NOCTRL Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 As someone with both horses and a dog, I can assure you that there are plenty of issues with horses - though rarely with "strangers". Most horses are kept privately or on rural agistment, not places where public is likely to be who aren't aware of how to handle and read their signals. That's not to say it doesn't happen... For example, I keep three horses in a paddock that backs on to a local tennis centre / kids playground. The fencing is good and there are signs to "keep out". A local playgroup had a play day at the park, there was one kid in particular who was running a riot, and whose mum was letting him. He ended up crawling under a strand on the boundary fence and began harassing my ponies. He ended up yanking on ones tail whilst standing behind it, and got booted in the chest. Kidlet got taken to hospital with whole chest black and blue but nothing more. (This all came from a work mate who was there...I wasn't!). I had the police come around and talk to me about it, and in the end nothing was done as whose fault was it? The kid useless mother who saw the day as a chance to sit down and relax and let her kid run riot. Naughty Kids / Naughty Dogs / Naughty Horses... they're all the same, and the fault all lays with the person who is meant to be teaching them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lavendergirl Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 first of all, would drop the PETA line in calling the companion animals, they are pets. Rant over. I think generally though, most people that get a horse don;t go in blindly like they might with a dog, the kid may have done riding lessons, or go and get them once they have the horse, do the whole pony club thing and generally learn how to behave around horses, whereas with dogs, as has already been said, you can have this interaction just from walking down the street or on a park - a horse is not generally going to come bursting up to you in a park, and then lunge and attack/ I also disagree with the comment about cats getting away with more too - if the owner is responsible, then the cats are either indoor only, or in enclosures, and not wandering around free, and they also are not likely to run up and attack. What has PETA got do do with this? Dogs and cats are companion animals, that is a fact. Horses, cows, sheep (just to name a few) are livestock. That is also a fact. Yep - and shouldn't be "farmed" as if they are livestock either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mags Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 I'm not a cat-hater despite the above I would just he happier if more were kept under control. Couldn't agree more and we have had indoor cats (access to an enclosure) for many years. Sick to death of some people letting their cats, especially entires, wander and cause others grief - know of many people that love cats and have their own indoor/enclosure cats that are less then impressed with cats that wander and cause behavioural issues in their indoor cats. All owners of pets/companion animals, call them what you will, regardless of species should keep them contained and stop them causing grief to others in their community and prevent them killing wildlife. Unfortunately more and more restrictions/legislative are being put on owners because of those doing the wrong thing without any effort on the part of govt (local/state) to enforce the laws that are currently in place. In our area wandering cats are an issue but so are wandering dogs. And imo cats that can't be handled, or have behavioural issues like inappropriate toileting tend to be PTS or dumped at the pound very quickly. Unfortunately cats seem even more disposable in our society than dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 (edited) I had a Horse euthansed because not only was his increasingly erratic behaviour beoming dangerous to people ( an out of the blue bucking leaping fit that caused muscles torn off a pelvis, damaged sacroilliac and a cracked pelvis and being winded) it was also becoming dangerous to the horse ( flat out galloping around the paddock, tripping doing a complete 360 sommersault at full speed, getting up and keeping going until exhausted). His behaviour became that unpredictable he could not be ridden. The vet believed he may have had a brain tumour Horses do not get off with it, but many are dunped in paddocks and left without appropriate care or feed and they die a lonely death, sometimes years later. For many euthanasia for bad or dangerous behaviour would have been a blessing. Edited November 1, 2011 by OSoSwift Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic.B Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Pig rooting, bucking and rearing up is not out of the ordinary for someone experienced with horses and this is no reason to pts IMO. Nor is kicking out or difficult to catch or lead etc. No different for dogs who have their own issues on lead, with other dogs etc. Get in an expert is my advice for both or either if you cant handle it yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverStar-Aura Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 I guess the main difference between dogs and horses (besides the obvious ;)) is that horses don't break out of their paddocks and rampage the streets looking for people to bite and terrorise. All of the incidents involving horses that I've come across are labelled 'accidents' and not 'attacks' and I've never once heard of a person/child being mauled to death by a horse. Cats running feral is another thing completely. I have 4 or 5 neighbourhood cats who use our front porch as a place to hang out and they piss all over the front doormat and terrorise my own cat. They're in and out of the drains and their owners have no care in the world -- "they're not hurting anyone and they're just doing as cats do". My own cat doesn't even leave our backyard because we took the time to train her. I don't need a cat run because she literally does not go past the fences or front gates. I've been very tempted to try and catch the ****ers and take them to the pound -- it's a much nicer option than Ratsak-ing them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crisovar Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 (edited) Pig rooting, bucking and rearing up is not out of the ordinary for someone experienced with horses and this is no reason to pts IMO. Nor is kicking out or difficult to catch or lead etc. No different for dogs who have their own issues on lead, with other dogs etc. Get in an expert is my advice for both or either if you cant handle it yourself. Some horses just like some dogs should not be saved. A quick end and a hole in the ground is the best option for many. 400kg of horse is not something to play with, even the experts agree. Edited November 1, 2011 by Crisovar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rozzie Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 I've been very tempted to try and catch the ****ers and take them to the pound -- it's a much nicer option than Ratsak-ing them! You aren't serious????????????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rastus_froggy Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Growing up on the farm we had 2 rules that we were taught from day dot, 1. Treat every gun as if it is loaded. 