Horses are highly social animals whose welfare depends substantially on appropriate social contact, yet many management systems house horses in isolation or with limited social interaction.
Social isolation is one of the most widespread but underrecognized welfare problems in horse management. Individual stabling without social contact denies horses a fundamental behavioral need, leading to chronic stress and stereotype development. Even simple interventions - stable companionship, group turnout with appropriate management, or shared fence lines - produce measurable welfare improvements. The evidence strongly supports moving toward social housing as the default.