SaddleSore

It seems that at least in film, horses seem very sensitive to the whereabouts and approach of snakes, and spook and run off easily. Is this just because they have eyes set in the sides of their head, and so better vision for this, or is there something else?

purplefdu

I dunno if all horses are like this as I've definitely ridden some horses who were oblivious. I rode one TB who used to have the snake hole in his stall as well as the mouse hole (although they probably shared come to think of it) and he always had dead snakes and mice in his stall. The mare on the other end with the same hole never had anything in hers.

Shush

The one with dead snakes in his stall-was he really oblivious, or was he somehow hunting them?! Did he have a good aim and step on them or something?

bitsandbridles

In my very limited experience with horses it seems to me that they are highly sensitive to things moving all around them. They also seem very alert to any quick movements.

maro

Its possible they can just sense things around them. I end up doing this a good deal if I am walking through a forest like area and find them, I do most times remain clam but sometimes your first instinct is to run or squash it.

Mick

I don't know about my horse, but snakes have always scared me personally.

Snakes just always seemed really sneaky,sly, and well...frightening.

When I see them at the zoo or something, they do not worry me.

Wild snakes however...

Sheraton

I've always wondered about snakes, ever since I read a book in which the heroine was reading a horse when the horse became scared of a snake and started charging away, dropping her on the ground. She ended up becoming paralyzed by the fall. Ever since then, it's been somewhat of a concern for me.

SaddleSore

So if it is simply a case of being more aware than we are, then there is a risk of this happening, the reaction happening, for other things that they see too? That would seem to make them highly spookable animals and yet they don't seem to be that bad.