Horses are highly social animals that suffer when isolated. Understanding their social needs and implementing appropriate group housing protects their psychological and physical health.
The widespread practice of keeping horses in individual stables for 20+ hours per day runs directly counter to their social nature. Horses evolved in highly social bands and experience isolation as genuine suffering — demonstrated by altered cortisol levels, stereotypic weaving and crib-biting, and reduced immune function. Individual stabling is justified by management convenience and competition requirements, but the welfare cost is real and significant. Shared paddock time, social contact over stable doors, and group turnout are achievable for most horse owners and make a profound difference to horse wellbeing. Social management deserves to be treated as a core welfare requirement, not an optional extra.