Horse Housing on Prince Edward Island, Canada: Attitudes and Experiences Related to Keeping Horses Outdoors and in Groups.
Authors: Ross Megan, Proudfoot Kathryn, Merkies Katrina, Elsohaby Ibrahim, Mills Molly, Macmillan Kathleen, Mckenna Shawn, Ritter Caroline
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary Understanding why horse owners make particular housing decisions requires insight into their beliefs about equine welfare, which this Canadian questionnaire study investigated through responses from 76 owners on Prince Edward Island regarding outdoor versus indoor and group versus individual housing. The researchers found strong consensus—82–96% of owners acknowledged that horses' physical health, mental well-being, and opportunities for natural behaviour improved with outdoor, group-based systems—yet notably fewer (64–68%) believed that overall standard of care was enhanced in these conditions, suggesting owners distinguish between welfare domains and may perceive management complexity as a limiting factor. A meaningful pattern emerged whereby owners whose attitudes favoured indoor or solitary housing were significantly more likely to actually house their horses in these conditions part-time or exclusively, indicating that housing choices tend to align with underlying welfare beliefs rather than contradict them. Owners' reasons for their housing arrangements clustered into two categories: horse-centred factors (health needs, temperament, social compatibility) and owner-centred factors (practical constraints, labour availability, facility limitations), which reveals the decision-making operates at the intersection of equine requirements and human capacity. For practitioners advising on housing, these findings suggest that owners are responsive to welfare evidence but may need support in problem-solving the logistical barriers between their welfare aspirations and implementation, particularly regarding the perception that group, outdoor systems demand higher management standards.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Understanding that most horse owners recognize the welfare benefits of outdoor group housing but face practical barriers can help professionals identify which challenges (facilities, management systems, time, expertise) are preventing implementation
- •A gap exists between owners' stated beliefs about optimal welfare and their housing practices—investigating specific obstacles for individual owners may reveal solvable problems rather than pure apathy
- •Horse professionals should be prepared to discuss practical solutions to the real challenges owners face with outdoor/group housing, since belief in the concept is not the limiting factor for most
Key Findings
- •82-96% of horse owners agreed that physical health, mental well-being, and natural living were better when horses were kept outdoors and in groups
- •Only 64-68% of owners agreed that standard of care was better when kept outdoors or in groups
- •Horse owners' actual housing choices correlated with their stated beliefs about welfare (those believing indoor/individual housing is better were more likely to keep horses that way)
- •Owner decisions reflected both horse-centered concerns (welfare) and owner-centered concerns (practical challenges)