Horses Fight Other Herd Mates, But Will Not Separate From Them

A Peaceful herd can only be established with a pecking order. To get the pecking order horses will fight. They gain security and nourishment from having an established rank order for eating, drinking and interacting socially.

When humans take a horse on a trail the horse can feel alone without there equine companions who give order to their lives. We as humans are capable and do fulfill the need horses have for a more dominant being to tell them when they should move, stop, eat and drink. That is probably why we have been so successful at managing them for so long.

Horses that are "herd bound" or "barn sour" and refuse to leave an area where other horses congregate are merely afraid and can be trained to overcome this with the right handling.

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