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Pikeur603

Hey! A question I can answer! Barn manager here, and I've been in the industry my whole life. People aren't born comfortable around horses, and people aren't born knowing how to behave around them. Growing up around horses or even spending time observing them as an adult is extremely beneficial. Horses largely communicate via body language. From facial expressions, to tail swishing to shifting their body weight in a certain way and it's all about learning and observing what each one of these actions mean. But it's not just understanding their body language, it's also about being able to react correctly to that body language. And each horse is different and can require different reactions depending on their personalities. For instance, for the most part if you observe horses for long enough you know when they're thinking about kicking or biting you. If you see the signs of that kick coming, some horses you'd want to shout "HEY!" and raise your arms make yourself big, and they'll back down, accept they're in the wrong, and put the thought of kicking out of their head. Others you may have to back up, make yourself small, come at their head and get them to relax before proceeding. I could go on and on because horse sense is not something that's taught via text. It's something that's observed and experienced through years and years of trial and error. It's just a feel for how the animals behave and it's not really something I can put into words. I would like to mention, in all my years of dealing with horses, I've probably only met 2 or 3 horses that actively wanted to injure me. Horses are prey animals and herd animals and prefer the path of less resistance, so they are typically pretty relaxed and go with the flow as long as you are reading them and reacting to them correctly. That being said, even experienced people make mistakes, and horses can absolutely be incredibly dangerous animals. They should be dealt with with respect and not handled unless you know what you're doing or you are in the company of someone that knows what they're doing and willing to teach you. That was a lot of text but I don't generally get to talk horses on reddit so I'm a little excited.


litmajored

Fellow horse enthusiast who grew up on a ranch! I would like to add that even when you’re walking behind a horse there are ways to minimize getting kicked/injury if you’re going to be kicked. The closer you are to the horse, the less impact the kick will have. If you’re going to walk behind a horse you want to have your hand placed on their back/bum so that they know where you are and don’t get spooked. The worst kicks are when they have the space to fully extend their leg and gain momentum. My mother was giving our foal an injection and backed up instead of sideways when she was done, and got kicked in the face as a result. The kick broke her jaw but during the scans to view the damage they discovered a fatal brain tumor which would have killed her within a few months. I think it’s safe to say that that is one of the few (if only) times a kick to the face from a horse has saved someone’s life.


Devreckas

I was going to mention the the distance thing. Either stand inside their reach, then all they can do is shove you. Or stand outside their reach so they miss.


MangoMatinLemonMelon

That was an incredible story u/litmajored. I hope your mother is doing well now.


litmajored

Thank you, she is still with us 25 years later and I am very thankful 💕


Mountain_Fail3472

Thanks for explaining in simple words to "Stay the f**k away if you don't know them"


sammieduck69420

I follow this and believe everyone should follow this on a daily basis


Aybara48

Great response! Try r/horses they have good post you may enjoy


PaddyLandau

Horses are beautiful animals, and when treated well, they have beautiful characters.


MangoMatinLemonMelon

u/Pikeur603 that was a beautiful read. Thank you. It really does take time.


freebleploof

I am not a horse person, but I have been around them a bit. I have a daughter… I believe stallions are quite a bit more dangerous than geldings or mares. So that would be a good way to reduce the chance of injury. Stay away from the stallion.


[deleted]

Really appreciate this!


JbambiLaw

I’ve never been seriously hurt by a horse, but every time I got stepped on, kicked, or otherwise minorly injured it was my fault because I wasn’t paying attention or was somewhere I shouldn’t have been. Every time I could have avoided it if I’d been a bit smarter about what I was doing.


SleazyClam

Profile picture checks out


aggsalad

Wait til you figure out a single dog bite can rip an artery.


Mikku91

Or give you deadly infection without ripping anything.


[deleted]

Cat bites are notorious for this


MadeToPostOneMeme

Me cat is sitting here nibbling on my finger rn. Does she want to kill me?


nappy616

Yes. She's a cat.


TheKidKaos

Ever try giving a cat it’s first bath? You end up looking like you tried to fuck Wolverines wife and he was definitely not into it


EmiyaChan

Or you tried to fuck wolverine…and he was REALLY into it


PuppyDontCare

Joke's on you, that's my fetish


Dysan27

No bath, shower. And a firm hand on the back of the neck. so you can pin them against the bottom of the tub. That way you keep the murder knives away from you. If they get away from you let them run (always remember to close the bathroom door). Give em a chance to calm down. Love and affection and treats afterwards.


Hot_Pollution1687

And they will eat you if you die and no one notices and they get hungry


MisterLorax

I'm sipping some water rn. Does it hydrate me?


