Horses are social animals with established hierarchies. Understanding herd dynamics enables management that minimizes conflict while meeting horses' fundamental social needs.
Horse social welfare is frequently compromised by management that separates horses entirely or throws incompatible horses together without management support for integration. Individual paddocks solve fighting problems but deny horses fundamental social needs that affect their psychological wellbeing. Group housing creates opportunities for social expression but requires management attention to resource provision and individual monitoring to ensure low-status animals can eat, drink, and shelter adequately. The welfare-optimal approach provides social contact appropriate to the individual horse's needs and compatibility while ensuring resource provision allows all horses in the group to meet their needs without excessive competition.