Is It Okay for My Horse to Live by Himself?

Vet and equine behavior expert Dr. Nancy Diehl shares the reasons horses live best in groups.
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Is It Okay for my Horse to Live by Himself?
Horses are social animals. Feral horses live in harems, with a stallion, some mares, and offspring who will later disperse to other harems. | Photo: Photos.com

Q. Is it okay for a horse to live without herdmates or companions?

A. I am going to say that yes, it is okay for a horse to live alone, but with a bunch of caveats.

Horses are social animals. Feral horses live in harems, with a stallion, some mares, and offspring who will later disperse to other harems. Domesticated horses have lost really none of their “natural” behaviors. Nearly all of our domesticated species are highly social animals. That, along with their relative docility, probably contributed to them being good species for domestication

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Prior to attending veterinary school, Dr. Nancy Diehl completed a master’s degree in animal science while studying stallion sexual behavior. Later, she completed a residency in large animal internal medicine at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center and worked in equine practices in Missouri and Pennsylvania. Diehl also spent six years on faculty at Penn State, where she taught equine science and behavior courses and advised graduate students completing equine behavior research. Additionally, Diehl has co-authored scientific papers on stallion behavior, early intensive handling of foals, and feral horse contraception. Currently she is a practicing veterinarian in central Pennsylvania.

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