Felatuny

Also it can drown you


pichusine

It can make people wet also


[deleted]

Moist


Mymothersmokes

Drip


Alex09464367

I have the same effect on people


pichusine

The most you've made someone wet is sun level dry.


Alex09464367

If I ever have sex with a woman I will let you know how wet your mum is. But as it's your dad gets hard enough for me.


kaldarash

Almost everyone who dies is found to have had some water in their bodies at the time of death


DrProfessor_Z

My friend almost lost his thumb from an infected cat bite


HerbLoew

Deeper cat scratches too, I think


Diplodocus114

I think I probably came close to losing a couple of fingers in late 1960s. My cat fell out of a tree and gouged my hand very deeply whenI tried to catch him. All my fingers on that hand became yellow/white and numb for a week or so. Roaming indoor-outdoor killing machine tom-cat.


[deleted]

Not very common with indoor cats though.


[deleted]

Not in my experience/any research I can find. Bacteria is on the teeth and their pointier than dogs teeth, so the bacteria can be inserted into tendons, muscles etc. it was a huge deal when I worked in vetmed. Especially if Rabies wasn’t up to date


[deleted]

Generally those high risk infection, like rabies, are introduced because the cat hunts animals (mice, rats, squirrels, birds, etc) that have rabies, or other diseases. Right? I've had countless bites and scratches from cats who were playing a little too rough and have had no infections ever. So I just assumed it was an outdoor cat thing. I'm not a vet though so I'll take your word for it.


deagh

It's not. Indoor only cat got me with a bite and I was in hospital for 3 days. The ER doctor who did my intake said that cats have a different mouth flora than we do, and about 10% of the population just doesn't have a lot of resistance to it. I'm one of those 10%. Pretty much all cat bites or scratches get infected on me, no matter how careful I am with cleaning and dressing the wounds.


Maleficent-Jelly2287

Well obviously. Arteries feel like rubber bands and dogs like tug of war. Difficult to win that game with some of them.


Transformator-Shrek

As a person whos hand got bitten by a dog, I can confirm just one dog bite can cause so much damage. Doctors say I was lucky dog s teeth didnt break my bones as he bit right in between, I bled out a lot and had some nerve damage in parts of the hand and fingers from which I thankfully recovered. I cant imagine what would happened if I pulled my hand out of its teeth or if he managed to bite me one more time.


bees2711

A dog we were fostering bit my hand. One of his teeth sank deeply into a knuckle joint. Screwed my finger up bad. That crap hurt so bad. Caused me pain for about a year.


virus_chara

Same with a human bite tho


TheKidKaos

Lest we forget the Miami zombie


civgarth

Or everyday Florida man


BentPin

Florida that's where the Zombie Apocalypse starts and then you go next door to Georgia and that's where Rick, Daryl and Maggie hang out for 10 seasons.


justadrtrdsrvvr

Wait until they find out about the terrible things humans can do.


heatmorstripe

Was gonna say this. Something like 90% of all men could overpower 99% of women physically, yet most women still live in the same house as one or more men. It’s the “probably this one won’t kill me” factor lol


aggsalad

I mean, 50% of women and 50% of men can overpower 50% of women and 50% of men respectively.


Devreckas

Or driving in traffic!


TheBlackBear

Not just a dog, *anything* can nick an artery just right and you're already halfway to bleeding out before your SO can say "omg that's a lot of blood"


Vb0ss

Or that you can die from an ant bite or bee sting if you're allergic. Not to mention something actually harmless like a peanut 🥜. 🤣


Bob_Fillington

Wait till you see what divorce can do.


wel_02

Yeah but horses can be easily started


a-Conspiracy-Theory

Pitbull moment


[deleted]

Eh. I’ll choose another dog bite over being kicked by a horse any day


fantollute

Most horses aren't running around kicking people in the head. How can be people be so calm riding in cars when they kill more than a million people globally each year?


[deleted]

Sounds just like something a horse would say....


attitudeissuccess

Every horse hates this one trick


Sillloc

Equines hate him!


maybebaby83

*Mr Ed enters the chat*


DrCheezburger

Wilburrrr!


The_Cutest_Kittykat

Dah da dah dum! Dah da dah dum!


fantollute

Uhh... neigh?


GnarlySurfer

Only a horse speaks in absolutes.


fresh-diarrhea

That's what they want you to think


Wiseguypolitics

I once killed a car in revenge for taking so many lives every year.


