# Do you think horses get lonely or even depressed if alone?



## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Yes, horses are not happy being alone. They are herd animals, and need each other. From my experience, a lone horse is much much more anxious, stressed, and the essential mental needs are not being met.


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## k9kenai (Jul 1, 2017)

I think it depends on the horse. In general, I think horses do better with companions and should be given a companion if possible though. 

My Appaloosa mare did not have a companion. It was an acre property and she had it all to herself and seemed very happy to just be around us. There were two horses next door but she could only smell them and hear them and even then we never saw her anywhere near the fence line or never heard her "talk" to them or respond to them (and someone was on the property almost 24/7 so chances are we would have seen some sort of sign if she was distressed about not being around another horse). She never showed any signs of depression and always received a clean bill of health from our vet and farrier and always did well under saddle and on the ground. She came from a home where there were other horses and her previous owner (who purchased her as a yearling) said she never got along with them real well. The woman we ended up selling her to said she never got along with any of her horses, either, and had to be kept separate for the most part.

My ISH gelding, on the other hand, preferred the company of other horses. He has always had a horse companion from his birth and as far as I know even now with his new owner and has never experienced being the only horse in the area (even while under saddle). When I moved him to his new barn he had to be in quarantine for 30 days per barn policy and he was obviously distressed about it and instead tried to be friends with the barn cats that hung around his pen. When he finally did get to be around the other horses he was ecstatic and gained back a bit of the weight he lost while in quarantine due to his stress.

So in my personal experience, I think it really depends on the horse. The Appaloosa mare seemed perfectly content being alone and I think if we had added another companion (or at least another horse) I think it actually would have upset her rather than helped her and as for the ISH gelding, he obviously was much happier and less stressed being in a group of horses (his friendship with the barn cats continued even after he joined back up with the horses, though).


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

1) Some do, some don't.

2) For those that don't mind being alone they don't display those symptoms. For those that do they will display some or all of the behaviors you listed.

JC never minded being home alone but would get a little anxious if I took him on a trail by himself. After having him as a sole horse for 3 years I bought a yearling filly. Grace hated being left alone at home but once she was riding age was perfectly fine going out on a trail by herself. Go figure. LOL


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## Cynical25 (Mar 7, 2013)

I've owned one horse who was perfectly content as an only-horse, and once I acquired additional horses she still never got upset when the others were taken away for any reason.


But I've owned several horses who were miserable as only-horses (such as when their herd mates were taken to vet/show) - obviously anxious, pacing, not sleeping, going off their feed. When I bought my place two years ago, my super-chill gelding who ignored all the other horses when I boarded got so upset upon moving to my new property solo, he broke through the fence to find friends down the road.


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## cbar (Nov 27, 2015)

I agree with the others - it really depends on the horse. 

I have one gelding who doesn't really care if he's alone or not. Doesn't get stressed out or anything. I had to keep him by himself for a couple months before purchasing my 2nd horse - and he did very well. He ate, drank, had his naps.....the addition of the other horse really just gave him someone to boss around.

My 2nd gelding will lose his $hit if he's left alone - he's never been alone for long, but he gets very anxious and will not eat - he would not do well on a property by himself. 

In general horses are most happy in the company of other horses - they are a herd animal...but some just don't seem to care.


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## OttbHeart (Jul 23, 2017)

It depends on the horse honestly. Every horse reacts differently, but mainly they can get depressed. Some horses go so far as to never sleep, eat, drink, or anything until they have a herd buddy. I believe that if a horse is unhappy without a buddy, either get him one or put him in an area where he can at least see the other horse(s).