2. Treat every hosre as if it kicks - therefore never walk behind any horse. Same as with parents having to teach their kids how to behave around dogs they should teach their kids how to behave around livestock if they are going to be interacting with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic.B Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 (edited) Pig rooting, bucking and rearing up is not out of the ordinary for someone experienced with horses and this is no reason to pts IMO. Nor is kicking out or difficult to catch or lead etc. No different for dogs who have their own issues on lead, with other dogs etc. Get in an expert is my advice for both or either if you cant handle it yourself. Some horses just like some dogs should not be saved. A quick end and a hole in the ground is the best option for many. 400kg of horse is not something to play with, even the experts agree. I agree. I would not like to see a very dangerous horse out and about. When I got my first horse as a kid, we decided to use the former owners vet to have her teeth done. He put a twitch on both her ears top and lower lip and asked my Mum to hold her. She reared up and stuck out at the vet though hit Mum. The Vet stormed off saying she would kill someone and left Mum and I. I had to wheel her down to the house in a wheelbarrow and she was hospitalised. I called a few people and got onto a local dental guy. We explained what had happened. He did her teeth with just a halter on and the lead losely over her neck. Our farrier also adored her, she stood perfectly for them and was completely relaxed. When the horse dentist finished he said, she is as quiet as a lamb. The vet was struck off the register 12 months later as he had a shocking reputation. You have to know what you are doing, I believe a horse with issues is able to be managed far better than dogs. ETA; Horses are big, strong manificent creatures. You need to work with them, not against them If you are stupid enough to work against them, you will get hurt. Edited November 1, 2011 by Nic.B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic.B Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Our horses are ridden without a bit in their mouths. Just a haead stall and reins, the gentle pressure on their nose and our legs and backsides is more than enough. Mumbles does not like trucks, tractors, buses etc and will spin around and around like a goose if he does not have enough "space" between him and the 'whatever'. This does not mean he is dangerous, though many people would think so. We just make sure he has enough space and if we cant offer him that we put our hand up and ask them to stop while we pass. They all have little quirky issues, and so do we I will shut up about horses now as I adore them and of course dogs My two faves in the world! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverStar-Aura Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 I've been very tempted to try and catch the ****ers and take them to the pound -- it's a much nicer option than Ratsak-ing them! You aren't serious????????????? No no no no h*ll no! I could never and would never hurt an animal no matter how much they annoy me. Besides, these cats are peoples' pets and I know how utterly devastated I'd be if something like that happened to any of my bubbas. I've opted for spraying the porch with a cat/dog deterrent after using a urine off product to see if that helps. Definitely no ratsak! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda K Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 what I was meaning is that companion animal is a PETA term - they are pets The more people PETA get using their terminology, the more insidiously their doctrine starts to creep in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic.B Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 what I was meaning is that companion animal is a PETA term - they are pets The more people PETA get using their terminology, the more insidiously their doctrine starts to creep in You are very wrong sadly. It is not a PETA term at all. Have you ever heard of 'such and such' companion animal shelter? I volunteer with one and we are not involved with PETA. I still dont get why PETA has been dragged into this? I dont like them at all I can promise you that. In Aust companion animals are dogs and cats. Dogs and cats ARE companion animals. It is pretty simple really and PETA has nothing to do with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Something to remember too is some people can bring out the worst in an animal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandgrubber Posted November 2, 2011 Author Share Posted November 2, 2011 Yes, there are vast differences between dogs and horses. But I still find the hysteria about dogs curious, given, proportionally speaking, how few of them do serious damage. http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/dangerous-wildlife/2008/07/04/1214951042706.html Now death by horse is par for the course Jano Gibson July 5, 2008 Sydney Morning Herald AUSTRALIA'S deadliest animals do not lurk on the banks of muddy Northern Territory rivers or slither on hot rocks. Nor do they hunt in the shallows of the sea or crawl on eight legs. Horses are the creatures most likely to cause a human death, statistics compiled by the National Coroners Information System show. Cows are the next most dangerous, followed by dogs. Sharks are in fourth position, while crocodiles and spiders account for only slightly more deaths than emus, cats and fish. Of 128 deaths linked to animals that were investigated by coroners between 2000 and 2006, 40 were caused by horses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Most of the horse related deaths could be called manslaughter though rather than murder. A horse hits a jump, kid falls off and breaks neck is totally different to dog escapes, barges into house and mauls little girl. The cases of horses actually mauling people are quite rare. Often it is just an accident or human in the wrong place at the wrong time. I don't ride anymore because of the potential danger btw. Last time I fell off I was living by myself and it took me quite a while to get off the ground (broken tailbone). As I am totally responsible for my mortgage too I stopped riding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Oh and my horse saved me from my cow once!! Henry-the Dexter cow charged me in the paddock! Jock the brave Arabian left his dinner to gallop down and get in-between me and the charging cow! Jock then drove Henry off in a lovely display of herding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacqui835 Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Geez reading through that newspaper article does make me think the whole attitude towards dogs is ridiculous. A total of 12 people killed by dogs when you consider how many there are is crazy. And then, only 7 of those 12 were as a result of attacks. "Dog-related incidents left 12 people dead, including two from cars trying to avoid them, two from people falling over them and seven from being attacked by them." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Companion Animal ,the term, was being used well before that P group was even thought of! And , yes horses do kill people ...they are very large ..and have hard feet and sharp teeth and strong jaws. because of the thousands of interactions each day , and the many and varied insults people inflict on horses, plus the fact that individual horses may not have calm and solid temperaments - sure there are going to be incidents..and because humans are so much smaller and more fragile- they usually come off worse. I'm surprised there aren't more deaths these days, as so many people have lost the art of 'horsemanship ' . OK.. It seems from a very brief perusal .. that the most deaths caused by a horse was by: falling, stumbling, jumping - a total of 24 deaths. taken from HERE Much info of interest, which I will enjoy reading when I have more time ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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