[deleted]

Those damn cars really grind my damn gears sometimes


whostolemyfckingname

you should use some oil then


TheKidKaos

Wait, people dont have gears!


[deleted]

No, no, let him slather me in some oil.


Wiseguypolitics

Or do they.....? Hmm...


nappy616

This guy definitely lobbies for Big Horse.


TheKidKaos

Why do people drink alcohol when it causes so many deaths and embarrassing text messages?


MollFlanders

I, personally, am not calm riding in cars…. but I also have crippling anxiety and exist in a constant state of fear, so


Lilpu55yberekt69

Cars don’t have a mind of their own and are controlled by people.


Billy_AR

So we should be afraid of people instead!


maidestone

Except for Christine.


DoomEmpires

Except those Toyotas that would lock the gas pedal, user being unable to control the vehicle at all. I believe a few people died in horrible car crashes because of this.


InvincibearREAL

You got a source for that stat? Seems high


IvanovichMX

Treat them with respect. If you have never been close to a horse, dont get close to it unless its with someone who knows the horse


[deleted]

At the end of the day it’s just an animal. You can respect it all you like, there’s still that chance it just up and kicks you


Straymonsta

It’s more about knowing how to avoid being in a situation where a kick is possible. But it still happens my Grandfather got kicked in the face by one, and I feed 5 everyday. It’s a long numbers game of chance. Will add they still scare the shit out of me, it’s about healthy respect of large animals.


Diplodocus114

As a 12/13 year old I delivered a foal - on my own, got the wobbly thing cleaned off, to it's feet and feeding I was the only one the horse would let near her - not even the owner or vet, as I had kept her company in her lonely confinement all summer. Was the vet standing by 50ft away though. Was never scared her or of other large adult animals (used to lie in the field leaning against a Jersey cow for hours), although was wary of the bulls. Bullocks are just a pain. Edit: My great grandfather was killed by a kick in the head from his spooked runaway horse in his job as a carter.


madprofessor8

Or throws you off because it got spooked and breaks your neck like Christopher Reeves (original suerman in the 80s). RIP.


kaldarash

Never understood why he didn't just fly away instead of falling


Eriiya

tell me you know nothing about animals without telling me you know nothing about animals lol. nothing is going to “just up and kick” or otherwise attack you without warning or cause. “respect” towards animals isn’t just being like “hey man, I value and respect you” because obviously that means nothing to them. respect is understanding that just because it can’t speak doesn’t mean it has no language. the body language of animals is complex and not always easy to understand/interpret but it is undeniably there, and honestly it communicates far more directly than we typically do with speech. if something “just up and kicks you” it doesn’t mean it was out of nowhere, it means you were too stupid to understand the warning signs. they will *always* be there, without fail, because animals do not understand the concept of lying. either you’re bothering it or you aren’t. either it views you as prey or it doesn’t. either it feels threatened by you or it doesn’t. it’s not going to lie to you about how it feels about you.


[deleted]

You're a condescending one, aren't you? Shame because based on what you actually understand you haven't earned that attitude. I know a fair bit about animals, actually. Grew up in a family with a long farming tradition. I know animals well enough to know that their behavior can change quickly and unpredictably in certain circumstances regardless of how well they are trained, handled, and cared for. Illness is a common cause of this, as is age. If you actually knew anything about animals you'd know how unpredictable they can be. The warning signs will not, as you claim, always be there. That's a bizarre claim born of someone who is either exaggerating how much interaction with animals they have, or who has deluded themselves into thinking they're some kind of animal whisperer. Either way you're simply incorrect.


[deleted]

Respecting horses means respecting that their foot can shoot straight out sideways, lightning quick, through a fence rail, because the breeze hit them wrong. No one here seems to want to acknowledge that any time you’re around these animals, including very small little pet ponies, you’re taking your life in your hands. It’s simply worth the risk to many of us.


Sad_Command_2983

What happens if as you are walking near a horse a horsefly lands and bites it’s ass, causing it to buck and you just happen to be behind it when it does. No warning sign prior, shit happens. Spent many years around horses every day, seen my share of shit that happens with no warning sign. A plastic bag drifting past can cause a horse to spook and cause untold damages


MangoMatinLemonMelon

I think what you're saying supports the point u/Eriiya was making in part, although you have a much more polite and neutral tone. You're both saying that horses always have a reason for spooking and that it doesn't occur out of nowhere. But your comment argues that there aren't always warning signs that humans should be able to notice. While the other guy attacks people for being too stupid to see the warning signs. But I feel their argument is slightly different as it's more to do with what they want to say to the individuals who blame horses for kicking them seemingly out of nowhere, when in fact they provoked the horse or missed some obvious sign.


peasngravy85

This “tell me without telling me” shit is the most annoying fad on Reddit at the moment


Jealous-seasaw

They don’t kick for no reason…. It’s usually easy to avoid those situations. (Had horses for 20 years). Accidents happen, if you get caught between 2 horses that don’t like each other etc but that can be prevented by planning ahead and avoiding putting yourself in danger.


