Horses are not predators. It is not in their nature to attack. However it is natural and instinctive for them to avoid or defend themselves against anything threatening. It is by being accidentally caught up in such a reaction that most humans are hurt by horses. Horses also learn behaviours to avoid anything they regard as a negative experience, such as being worked, which may cause harm to an unwary handler.
Many people are injured by horses when they are around them on the ground, rather than in the saddle. This can happen in a variety of ways.
Kicking
Horses kick at each other in play and dominance disputes, rarely intending much harm, but sometimes causing accidental damage. Kicking is doubly dangerous because captive horses often have steel shoes on their feet, increasing the force of any impact. People caught in the cross fire of an equine versus equine disagreement often receive kick injuries.
Horses also kick if startled by something approaching them suddenly from behind. In the wild this is most likely to be a stalking predator, and the horse’s best chance of escape is to lash out at the attacker to stun or dissuade it and flee. This is why it is so vital to let a horse know that you are coming, by speaking to them and approaching them where they can see you - from the front and slightly to the side.
Children are particularly at risk of serious or fatal injury from a horse kick, because they are at the right height to receive the full force of the kick in a most vulnerable place- the head. It goes without saying that children should be closely monitored around horses and encouraged to keep a safety-approved helmet on even when out of the saddle. Horses that are prone to kicking out are best kept unshod on their hind feet to minimize potential damage as much as possible.
Knocking People Over
People may be knocked down by a horse they were standing near taking off in a panic out in the fields. Most horses are careful of where they put their feet and will try to avoid standing on the soft body of a human knocked to the ground, but sometimes will tread on a prone person. In the yard some horses barge out of their boxes and may knock people to the ground when doing this. Horses will jump or swing their bodies about if startled, again, knocking down the unwary.
Standing around a field full of loose horses is not particularly safe, so take your horse out if you want to spend time with it. If one horse takes fright and runs, they are likely to all go, including the horse you are beside. Tying a horse up in and out of the stable when working with it minimizes the extent to which it can move suddenly and send people flying with its bulk. Horses that barge should ideally have a breast bar in their box to prevent this, and not be handled by anyone who does not know their tendency. A hard hat can protect you from a dangerous blow to the head if you worry about being knocked down.
Biting
Horses lack the sharp, pointed teeth of carnivorous animals like dogs, but their sheer size means that a nip or a bite can tear the skin and cause severe bruising. Horses that bite people have often learned that this gets them what they want, whether this is to be left alone, or a dropped treat. Horses that bite often have signs around their boxes warning this, but it is safest never to approach a horse in its box unless you are told it is safe, and avoid feeding tit-bits by hand frequently as this can cause nipping behaviour. The horse soon expects regular rewards and becomes frustrated if these are not offered.
Some horses bite when their girth is tightened. This can be an indication of their saddle causing discomfort, but other horses are just tender in this area or have been roughly girthed up and anticipate being pinched. Keep the horse tied at the head or have it held if it is known to do this and be gentle when tightening the girth. Do it gradually. Yanking it up hard to the tightest possible hole is never appreciated by any horse!
Crushing Injuries
A common human injury is a foot being trodden on. Horses are heavy and feet are vulnerable. Steel-toe-capped shoes are available but choose a good quality brand- poor quality makes can mean that the steel section is crushed onto the foot. Be aware of where you put your feet especially when you first getting used to working around horses.
Some horses deliberately use their bulk to press people against the wall of their boxes. This may only be a half hearted and soon dissuaded attempt to intimidate, but depending on the severity of the gesture it can harm. Only experienced people should deal with such a horse in the box, and only if others are around in case something goes wrong.
Aggressive Horses
Having stated that horses are not by nature aggressive animals, some horses can have a ‘mean streak’. Such horses may lunge and bite over their stable door and try to crush and kick those who enter their box. In the field they may charge people and kick at them or strike at them with their forelegs. Horses displaying this aggression may have been abused or overworked and learned attack as a form of defence, or simply learned to intimidate a nervous handler into leaving them alone and not riding them so successfully it became a habit.
These horses are rare. They can be retrained by experienced, calm, sensible individuals with a firm yet gentle hand, but should never be dealt with by novices.
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