"It has been a situation that as been ongoing for maybe eight weeks or so," Danny Wilson (Hartlepool manager) told the Official Hartlepool Website.
"But it is something that had to be done professionally and properly between the two Clubs and we feel we have done well in ensuring all ends are tied up by January."
Barker has scored 15 goals so far this season for Mansfield and the Pools' manager is confident he'll be a big hit with The Vic faithful.
"I am delighted to have a player of his experience and calibre and we saw on Saturday why he is a handful for defenders.
"We are defending very well as a team at the moment but he was still a handful for us."
"I am sure Mansfield will be very sorry to see him go but sometimes it is difficult for smaller clubs to refuse these deals that come along.
"And that's the beauty for us of having the support of IOR because without them it is very possible the deal would not have been done.
"But we can't worry about other clubs, we need to focus on finishing the season as high as possible and Richie will help us do that."
The Stags Supporters Association issued a statement immediately after the deal was done, it went "SSA are disgusted and appalled by the selling to Hartlepool of top scorer and captain Richie Barker, who had clearly expressed his desire to stay, and was happy at Mansfield Town.
At a time when the club are one point from the Conference, we should have been recruiting a partner for Barker, yet Keith Haslam is prepared to risk our Football League status for cash.
This move sums up Mr Haslam's reign and his complete lack of ambition and respect for the paying customers and loyal supporters of Mansfield Town.