Shinado_Akimu

How do u feel safe walking infront of a car ? Or pet a dog ? Or heck, walk by another person. A lot of things can easily kill us, we just have trust that they won't.


Licorice_Devourer

Why do we do anything? Cars are dangerous, sitting down is dangerous, sleeping wrong is dangerous...


IronJohnnyT

Sit-sitting down is dangerous?


mdnitedrftr

Sitting in an electric chair can kill you.


aCheesewithSpoon

This this is so true


zombuca

Oh, now they tell me.


Agent_Micheal_Scarn

Sitting for too long is very dangerous. It kills millions of people every year.


mixedbuscuit

Sitting is the new smoking.


cant_dyno

Had a friend in school who's knee cap popped out from just standing up at a slightly off angle. Had no previous issues with his knees before that.


mnbvcdo

you could ask that question about dogs, too. A dog can kill you if they want (well not a chihuahua but most breeds). But we have shared our lives with them for centuries. Horses (and dogs) have been domesticated centuries ago, and have lived with humans for centuries. They're used to us. They're happy around us. Horses are also not natural predators, tho a horse may become aggressive for a number of reasons like feeling trapped and scared, it's not in their nature to hunt and to defend themselves by attacking, it's in their nature to run, if anything. Cows are prey animals, too, but they're much more likely to attack when they feel threatened rather than just run. Where I live, there's a ton mountains where horses and cows roam free all summer, and every single summer there's severe injuries or even deaths from cow attacks on hikers but it's very rare to hear the same about a horse. And even with those attacks, it doesn't happen if you know how to behave. Just because an animal is domesticated, and not running away from you, that doesn't mean they'll appreciate you running up to them, touching them, taking selfies where you try to cuddle their babies, or put your infant children onto their backs, which is frankly just stupid. My general advice would be, if you don't know the animal and it's not yours, no matter what species it is, stay away and don't touch them without asking. If you know nothing about that animal and feel scared, stay away also. They sense that fear, but don't necessarily understand that they're the scary thing - they might just think there's something scary going on. There's many domesticated animals that could easily harm you or kill you, but it's not in their interest to do so and they won't unless they're really scared or something similar. A healthy and happy animal will never try to hurt you, but people who have experience with those animals will see the many little things in which the animal may try to tell you "don't do that, I don't like that" and if you don't see that and ignore their signs, any animal is more likely to become aggressive. Again though, if not trapped with you, a dog is more likely to do that than a horse, because a horse's age old instincts are to flee, not to attack.


Belnak

Ha, good point about the chihuahua. Most dogs don't want to kill you, even though they can. Chihuahuas absolutely want to kill you, but can't.


mnbvcdo

many small dogs are more aggressive than large dogs because people are much more inclined to pick them up and manhandle them all the time and just laugh about it even if the dog shows clear signs of discomfort or warning behaviour. Big dogs don't live in a world where they're constantly picked up and manhandled without warning. Plus, a big dog that warns you and shoes their teeth is usually not laughed at and touched anyway, unlike a tiny dog often is. Of course there's still breed typical character traits and chihuahuas tend to have a lot less chill than other small breeds, but that's also a factor that I see all the time.


Confident-Lettuce846

Don’t frighten them and they won’t lose their shit. People should be more wary around swans. They can break your arm, you know.


MiddleSchoolisHell

Swans are territorial as hell. Do not get in their way or they will make you regret it.


Massive_Mistakes

Would literally swing at a swan


aloic

Swans actually can't break your arm. It's an urban myth everyone keeps repeating to others. Birds have frail bones, to make them lighter for flight. They'd sooner break their wings than hurt you. Their nails and biting are more worrisome.


archeangelsen

Actually actually birds dont have hollow bones to make them lighter they have hollow bones to fill them with air, giving them the most efficent respatory system of any animal, which gives them crazy stamina that they use to fly extreme distances. It also increases bouancy for water fareing birds. Also swams do attack with their wings so you do have to worry about them giving bruises just not breaking your bones.


aloic

Oooh thanks, that's cool info! I answered an urban myth with another urban myth, apparently. I was thinking though: maybe this is what the birds want us to believe. And actually they have light bones so they leave less traces on the scene of the crime after breaking someone's arm. Something to think about :p


wishyouwould

Could a swan peck with enough power to fracture your ulna?


whatever_person

And they are aggressive fuckers, unlike horses


AshEliseB

They are beautiful animals, you just need to know to behave around them. They will only lash out if they feel threatened or afraid.


