my mare, she is truely special to me!

I hope you guys can help reassure me and advise me of the best thing to do.

Thanks Zoe (UK)

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