Has anyone ever had the fear of being near a horse? I know a couple that I have helped to get over the fear, but I don't completely understand it. If you are no where near a horse, or had a bad experience does the fear come from hearing someone else's story?

That's the thing you see-phobia of horses, just like any phobia, is irrational. I personally am afraid of clowns-I was never hurt by one, there is no reason for it, I am just terrified of them.

It being irrational is what defines that fear as a phobia.

Often I think the size of a horse is intimidating to people. More people are being raised in cities where the only animals they see are in zoos or on television. Even in rural areas it is becoming rarer to find people with any experience with horses as it has become quite expensive to keep one.