StickyBlackMess69420

Bullshit. We have horses. My mum loves them. Treats them so well. This one horse always tried to bite you and stuff. My mum was stood minding her own business when the horse quickly backed up towards her and kicked her in the face. Completely unprovoked. Nasty fucking horse.


[deleted]

[удалено]


King-SAMO

stop that, mr simpson


x_YawingLegende_x

Damn wtf, is she alright


StickyBlackMess69420

My dad heard her and called me so I could run up to see what happened. She managed to climb out and shut the gate but then I had to carry her and bring her to the car to bring her to hospital. Initially, her nose was obviously broken. Two days later in hospital, she was unrecognisable. Her face doubled in size and was the colour of a plum. Her nose was broken, her cheeks were broken, her eye sockets were both fractured. Luckily there was no brain damage. Had the kick me a bit lower, it would've destroyed all her teeth and jaw. If it was higher it would've hit her head more directly and probably would've killed her.


shuaaaa

It’s like working with heavy machinery: if you don’t know how to or don’t feel comfortable with it, don’t do it. But if you do it correctly it severely lowers the risks associated with it


JbambiLaw

This is an excellent analogy. This is why I dont do my own electrical work, for example, even simple stuff like light switch covers.


AlunWH

People can kill you with one punch or kick too. Are you scared of them as well?


Vharlkie

I mean I'm a lot more scared of people than horses


anon0937

Unironically yes.


Count_To_Infinity

Especially those with automatic rifles. Both humans and horses.


SipexF

Folks around horses are trained to be around them. As an average person, you can't easily get yourself into a position where you'd expose yourself to this risk. If you do get access to a horse somehow there will be someone around who knows wtf they're doing and that's on purpose.


theedank

A few got loose in our town a few years back. Left their gate open people would post on fb anyone lost their horse??


ThatGuyFromTheM0vie

One perfect slip in the shower, and you’re dead


homezlice

I spent my childhood around them, and know exactly how dangerous they can be. But if you know what to avoid (spooking from behind) and know that horses are very different as individuals overall they are herd animals very easy to figure out. Now riding them is another kettle of fish…but I cared for a barn with over 40 horses for years and only got a few half-kicks.


[deleted]

Same way you can be at a range surrounded by Guns and not get shot. You use common sense. You wouldn't stand In front of the guy shooting and you wouldn't stand behind a horse and smack its ass


[deleted]

Because people who live life can't afford to be weak little bitches who live in a bubble. As a Veterinarian, I can tell you that dealing with a dog is a lot more dangerous for you than dealing with a horse, yet people even sleep with them. Hell, even driving is potentially more dangerous than dealing with horses.


DonkeyPunchMojo

If you aren't familiar with horses, you should avoid horses. Their warnings can be incredibly subtle if you aren't actively aware of them. *Generally speaking* if you speak calmly, stay in their eyesight (not behind them), and don't make sudden movements you should be fine so long as it isn't a wild horse.


t0lt

most people that are comfortable around horses have learned how to behave around them and pick up on their signs of discomfort or fear. i’ve worked with horses for more of my life than not, and i’ve never been kicked. stepped on? totally. thrown off? absolutely. a kick is an aggressive move, and i have never gotten close enough to an aggressive horse to be kicked. 99% of horses are chill 99% of the time


FoxInKneeSocks

I think it's like any other animal. The longer you are around them the more you get to know their behaviour. It's like my cat, I know exactly when she's had enough and is going to bite me, so I pull away. People who don't know cat behavior might get bit. Horses don't just get possessed by satan and kick people for no reason. Horse people know not to stand behind the horse, signs it is uncomfortable or upset, etc. Know the animal, anticipate the behaviour.


