I’m scared of horses. Honest. I know it may sound a little goofy, but it takes seeing one video at the right time (far too early) of a horse delivering a devastating head-kick to someone to put that into you for life.
So I don’t even need telling from an owner to stay away from a horse. Turns out some people do need telling, though. Today’s story is about a woman and her daughter, who wouldn’t take “no” for an answer about riding a trainer’s horse.
More info: Reddit
Horses are animals, and like all animals, they sometimes may act unpredictably and dangerously
Image credits: JOHN K THORNE (not the actual photo)
A horse rider took it to the entitled parents community to vent about a mother and her daughter who absolutely demanded to ride his horse
Image credits: Low-Anteater9171
Image credits: Doug Brown (not the actual photo)
The horse he was riding, named Melon, is a large and dangerous Shire, who doesn't particularly enjoy kids
Image credits: Low-Anteater9171
While he and his trainer were out riding, an 11 y.o. child ran up to the horse, spooking it, proceeding to ask to ride it
Image credits: Low-Anteater9171
Image credits: Barbara Olsen (not the actual photo)
The mom assured the pair that her daughter is a skilled rider, trying to find a way to get her daughter on that horse
Image credits: Low-Anteater9171
After getting the mom to buzz off and coming back, they found her waiting for them, once again trying to entice them to let her daughter ride
Image credits: Low-Anteater9171
Image credits: Alexander Dummer (not the actual photo)
After some back and forth, the fellow trainer was still trying to get rid of the family, but the mom wouldn't go down without a fight
Image credits: Low-Anteater9171
It took at least 5 minutes and a threat to call the police to get the woman away from the premises
People get so used to pets at their homes and in movies that they sometimes forget what they really are - animals. We’re animals too, just in case you’ve forgotten! And sometimes we people are friendly and nice, with sugar on top.
But we are also unpredictable at times. Dangerous, too! In fact, we are way more dangerous than other animals, especially when we’re inventive with our crimes.
Although animals could never come up with the things humans have done over the millennia, they are dangerous for a different reason - they are far harder to read than us. A dog’s grin isn’t the same as ours, even if they do smile at you sometimes.
And sometimes even the friendliest of people will absolutely flip. When you hear about dangerous, violent people and the atrocities they’ve just committed, there’s always at least one person saying “but they were so nice, you never would have guessed they could do something like this!”
So it’s worth not forgetting that the family pet used to be a wild beast at some point. Maybe your shih-tzu has always been nice and friendly, but it still has it. If you step on its little tail, it will snarl and bark, without understanding that it wasn’t an accident and that you didn’t mean it. It will see the offending foot as an aggressor and will defend itself.
So, such a strong and difficult-to-read animal as the horse in today's story is something to be respected and rightfully feared. If it feels threatened and it chooses fight instead of flight, a horse has many weapons to defend itself. It may bite, strike you, rear up or even kick.
According to estimates, a horse’s kick is 2000 pounds per square inch (PSI). Another source mentions that a kick at 1000 PSI is equivalent to the weight of 13 elephants. An average heavyweight's punch ranges between 1200-1700 PSI, and last I checked, boxers don’t punch with huge hooves made of keratin (although the bones are formidable too!).
Image credits: Liza Summer (not the actual photo)
So, what can you do to avoid getting hurt around these noble animals? Well, for a start, you could just not approach them, removing any chances of getting hurt, the old afraid of sharks - don’t get into the water technique.
But if you absolutely must, for a start, you should know that, according to a preliminary study by Italian scientists, horses can quite literally smell humans’ emotions: fear and happiness, reflected by specific odors in our sweat. That means that you should be confident when approaching these animals, so confident that the stink of confidence absolutely exudes from you.
If you want to get close to a horse, you must avoid doing so from behind or the sides, especially if the horse doesn’t know you, because that may scare them. Turning your back on an unfamiliar horse is a bad idea too; you never know what they may be thinking.
As you’re coming close, walk, never run. It’s also a good idea to speak softly and extend your hand so it can sniff it, getting acquainted with your scent. Some kind of treat, such as an apple or carrot, may help you make a perfect first impression.
At your local horse paddock, you could ask a trainer to help you understand a horse - only if they let you in and allow this service, unlike the entitled mother and her daughter in this story.
There are also several signs that a horse may be upset with your presence, according to Horse Racing Sense. Ears pinned back, bared teeth or a swishing tail may all be signs of aggression. Needless to say, standing taller, rearing or even charging at you are all signs that you should clear off.
Fear manifests itself in various ways - shying away, bolting, wide eyes, trembling, and excessive pacing. When a horse turns its back to you, it’s another sign that it’s probably not the best time to make friends.
This story collected almost 1k upvotes in the entitled parents community, with over 100 comments. Among the comments, many people agreed that the poster did well not to let the girl on the horse, because it really could have ended very badly for her.
The comments agreed that a horse could be incredibly dangerous and called them out for being so entitled
