Hot-blooded breeds like the thoroughbred can be equally dangerous. Horses are defenseless animals. That being the case, what is the most dangerous horse breed in the world?
Far from a particular species, any guarding horse is considered wild. Note that they are prey animals. Any horse can be dangerous.
However, some horses manifest violent and aggressive behavior, which may be attributed to temperament, training, or instinct. It’s important to note that wild and feral horses are especially dangerous.
An adult horse weighs between 900 to 2,000 lbs, enough for a knockout. Before that scares you, their legs are powerful enough to kick hard. Of course, they will stop playing the cute pets and defend themselves. In addition, a horse can bite!
Be cautious of horses; any can be dangerous. However, some tend to attack more. Thus, to answer your question on the most dangerous horses, this article gives you an insight on how your horse can hurt you and the horse breeds to avoid.
Ways a Horse Can Hurt You
Some horses have never hurt their owners. Thus, there is no need to get afraid of them! However, you should be aware and understand the behaviors of the giants before working with them. That will save you a great deal.
The same way you take care of your kids and understand them, do it for your horse. It’s a simple way of minimizing injury risks. Most of the people injured by horses either needed minor treatment or advice. Here are common ways your horse could hurt you while working or riding:
Stepping On You
A horse is a heavy beast, and if one steps on you, it can be pretty painful. It’s common for a horse to accidentally crunch your toe if you aren’t fast enough to pave the way. That also applies to handlers with experience. A horse stepping on you can cause fractures, abrasions, and bruises. Your finger might fall victim, while you are cleaning the hooves. However, that is on rare occasions.
You can also fall off a horse, and your horse accidentally steps on your finger or the whole hand. But most of the time, horses do their best to avoid hurting you.
Strikes and Kicks
Horses have powerful legs, and you can’t compare them with zebra’s or donkeys. They can strike with either the front or rear hooves. Sometimes a horse can throw a kick accidentally. For instance, a fly might annoy the horse, and you happen to be passing when it kicks.
Another potential occasion is while riding with other horses. The other horse might kick you if you get too close while mounting. Therefore, you should observe a safe distance when group riding.
Falls
Most injury cases are due to falls while riding a horse. When you fall, every part of your body is at risk of getting an injury. Most injuries by riders during falls are collar bones, wrists, and arms that strain or break.
This information is not meant to scare you. Falling doesn’t mean the horse is aggressive or you are that bad at riding. The first time dealing with such a beast isn’t a pleasant experience. Nevertheless, the horse can get hurt too!
Unfortunately, if a horse steps or falls on you, it can cause severe injuries. The fatal one is a head injury, which has claimed most of the riders’ lives. But to prevent such kinds of cases, one is taught how to fall safely.
Additionally, a helmet also can prevent head injuries. It’s not a 100% guarantee that you are safe. However, the study states that wearing helmets minimizes injury risk in the traumatic brain.
Bites
Biting is a common defense tactic in kids, and horses do the same too. An irritated or impatient horse bites to express that. That sounds disrespectful and sneaky.
So you like feeding your horse on your palms? A horse can bite your arms, if not your fingers while giving a treat. The bite can be so hard to break your fingers, hence severe cuts and bruises. However, don’t let this stop your sweet relationship with your horses. Not all of them are that aggressive.
Knock Overs
A horse knocking you over is possible and expected, especially when leading your horse, tying, or loosening. That’s why you must understand how your horse behaves and thinks. As such, you will know what your horse wants to do next.
If you can predict your horse well enough, chances of getting knocked over will be minimal. Knock-overs from such a heavy beast can be fatal. It may lead to broken teeth and bones, bruises, and sprains.
Sprains and Strains
In your first ride, be sure to wake up for a sprain and strain breakfast. You also get sore muscles in the upper thigh and at the back. Additionally, you experience exhaustion after many hours of riding. That’s for first-time riders, but you will surely get used to it.
It might be a poor riding position for the backaches, or you are not good at fitting a saddle. The shoulders can get tight too. Fortunately, if you invest in learning horse riding, forget about any more sprains and strains.
Getting Dragged
You have probably seen in the movies a horse dragging someone from the ground. Far from films, maybe you have heard, or you are one of those pulled by a horse.
