by Marianne Lange

Created on: July 24, 2008   Last Updated: June 25, 2009

A horse is not a solitary animal. He has a herd mentality and understands relationships. Having said that, there are limitations and herd relationships, though complex, are still not to be totally likened to human interpersonal relationships.

In today's world outside of a family farm or breeding operations, horses may live in boarding facilities which house other animals but they are not necessarily turned out to live in that herd environment. If you observe horses for any period of time in any setting, they are interested in their own kind. Even when not turned out with others, they call, watch and demonstrate body language such as pacing, tail twitching and flexing of muscles if they see other animals passing their stalls, or in a turn out or pasture situation within their view.

In a herd, however small, there are definite dynamics that will appear. A leader will evolve. There is a pecking order that will also appear. For example, when it is feeding time, unless the feed or hay is spread out, animals on the lower end of the spectrum may have to wait to eat or suffer a bite or a kick from the leader. Watching further, the leader sometimes may have other horses in their accepted group, those they "hang" with so to speak. If one of the outsiders or ones from the lower end of the group infringe upon the leader's territory, that may also call for retaliation.

Jealousies can easily be seen. A common event could be taking a horse away from a pasture or stable-mate. It's not uncommon to take one away from another and find they will call to each other. The one who was left behind might pace, run full out and do all kinds of things to demonstrate distress that his "friend" was taken and he was left behind. I have watched mares who have a foal be stalked by mares who don't and even seen mares try to "steal" foals. Very plainly, horses can engage in companionships with some basic emotions and attachments.

Trainers will sometimes play on relationships. If you have one animal that is fearful to do something such a load a trailer, another may be used to encourage the fearful one. The more experienced one will be loaded and stand maybe with hay and the quiet behavior will encourage the other.

What about those animals who live alone? You can see the same interested behaviors evolve with their "people". When their owner comes out to the barn, there's interest. Yes, it may mean feeding time, but a connection has been made. What about when it's not feeding? I have walked out into the pasture, stood still, maybe avoided eye contact and the horse comes over. It may not be as complex as human relationships but there is no doubt that they seek companionship.

I used my old horse to baby sit yearlings. One yearling came to think of him far more than any of the others in our herd. She would cry out when I took him out to groom him or just give him some attention. One day, he quietly died in his pasture at the age of 26. That yearling filly was standing over his body when I found him. Companionship? Definitely!

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