Equine-Assisted Social Pedagogy is a practice grounded in social pedagogical theory, emphasising the interaction between horse and human as well as the stable community. Its aim is to support clients’ social development, either preventively or rehabilitatively. While research has mostly focused on clients and facilitators, the horse’s point of view has been less studied. The practice, once centred on the stable community, now increasingly relies on the emotional labour of individual horses, making it essential to critically examine their role.This literature review explores the possibilities and constraints of equine agency through Martha Nussbaum’s capabilities approach, integrating perspectives from social pedagogy, animal behaviour science, posthumanism, and animal philosophy. It identifies research gaps and discusses practices that may either hinder or support agency.Findings show that agency is limited by compulsory participation, behavioural misinterpretation, economic interests, and anthropomorphic biases. In contrast, facilitators’ awareness of the power dynamic, reflective practice, and willingness to give horses opportunities to choose and live in an environment that enables speciestypical behaviour, promote agency. The horse’s role in social pedagogy is generally positive, yet remains ethically complex.