Yes, it’s expected. Even the most miniature ponies can drag a heavy person, which happens if you miss a foot and may lead to muscle abrasions and strains.
Worse still, a horse can kick you while still hanging on the tuck, leading to severe injuries. However, you can avoid getting dragged if you lead your horse well. Also, use proper footwear and safety stirrups for more protection.
Wild Horse Breeds Can Be Dangerous
Your domesticated horse might not be the only horse you will encounter. There are various wild horses out there. Most people consider feral horse breeds to be wild horses.
It’s difficult to predict a feral horse as you can do for your horse. That makes the horses dangerous, and you need to avoid approaching them. As such, it’s easier if you know what to avoid personally.
1. Przewalski’s Horse
Przewalski’s is the only breed that is considered wild. The Mongolians call them Takhi, and it’s the last wild horse standing today.
This breed is few, and they may slowly vanish like the dinosaurs. However, its conservation is paying off. In 2021, it is estimated about 1900 of them are still roaming in the reserves and zoos.
Przewalski’s are typical among the Mongolians but aren’t for shows or riding. The reason is probably due to the Mongolian belief that the Takhi is a holy beast. But that can be possible since it’s too wild to allow pleasure.
2. Mustang
The Mustang is familiar in the western parts of the United States. Their ancestors are the Iberian horses introduced by Spanish explorers. Since then, they have bred with the breeds we see today – Draft and Quarter horses.
When people wanted to sell Mustang horses, they broke them after capture. But today, the US has set laws that prohibit people from interacting with them. The rules forbid any touching, harassing, watering, and feeding.
Due to the wild nature of the Mustang horse, most US parks advise humans to keep a 100 feet distance. They no longer view humans as social beings anymore.
Mustangs are a significant threat to humans. Trespassing their territory can land you in huge trouble. There are cases where Mustang stallions attacked humans, thinking they were stealing their mares.
Besides hostility, Mustangs are a threat to the environment if left with no supervision. There are no predators after them. So they can overpopulate if humans don’t interfere.
3. Brumbies
This Australian breed came into being in the 18th century. Brumbies are invasive and therefore have freedom of wander in sparsely populated areas like Queensland and the northern parts of Australia.
Like Mustangs, people used Brumbies as mounts. But the US didn’t allow interactions with the Mustangs. For Australia, there were no such restrictions. Also, the Brumbies increased in number like the Mustangs with no human intervention.
How to Prevent Your Horse from Becoming Dangerous
Just make things conventional, and you will be far from calling your horse dangerous. You can achieve that by following these ways:
Prove You’re the Boss
Ensure your horse knows who the leader is. You also have boundaries with your boss; it makes no difference with a horse. Please don’t allow your horse to misbehave for extended periods, reward impressive body language and behavior, and when handling them, set some boundaries. It’s just like the child discipline thing!
Observe Consistency
Now you have shown your horse that you have set some boundaries. Ensure you are consistent in maintaining them. Not that we don’t make mistakes, there is a chance the rules might not be perfect. However, reinforce them regularly. That will certainly work!
Besides reassurance for a responsible leader, following the rules regularly will build trust.
Build Trust
Don’t rely on consistency to build trust. Make it known to your horse that it is safe with you. It sounds silly for the horse to believe that. So how can you prove you are trustworthy? Introduce your horse to new things like the grooming and riding tools but check on anxiety level.
If you own a horse, then you know what triggers it. You can identify that if it reacts more than usual to something. Repeat those procedures, but they shouldn’t be too scary. That will make your horse understand that it’s safer with you regardless of the circumstance.
Stand as the Cheerleader
Speaking of becoming the boss, don’t be much of a dictator. You also can’t appreciate a dictator. Horses want you to believe they can do what is expected without demanding it.
Final Thoughts
A horse can be dangerous in various ways, mainly depending on how you treat them or the circumstances. For instance, wild, feral horses are not used to human interaction. As such, they may be aggressive if humans get too close to them.
You risk injury or even death, and thus you need always to keep a safe distance.
The horse’s behavior, anger, and performance also determine its danger levels. However, any horse breed can be dangerous.
