# Question about horses **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 20, 2018, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-horses/821633 "2018-09-20T14:16:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2018, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-horses/821633/21 "2018-09-21T02:20:47Z")
I have bitten by a horse. It hurts like hell. We were riding in a trail ride and as me and my horse passed another rider his horse turned his head and bit my thigh. It was a horrible bruise for a long time. I never rode so close to people and horses I didn’t know after that. Learned my lesson. ---
**Author:** ![senoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@senoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/senoy)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2018, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-horses/821633/22 "2018-09-21T12:36:15Z")
> [@blob](#): > > Previously, visitors could walk around the stables and go past all the stalls (now they are all blocked off, and the public can’t go in there, only the entrants). We were going along patting the horses (yes, seriously, you could pat strange horses back then). You still can here. Our fairs are almost always open stall. We don’t tend to have many horse exhibitors though. Mostly cows and pigs and sheep. A few goats. Occasionally a horse or two. Kids tend to bring chickens and rabbits. You get to pet them all if you’re so inclined. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2018, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-horses/821633/23 "2018-09-21T12:57:27Z")
> [@blob](#): > > oh yes, the OP had remarked that what he’d seen didn’t seem to break the skin. You might not expect it to, you’d end up with a huge haematoma from the clamping of the flat teeth rather than torn skin like you would with a different “critter” with “tearing type” teeth. > > The story about the little kid getting grabbed and lifted reminded me of a time when I went to the Royal Agricultural Show here. Previously, visitors could walk around the stables and go past all the stalls (now they are all blocked off, and the public can’t go in there, only the entrants). We were going along patting the horses (yes, seriously, you could pat strange horses back then). I patted one and said “see you later, on to the next” and after I’d turned I got grabbed by my jumper (sweater) and pulled back. The horse didn’t want me going on to any other horse, apparently… It gave me a shock at the time. > > I don’t touch ANY animal I don’t know, unless the owner is there and gives permission. I’m an “animal person” and a “dog person” and I won’t even pet a strange chihuahua unless invited. Many animals don’t like being manhandled by strangers, even by “nice” ones who know what they are doing. “leave them be” is my motto. I’ll just talk to them from a distance and keep my mitts off. Thank you. Most people think of all animals as public property for their own pleasurable handling fun. I hate that and so do many animals. I feel that if you touch someone else’s animal and get hurt it is your own damn fault. The world is not your petting zoo. I give all animals the dignity of their own personal space unless invited – by the animal – to do otherwise. One may be surprised, if paying attention, how little that invitation is extended. Many people, especially with dogs, feel an intense personal investment in forcing strange dogs to be friendly. Why the fuck? I own a dog who will bite someone if they try that, and on occasion I have had to literally interpose my own body between them to make them stop, so I am particularly touchy about the subject. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2018, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-horses/821633/24 "2018-09-21T13:00:09Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I have bitten by a horse. It hurts like hell. We were riding in a trail ride and as me and my horse passed another rider his horse turned his head and bit my thigh. It was a horrible bruise for a long time. I never rode so close to people and horses I didn’t know after that. Learned my lesson. By the way, the rule of thumb on trail rides is a horse length apart at all times. Often honored in the breach, but people and horses get hurt all the time by ignoring that rule. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2018, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-horses/821633/25 "2018-09-21T13:00:49Z")
My experience with random neighbor’s horses as a kid was that if you grabbed a bunch of fresh, green grass just on your side of the fence (where they couldn’t reach it) and held it out, they’d come over and eat it of your hand. They’d accept strokes to the head, etc. But sometimes there’d be a less-than-friendly horse. A cousin had a Shetland pony that would try to bite you when you got on. So that one you had to be careful with. ---
**Author:** ![blob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blob/32/489_2.png) [@blob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blob)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2018, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-horses/821633/26 "2018-09-21T13:54:44Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > A cousin had a Shetland pony that would try to bite you when you got on. So that one you had to be careful with. Shetland ponies have a reputation for being cranky. I don’t know whether it’s warranted, I haven’t met that many to know, but that’s what you hear about them. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2018, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-horses/821633/27 "2018-09-21T14:04:19Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > In trying to answer this question, I came up with one of my own, which I hope you don’t mind if I add here. Do horses have to close their teeth all the way down before they can release? I think a vet told me that. This is a myth that goes along with the myth that certain breeds of dogs have locking jaws. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2018, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-horses/821633/28 "2018-09-21T14:31:55Z")
Jared Diamond mentioned that the reason zebras were never domesticated like horses was that they have a wicked bite. There apparently are a lot of Africans with serious injuries from zebras. Don’t mess with wild animals - they are called wild for a reason and are not comfortable around humans. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2018, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-horses/821633/29 "2018-09-21T21:56:48Z")
The wild ones around here tend to kick, stomp, too. Good way to get effed-up. Almost lost a Dachshund that way. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2018, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-horses/821633/30 "2018-09-21T22:11:15Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > By the way, the rule of thumb on trail rides is a horse length apart at all times. Often honored in the breach, but people and horses get hurt all the time by ignoring that rule. I was a kid, I learned. I also kept my horses head when others were passing me after that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-horses/821633.md?page=1)