Horse etiquette protects people, animals

Most people are drawn to horses. They are elegant beings who possess gentleness coupled with great size and strength. They can be dangerous to the inexperienced person; the inexperienced person can be dangerous to them.

When a horse lives in the neighborhood, it is a magnet to many. If you find yourself wanting to visit a horse that is not yours, ask the owner for permission, and never visit if the owner is not there.

You should never feed a horse you do not own. Horses have complicated digestive systems. They cannot vomit, and they choke easily. If you think the grass clippings from your lawnmower would make a tasty treat for a horse, pony or donkey – stop and think again. Grass clippings are so fine that one mouthful could choke a horse to death. If the mown grass has been sitting for several hours in the heat, it will have become rancid and will likely cause a potentially fatal digestive disturbance called colic.

Horses love carrots and apples. Both contain sugars that are dangerous for a horse with metabolic issues (linked to insulin resistance). Letting a horse bite off pieces of a whole carrot from your hand could teach him to bite a finger off of someone else. Horses cannot see what is held by their mouths, they cannot tell the difference between a carrot and a finger until they taste it!

A whole apple offered to a horse can be grabbed and swallowed, which will choke him so quickly that he cannot be saved.

People foods can be toxic to horses. Any gas-producing vegetables like cabbage, kale, broccoli, etc. will cause colic. Chocolate is dangerous, as are many weeds that grow along ditches. To pull plants growing nearby and hand them to a horse might poison it, especially if the plants have been sprayed with chemicals.

Even appropriate horse food can be detrimental if a horse is not accustomed to it. It takes 10 days to gradually change a horse’s diet; so to suddenly give it unfamiliar hay or grain can be damaging.

Going into a pen or field with a horse you do know puts you at risk. Horses are prey animals who react quickly when frightened and, while they will turn and run away (the flight instinct), they often kick out defensively as they flee. If a horse lands a kick, the sheer force of it can break bones or worse. And flimsy footwear puts you at risk of severe foot injury should you get stepped upon.

A horse’s owner can take you in to meet their equine and the owner’s presence reassures that horse. Should the horse become worried, the owner will recognize that and keep you (and the horse) safe. Each horse has individual mannerisms and levels of tolerance that can only be perceived by their caregivers.

Consideration and awareness can make you an advocate of horses. That neighbor with the beautiful mare will be grateful for your thoughtfulness in asking permission to pet, visit or feed the horse. And if the owner declines, know that it is just to protect the horse. They are complicated and fragile creatures.

Katharine is the founder and president of Dharmahorse Equine Sanctuary. She has trained, cared for and written about all things horsey since the 1970’s. She is featured in the movie “Listening to the Horse” and is a regular in the “Horse Chats” series out of Australia. She can be reached at katharinechrisley@yahoo.com