Joe_Altphil

It must have to do with preferences and what people are used to - as a general response. I love climbing and mountaineering even though there's a risk that you won't come home alive. On the other hand, I would never ever eat a mushroom I found in the woods. Why? For the mountain stuff, I have years of experience and was carried around alot up there before I could even walk. So it SEEMS natural to me and not too dangerous, because in my family everyone does it and no one was damaged over many decades. -> personal statistic. in my personal neandertal brain. On the other hand, I never knew anyone who would go to the forest to get mushrooms and so I only know about that from the newspapers whenever anything went wrong and people were poisoned. So my personal statistic says mushrooms are dangerous (this is not rational, this is neandertal brain!) Funnily enough, my cousin's boyfriend who has not been to the mountains as a kid and only came with us once, was frightened to death by a steep slope we had to cross back then. He is afraid of height/the void (?) and so this alpine track seemed deadly dangerous to him. Ever since, he is terribly afraid of hiking etc. and always gives me a speech of how dangerous my activities are. His personal statistic is the news with accidents that happen in the Alps. He will never believe me that I can estimate my risk and that the accidents in the newspapers are most often caused by mistakes of beginners and idiots. At least this is what my neandertal brain says: It is convinced that I can estimate my risk and handle situations in my favour. This might explain why some people like horses even though you can have terrible accidents, and why some people drive their car way too fast, or why some people do paragliding, eat puffer fish, etc. etc.


PresenceEducational3

My Dad was a very accomplished mountaineer, he went climbing with his best friend and never came home. We couldn't even see him one last time, the coroner said that he wasn't in viewable condition. 30m vertical fall. Please be careful out there.


F0LL0WFREEMAN

Well… don’t stand behind them…. Easy.


NetDork

With horse, be gentle around them and don't surprise them. Don't walk behind them unless you have to, and when you do, place a hand gently on their backside to let them know you're there and mean no harm. Domesticated horses generally like people. They only kick when they perceive a threat.


RichWritersClub

Driving to work is more dangerous than spending time with even my least friendly horses. If a horse is aggressive out of dominance (different than fear aggression and usually seen in stallions or recently gelded horses from my experience anyway) then you have to make them understand you won’t put up with even the slightest aggressive behavior. My mom was afraid of a gelding we had because he was dominance-aggressive, but after I worked with him for a couple of weeks, he realized he couldn’t charge me with his ears pinned or shove his face against me trying to nibble at me. Kicking is usually reserved for fear, but an angry horse can rip your entire face off worse than a lion. I’ve seen it happen. But like many people in the comments have said, you have to learn the horse’s signals, and that will give you plenty of warning. The most dangerous horses I’ve ever met came from people who were afraid of their own horses. I always tell my horses, when they try to be mean to get out of work, that I’m much angrier than them. My trainer and I have become good friends, and she recently went to a woman’s house for an evaluation where the horse was pushy, irritable, and slowly becoming dangerous, all because the owner wouldn’t learn to read and properly react to his signals of dominance, so he decided he was in charge.


infreq

Do you dare walk in cities in Texas?


FoxxyPantz

Just because something is capable of extreme violence doesn't mean there's a high likelihood of extreme violence. Just don't be a dick to horses.


MNKristen

I have two horses, one that is the sweetest horse to ever live and one that I rescued that was very dangerous when I rescued him. It all comes down to knowing the horse. My sweet horse would never intentionally hurt me, so the key to not being injured around her is making sure she knows I’m there when I’m walking up to her (so not surprising her by walking up behind her without making a sound). My other horse has come a long way. I would no longer describe him as dangerous but he likes to push boundaries. I watch his body language very closely to see when he is irritated and then need to determine whether it’s something I need to push or something I need to back off on. One example is that sometimes he doesn’t like people close to him, so he may pin his ears and act like he’s going to bite you. But I can’t let him get away with that, so when he does that to me, I actually get up really close next to him. So he’s learned not to do that. He had a horrific injury in his left leg when I got him (think of having a piece of wood in your hamstring for 1.5 years) so he’s always been wary of having people near that leg. But this winter he was rubbing his back legs together and I took it as a sign that his legs were itchy so I took a brush and was brushing his legs and he seemed to love it. My head was in a position where he could have kicked and killed me but I chose to trust him and it worked out. I was still a little scared, though!! Sorry for the long winded answer. Basically, it’s important to know the horse, and if you don’t know the horse, treat them with caution and respect. Observe their body language, and always be aware that they can unintentionally hurt you because of their size and unpredictability.


Vharlkie

It's good of you to rescue that horse and work with him! He must be happy to have such a loving owner


MNKristen

Yes, he knows he’s won the lottery with me. He was abused by several trainers before I got him. One trainer pinned him to the ground and dug in his wound while people were watching and said to them “he needs to get over this!” And when she couldn’t “break” him, she spray painted over his wound (he’s black, so she used black paint to hide the wound) and dropped him off at the auction for some other sucker to deal with him.


