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.