Horses are highly social animals whose welfare suffers significantly when kept in isolation, yet traditional stable management often separates them from conspecifics.
The social needs of horses are among the most important and frequently neglected aspects of equine welfare in domestic settings. Horses evolved with constant social contact and separation causes significant psychological distress. While group housing poses management challenges in competition contexts, innovative solutions including shared field time, stable partitions that allow contact, and compatible paddock companions can significantly improve social welfare without compromising management goals.