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

I had a pony that didn't care at all if she was on her own, food and water were her only priorities. 
She wouldn't share her field with another horse, she'd attack them and if possible chase them out by running them into the fence so they either got kicked and bitten or went over or through the fence to escape her
If she had other horses next door she ignored them, never showed any signs of concern if they went away
She was never anxious or spooky or gave the impression that she was miserable
Jazzy will willingly leave the other horses here and come and hang out with us in the barn if she can get in when we're working in there. She couldn't care less where the others are or even if they're not there at all.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

In general, I would say they are more stressed, never truly relax, as there is no herd member to watch while they sleep.
On the other hand, horses have a great ability to adapt, and a horse in a small pasture, close to people, can get that same security from that 'domestic 'presence of people close by, so you really can't compare that situation with a horse way out in 
a pasture, no where near people. 
Those pens, ect are basically like an 'outdoor stall, and horses get very territorial about their stall, where they are fed, so not unusual at all for a horse in a limited size pen to get possessive of that pen, same as a stall
Even just knowing other horses are in a pasture near by, is enough for many hroses
My husband;s horse, Rubix, is in part of his pasture, alone, that is sectioned off with electrical tape. He can see my son's tow horses, in the pasture next to him, often far on the other side, but is not concerned
So, while many horses, can transfer their security to a human being close, not just while ridden or handled, but also turned out in close proximity, that really is like comparing apples to oranges, to a horse truly by himself, separated both from other equines and humans
Also, many horses living by themselves, know nothing else,appear happy, but often those very horses are the ones that become extremely buddy sour, once another horse is introduced, and often are also instantly bonded to other horses on trail rides,.
I think we have had quite a few posts on that fact!


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## Tuesday MacIlhoyle (Jul 21, 2017)

I think it really depends on the horse. I have a herd of 5. When I add my daughter's OTTB to the group, he stands and mopes, and will even go off his feed. It's a pitiful thing to witness honestly. If we move him to a pasture by himself, he's active and happy, and goes right back on his feed. My own OTTB, conversely, cannot tolerate being alone and will become so depressed that he won't eat, drink, or even move from one spot all day.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Smilie said:


> On the other hand, horses have a great ability to adapt, and a horse in a small pasture, close to people, can get that same security from that 'domestic 'presence of people close by, so you really can't compare that situation with a horse way out in
> a pasture, no where near people.
> Those pens, ect are basically like an 'outdoor stall, and horses get very territorial about their stall, where they are fed, so not unusual at all for a horse in a limited size pen to get possessive of that pen, same as a stall


It didn't matter where the pony I had was kept as regard to her preferring not to be with other horses, she was the same in the paddock by the house as she was when I occasionally put her on a local farmers 10 acre field that was surrounded by arable land. We tried a few times to put her in with my Grandfather's young horses who were on a much bigger acreage shared with cattle, she didn't mind the cattle but spent so much time attacking the other horses we had to move her out


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Guess there are truly antisocial horses and ponies!
Some must be really confident, while I think quite a few are made that way, by never learning proper interaction in a herd setting , like an orphan or a horse growing up by himself
Generally speaking though, most horses prefer to be with others of their own kind
A very timid horse,can feel very insecure, being fed with other horses, thus afraid to even try to eat any of that food, esp if he has been aggressively driven off a few times
Charlie goes out in a pasture by herself, par of the day, with a grazing muzzle,while Smilie stays in the corral. Both mares seem fine with taht, do not call, go about their routine, yet when I bring Charlie back in, Smilie always greets her with a soft nicker
All my horses spend time by themselves. Carmen goes out to graze twice a day, no muzzle, as I have given up trying to keep one on her. The rest of the time, she is in a corral next to that of smilie and Charlie
I let her graze areas we don't mow, like behind the barn, in the corridor which separates the pasture out stud used to be in, down my husband's gun range, and she is fine out there by herself, seeing other horses at times, but never with them, and only an electric tape, which is not turned on


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## elkdog (Nov 28, 2016)

One of the saddest sights I know is while driving along, seeing a lone horse out in a field. I've often stopped and spent time with them (my side of the fence) They always come over to say Hi. I don't give them treats because I wouldn't want people doing that with my horses.

I think separating them for any reason is just selfish (what you do is your business). Obviously stallions need to be separated. But they make great babysitters for the yearlings. Given time and enough room they buddy up with geldings. 

I've had up to 28 here (boarders). Sometimes sub herds will form. Two or three that satellite from the main heard. I've never seen any totally happy being alone.


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