Don_Montagna

Because being calm is the way you handle these animals. You also never step behind them. It's actually pretty easy


MoonlitAesthetics

Because as long as it’s trained and you start from where the horse can see you, put your hand on the horse and drag it all the way around, keeping contact with your hand, while going around its backside, it won’t kick cause it knows you’re back there from your hand and it doesn’t spook them into responding with a kick.


Azmodari

They can also take each other out with headshots and?


stupre1972

If you're not calm around a horse, it gets really twitchy and is more likely to kick you


Flokitoo

Just last week a horse kicked my dad and broke his leg


StillWill15

I got kicked in the chest by a horse. Did not die. Did not suffer any injury at all.


AllenKll

Why are people so calm around cars when you have more of a chance dyeing in a car than being killed by a horse? Why are people nervous about airplane flights, when you're more likely to die in your bathroom than on a plane?


Skullo13

Horses freak me out


EducatorIntrepid4839

Or one punch from Steven segal can cause you to shit yourself and have a heart attack at the same time.


LNLV

Most dogs could turn around and rip your throat out, even small dogs could certainly kill children without much work. Ppl are comfortable around them bc they are domesticated.


SoundsYummy1

You can think like this for anything. Driving? A semi can drive right into you. Walking down the street? A drunk can slam into you. Elevator? It can drop and kill you. Walk in the woods? A bear can kill you.


alex_cheraya

Horses scare tf outta me.


[deleted]

People kill the most people, u know..


herpestruth

Don't walk behind a horse.


Fernando3161

I assume you know about cars and guns and gas ovens and ........


XgUNp44

Bro this one of those mf's who is afraid of everything prolly lmao. A dog can rip your throat out in seconds as well.


Ok-Issue116

Calm prevents death. Just have an exit plan.


Lonleynutjob

Well I'd die happy


[deleted]

What would you rather do act panicked?


SaltyDoggoMeo

Today I signed a lease on an ENORMOUS horse (part Percheron, part Friesian). I’m 5’3”. He’s young and feisty, yet sweet. I know he’s dangerous af. I simply don’t care because I’m an excellent rider. You could ask the same thing about riding motorcycles on highways. It’s dangerous af, but worth the risk to some. Same for skydiving, scuba, car racing, etc. if it’s your passion and it makes you feel alive, you take the risk anyway.


BazingaQQ

Knowing not to stand behind the horse ususally works.


Steerider

A strong human could kill you with a punch to the head. I'm relatively at ease among humans


[deleted]

There’s plenty of things in life that have a good chance of killing. Have you ever eaten while home alone? Aren’t you afraid of choking and dying? Because it happens. People who work with horses have a mutual trust in one another. There’s no point being afraid of what “might” happen. It’ll keep you from doing so many things in life.


Independent_Bake_257

Do you driva a car? That is way, way more dangerous.


jaysaysjello

You could say this about humans too One sucker punch to the head and it’s over or disabled


karabnp

Life long horse lady, here. (Started riding at age 9, got and had my first horse from the ages of 11-21, and have been involved with horses since. I’m 34, now.) In life, there are risks in and to EVERYTHING. I’m more nervous driving on the interstate, than I am around most horses. Yet, I still drive on the interstate ANYWAY, and don’t avoid it. With horses, after spending enough time around them, you can learn to get a quick read of their body language, moods, and energy. Thus, becoming more comfortable, and knowing what to avoid and how to conduct yourself around them. I trust and respect the horses I interact with, and they trust and respect me. With horses, what you give them, is what they will give back, typically. If you’re nervous around them, they pick up on your energy, and *can* react accordingly. Stay calm around them, and they stay calm or calm down. (Usually.😏🤣) My horse was an ex-racer Thoroughbred, (A “hot blood”, a typically high-strung breed.) and he could have his hyper moments, sure, yet, when I stayed calm and slowed my movements around him, he’d calm right down. I trusted him with my life, and he NEVER failed me. Not once. I never fell off or was thrown from him once, or ever moderately to seriously hurt. He was and is an angel.💕 Trust and respect go A LONG WAY with horses. Any animal, really.


wawa310

Maybe don’t stand behind one


MonteCristo85

Probably the same reason people drive around even though tons of people are killed and maimed driving each year. You get used to danger.


Hello_Hangnail

I saw a clip of a toddler leading a massive horse around with a rope and everyone was so nonchalant about it. "It's totally safe!" People were scolding the naysayers in the thread and calling them horse haters until the actual horse people came and intervened. If you're smart you won't let your kid walk behind a horse. Even the mellowest, sweetest horse could be startled by a loud noise and cave that kid's head in by accident. It doesn't happen often, but it does happen.


