IT’S one of those quiet yard moments many of us have witnessed but rarely talk about. A horse calling out into the silence of an empty stable. A field-mate pacing the fence, restless, waiting for the one who won’t return. Owners often say that their horses seem to “know” when a companion dies. Now, new research suggests those instincts may be more than just human projection.

A team from the University of Lincoln, led by Claire Ricci-Bonot, has explored how horses respond to the death of a familiar partner. Their findings, published in a recent study, shine a light on grief-like behaviours in equines - something long suspected by horse owners, but rarely captured in scientific literature.

The study gathered reports from owners and carers who had managed horses through the loss of a close companion. The responses revealed a range of changes, both behavioural and physical, in the surviving horse.

Some became agitated, calling repeatedly or searching for their missing partner. Others displayed the opposite: withdrawal, lethargy, or loss of appetite. Stress responses also manifested physically, including weight loss and the emergence of stereotypic behaviours.

“Owners often describe their horses as ‘pining’ after the death of a companion,” explains Dr Ricci-Bonot. “Our research suggests this isn’t just a figure of speech - horses can and do show distress that looks remarkably like grief.”

Crucially, these signs were not short-lived. For many horses, the sense of loss endured for weeks or even months, unsettling routines and herd relationships.

Strength of bonds

Grief-like responses have been documented in elephants, dolphins, primates, and other highly-social species. This study places horses firmly within that conversation, highlighting the strength of bonds formed between equine companions.

Professor Daniel Mills, co-author of the study, says: “Horses are socially flexible animals, but that doesn’t mean their bonds are shallow. When a close companion is lost, the disruption can be profound. Understanding this is vital if we are to manage their welfare responsibly.”

For owners and managers, the implications are both practical and ethical. If we accept that horses experience grief-like distress, then their welfare during and after the loss of a herd-mate becomes an active responsibility.

Many owners already follow the instinct to let a surviving horse see the body of a deceased companion. Until now, this was often dismissed as anthropomorphism. But the Lincoln study suggests such practices may indeed help the living horse process the change, preventing further confusion and stress.

Heightened awareness

Horses thrive on social bonds and routine. The disruption caused by the sudden absence of a companion is not something to brush aside. This research calls for patience, vigilance, and a heightened awareness of a horse’s physical and emotional health after a loss.

As Dr Ricci-Bonot concludes: “The key message is that we shouldn’t underestimate the impact of loss on horses. Just like us, they may need time, stability, and support to adjust.”

For those of us who spend our lives around horses, the findings feel less like a revelation and more like a validation of what we’ve long believed: that our horses’ relationships are rich, complex, and deeply felt.

Perhaps the next time we see a horse waiting by an empty stable door, we’ll stop calling it sentimentality - and start calling it grief.