why do horses attack people

[vikkiliz]

what reasons do horses attack people for no reason

[stumped]

This is very rare - horses are flight animals and they will always run away if they can, rather than fight. However, a horse who attacks people will probably have been treated very badly in the past - horses remember pain for up to ten years.

[stumped]

PS there are courses you can send your horse on to help! Try looking up the Kelly Marks training scheme or the Pirelli Natural Horsemanship course. They will work with your horse to find out what the problem is and maybe put it right.

[New Forester]

Horses do not attack people for no reason. Very occasionally, they may nip, kick or worse -- but not for no reason. (Incidentally, if a horse really did decide to attack properly, you would be lucky to survive at all -- they are very large and very powerful indeed). Generally they are not really attacking, but warning you. If this is your own horse, the advice from Stumped is good. If this is someone else's horse, there could be many different reasons. For example, the horse may have been ill-treated, and is taking this out on any human it can find. Luckily this is very rare indeed. More common is a horse who is not aggressive, but is "pushy". It has been fed too many polos or other treats, and has learnt to fuss visitors until they produce the goods. If they don't, the horse is disappointed and may nip. This is a bigger problem with small and unconfident people (such as children) -- the horse immediately sees who is boss. Stamping your feet slightly as you walk seems to help here. It is this which is the reason for the bylaws here in the New Forest preventing the public feeding the animals.

[New Forester]

(continued) Another possibility is that you have invaded the horse's personal space -- perhaps by going into its stable, or more commonly by walking behind it unexpectedly -- perhaps with something unfamiliar such as a bicycle or flapping clothing. Horses may take exception to this, and will defend themselves with a kick. Usually they will warn you first with a feint -- a little bucking movement while looking over their shoulder at you. (I get kicked like this about once a year, by our own very well-behaved horses, usually when I'm not concentrating). It helps to learn the signals. Watch the horse's ears and talk quietly and confidently to them. Do not back away from a pushy horse, but hold your ground and behave as if you are boss. As with dogs, never approach a horse carelessly if you don't know it well. It is of course the height of rudeness and foolishness to feed anyone else's animal anything at all without asking first. PS -- Stumped: "... remember pain for up to ten years"...? I'm sure they remember most things for as long as they live.

[FP]

Another amazing answer from New Forester. You really are a fountain of knowledge. Well done.

[wickedtart]

Sometimes it is just down to a horse/pony trying it on, as i rode my friends pony for 5 years, she had it as a foal from her horse and on one occassion it charge one of our helpers, when it next tried the same thing to me, i just stood there and didnt give in to her. No more charging, however she has now gone out on loan and is being very neught ie rearing up, charging, kicking and biting, but this is all due to the new people not knowing how to deal with her, if only they stood up to her this would stop.