Horses aren't just companions - they're part of the family

Many people love their horses like family. New research shows that horses can serve as meaningful attachment figures for humans in ways that look a lot like our bonds with pets and even close partners.

The study also introduces a survey that can reliably measure how attached someone is to their horse.

Researchers from the University of Turku and the University of Helsinki set out to test, not just assume, the depth of human-horse bonds. They adapted a well-known pet attachment tool to fit equine life and validated it with a large, international sample.

The goal was simple: turn heartfelt stories into data that can be compared, tracked and used.

A questionnaire built for the barn

The team developed the Horse Attachment Questionnaire (HAQ). It draws on attachment theory, which describes how we form and keep emotional bonds. In this framework, relationships are often described along two dimensions. 

Attachment-related anxiety captures worries about being unloved or abandoned. Attachment-related avoidance reflects discomfort with closeness and a tendency to keep distance.

The Horse Attachment Questionnaire reframed existing pet items so they spoke directly to horses, riding, care, and time spent together.

Psychology behind humans and horses

The researchers gathered answers from 2,287 horse owners across 21 countries. The largest groups came from France and Finland. Participants completed a version of the Pet Attachment Questionnaire rewritten to reference horses rather than pets in general. 

This breadth matters. Culture, riding styles, and management routines vary widely. A tool that works across contexts is much more useful than one that fits only a single country or discipline.

The statistical tests were clear. Most statements worked well to describe the human-horse relationship, and the same two-dimensional pattern appeared. Anxiety and avoidance explained how owners differed, just as in studies of human relationships and human-pet bonds. 

In other words, the psychology that helps us understand parents and children – or people and dogs – also helps us understand people and horses.

Who tends to feel what

The data also point to the kinds of owners who report anxious or avoidant bonds. Younger owners, and people higher in neuroticism, were more likely to score high on anxious attachment.

These individuals worry about losing closeness with their horse or seek extra reassurance that their horse likes or needs them. 

Male owners, by contrast, scored higher on avoidant attachment. They were more likely to keep emotional distance from their horses. These are averages, not judgments. They help explain patterns that trainers, vets, and therapists often sense but cannot quantify.

Culture and time in the saddle

Differences between countries emerged too. The model fit slightly better for French owners than for Finnish owners. One possible reason is riding practice. 

In this sample, French owners were more often the sole riders of their horses. They may spend more exclusive time with their animals. Finnish owners were more likely to share their horses with others. Those realities might shape how attachment is expressed and recognized.

“Our findings demonstrate that horses can act as meaningful attachment figures for people, much like pets and other humans,” said study lead author Aada Ståhl, a PhD student at the University of Helsinki.

“By validating this questionnaire, we now have a reliable way to measure those bonds and explore how they are shaped by factors such as personality and culture.”

Why this matters beyond feelings

A validated tool does more than label emotions. It opens doors. “It provides a robust foundation for studying how attachment influences not only the well-being of horse owners but also the care and training of horses,” said study co-author Océane Liehrmann, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Turku. 

“Previous work has shown that insecure attachment styles in pet owners can impact the way animals are treated and even their behaviour. Applying these insights to horses could improve understanding of how human psychology shapes equine welfare.” 

If attachment shapes handling choices, stable routines or training pressure, then measuring it could help prevent problems before they start.

From therapy to training arenas

The Horse Attachment Questionnaire could prove useful in equine-assisted therapy, where horses partner with clinicians to support human health.

Knowing an owner’s or client’s attachment style could help tailor sessions and set boundaries that keep both humans and horses safe. Trainers may also benefit.

Understanding whether a rider tends to worry about closeness or to pull back from it can guide communication, goal setting, and feedback.

The same insight could inform how barns match riders with mounts, or how professionals coach parents of young riders.

Human bonds with horses

Horses occupy a special place in human life. They are neither purely working animals nor purely companions. This study treats that uniqueness as a feature, not a flaw. 

By adapting established psychology to the realities of equine care, the authors show that our bonds with horses can be mapped with the same clarity we bring to other relationships.

The message is practical and humane. If we understand the patterns that shape our feelings, we can make better choices for the animals who depend on us – and for ourselves.

The study is published in the journal Anthrozoös.

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