We as people know how much we appreciate being around good people, and those who compliment our personalities. Horses are no different! They prefer to be around horses that they are happy to be stabled or paddocked next to, and compliment their respective personality types.
Sometimes with limited stables or paddocks, it can be difficult to accomodate for horses that don’t get along well with other horses. However if these horses are particularly dominant or even dangerous, it is best to always try make sure this horse is left to itself.
If you have a Performance Team, that are needed often, and are quite often needed together at home and competitions, and they get along, try to place these horses together, and close to the ty ups. Provided that these horses don’t get excessive separation anxiety if one is taken away at home or at an event, this can be a great way to keep your Performance Horses happy, and also reduce the amount of time and effort required to go catch them, or put them back.
Sometimes a horse with a submissive personality will benefit from having a more dominant personality to be with, for a sense of direction. However if the submissive horse becomes victim to bullying from the dominant horse, it is best to keep these two apart.
Two dominant horses together can be something to be wary of, because they can both try to assert that they are the Alpha over the other.
Regardless of where you paddock or stable your horses, it is best to try place them all where they seem happiest (if possible). Their overall health will benefit and they will be much easier to work with both on the ground and in the saddle. In the wild, horses have a natural hierarchy system that dictates amongst a herd, who does what and who is ranked where. On a property this will still exist to an extent, however stables and paddocks can be used to receive the best balance for the purpose of your Equine Endeavours.
– Skye Pickering Dip. Horse Business Management