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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
This is a myth that goes along with the myth that certain breeds of dogs have locking jaws.
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.
The wild ones around here tend to kick, stomp, too. Good way to get effed-up. Almost lost a Dachshund that way.
I was a kid, I learned. I also kept my horses head when others were passing me after that.