Whats a horses first instinct to do if its afraid?

Answer 1

Horses are ' flight or fight ' animals. Generally, their first instinct is flight, meaning they will more often choose to run than to stand and fight, HOWEVER, this can vary greatly, depending on many factors, including breed, gender, where they are raised, how much human interaction they receive, how they are treated, how much and what kind of training they receive and just basic individual personalities. Horses are much like people in that they each have a very unique personality. Some are born naturally more aggressive than others. Some are simply born more humble. Like people, their personalities are often shaped by many different factors. A horses breed is sometimes a indicator of its personality. For example, a Quarter Horse or a Morgan are generally valued for its laid back personality. An extreme example is the Gypsy Vanner. Gypsy Vanners absolutely MUST be gentle enough for even a small child to handle and ride or they cannot be registered as Gypsy Vanners. Aggression in that breed is absolutely not tolerated. Whereas, a Thoroughbred or a Standardbred may genetically be more "flighty" and spooky than some other breeds. A horses breeds can have a large influence on a horses behavior but since all horses have unique personalities, there is no 100% guarantee that a particular breed is better or calmer than another. Gender has a lot to do with a horses instincts. In the wild, stallions are protectors of the herd, therefore, stallions are much more prone to be more aggressive and fight than geldings or mares. In general, stallions are considered to be only for experienced handlers and riders. Even domesticated stallions, raised by humans all of his life can develop an aggressive personality. That's why there are laws in many states that prohibit stallions from being kept in a herd situation. Many states also have different laws on how a stallion must be kept contained, for instance, higher and more reinforced fences. Some stallions have given all stallions a bad wrap on being aggressive and in some case, downright mean or vicious. There are exceptions of course. Some stallions can be very docile and sweet and never exhibit any of what are considered to be 'standard' stallion behaviors. Mares are usually more docile than a stallion but that can vary and change as well. For instance, a mare may be more aggressive when she is in heat. Also, a mare who is typically very sweet and mild mannered may suddenly turn very protective and aggressive after giving birth and can sometimes be much more likely to 'fight', (nip, bite, turn their hindquarters to you and threaten to kick, etc.) in order to care for her baby. Geldings are generally considered to be the most even tempered and easy to get along with. So, even though the standard reaction of a horse is to run when they are afraid, ANY HORSE, whether stallion, gelding or mare, can turn aggressive, especially if they have been mistreated and no longer trust humans or if they find themselves ' backed into a corner ' and have no choice but to fight.