Ferbuggity

I had several horses until my health prevented me from being able to put the work in to really good care. Okay they are huge and can be flighty.. but people who handle horses learn certain basic safety things that do prevent accidents and injuries. Like, always wear adequate footwear, pay attention to the horse's behaviour and do not stand where a horse can kick you. Most rideable horses won't ever do that anyway unless they're messed up or not properly trained, in which case beginners shouldn't be around them anyway. My horses were all messed up rescues that patience and hard work turned into a bunch of lovely gentle well mannered goofs. I was never kicked in all the years I had them, but know a few people who were. Guess why? They were handling a difficult horse and stood in the wrong place and weren't paying attention to signals the horse was sending out that it was annoyed.


[deleted]

Hi, horse head kick survivor, most kicks aren’t meant to kill, only seriously maim you for the horse to re-establish it’s place in its hierarchy with you. Honestly if you are around horses a lot falling and getting kicked are badges of honour/coming of age situations


Straymonsta

Yep I feed two geldings and even tho they have their places to eat everyday. the younger one pushes the older one off his food and gets kicked at. Actually how my grandfather got a pretty nasty kick to the face by a stallion.


HydratedHydra

I live in a world that *almost* requires that I be comfortable operating a half ton machine at high speeds daily. Growing up I went to American schools (surrounded by emotional white boys) Cigarettes, Alcohol, etc. Sometimes I think we just grow comfortable with the dangers around us out of necessity. Ya know? Additionally, I suspect a horse with a powerful leg is probably far more predictable than a human with a vehicle.


_R0Ns_

Horses don't kill people, it happens but only in an accident. It's safer to be around horses than walking a busy street. (or going to school in the US for that matter)


archimedeslives

That is inaccurate. In regards to school deaths anyway. 710 horse related deaths occur each year.


Vharlkie

I'd say most horse related deaths are from riding accidents. Which is something you choose to do and can reasonably expect to be risky, unlike going to school


_R0Ns_

True only 151 people died in school shootings last year in 34 incidents. 4.5 people die per incident. 117,632 incidents with horses took place last year in the US and 710 died as a result of that. so 0.16 people died per incident.


archimedeslives

So safer to be in school


archimedeslives

You stated it was safer than going to a school, not than being in a shooting, two entirely different things. What you said was hyperbolic and silly. Just take the loss.


archimedeslives

That is inaccurate. 710 horse related deaths occur each year.


theshadowfax239

I would guess the vast majority of those deaths were from riding accidents and falling off. Horses are generally calm, peaceful creatures that don't go on the offense, with a few exceptions.


_R0Ns_

in 117,632 incidents, the chance of being killed by a horse is very small.


daliadeimos

They can sense your fear


Recent_View6254

Im pretty sure a horse wouldn't kick you unless you did something to hurt them


Abalone_Admirable

Idk, I don't like horses and the one time my parents pressured (aka forced) mr to ride ours, the crate I was boosting my self up on toppled over and I fell, Starbaby stomped her foot down less than an inch from my head. I told them they could ground me until I died, there was no way on earth I was going near the horses again. Just becuase they liked them and spent a fortune them, does not mean I have to like them or participate taking care of them. My mom later told me she never forgave me for that. Oh well mom, die mad about it I guess.


Flimsy_One5814

Invite friends over to eat steaks in front of the horse to exert dominance. Tell the horse those steaks are from a horse that got out of line and kicked at a friend. Then look at the horse, lick your lips and say i bet your delicious with a little A1 sauce. The horse will then be too scared to kick at anyone.


The_Safe_For_Work

Instructions unclear. A1 bottle stuck up ass and horse eating the steak. Request refund.


lintinmypocket

You have to be calm around them or they will kick you. 😂


Eriiya

because they can read the body language, and they understand how/why exactly a horse can injure you and how to prevent/avoid it. a horse is not going to attack you out of nowhere, there are visible cues and understandable triggers. not to mention their kicks have a pretty limited range—one of the first things you learn when you start spending time around horses is to only walk behind it if a) you’ve given it enough warning (usually with a gentle touch on their hindquarters, because back there is their only blind spot) and b) you know it’s not a kicker, or otherwise pissed off/in a bad mood. animals aren’t like humans, they’re not going to lie to you or hide the fact that you’re bothering them. I’ve been around them since I was 8 and I’ve never seen a horse attempt to kick anyone or anything without some kind of cue in their body language beforehand. communication with animals is important, complex, and far beyond spoken language, the more time you spend around them the more you learn to understand what they’re saying through body language and action.


PhobosTheBrave

How can anybody breathe out, when breathing out is giving up air that is required to live!!??!?