Are Horses Afraid Of Snakes? (Find Out!)

While out walking with my horses in the field the other day, I noticed an odd shape in the grass.

I told the horse closest to me to stay where it was as I went over to investigate.

As I got closer the shape started wriggling before I realized it was a little grass snake.

It was totally harmless and my horses didn’t even notice it, but I have to admit it did give me a little fright at first.

It slithered away as I got close and disappeared into the bushes.

I wanted to know my horses were safe, even from themselves, so I decided to do some research.

Are horses afraid of snakes?

Horses are not necessarily scared of snakes, though there is an instinctive response to danger which often makes them involuntarily startled by a snake. Snakes do pose a potential threat from the horse’s eyes, so often they will try to crush the snake with their hooves.

Different horses may have different reactions to snakes, and it can often depend on how frequently they see snakes.

If they’re more used to snakes that don’t bother them, they probably won’t be as worried.

So let’s look at why horses have this reputation for hating snakes.

Why do horses hate snakes?

Horses have good instincts.

Most mammals do; it’s why we’ve all survived since the dinosaurs died out.

This is the simplest answer to why horses hate snakes.

Again, most mammals do.

Snakes are not only venomous but they can be very aggressive, and often difficult to spot.

They’re always a potential, hidden threat, that could strike the horse from hiding at any time.

Horses have pretty good eyesight, too, so they can spot a snake in the grass more easily than others might.

The shape is very recognizable, and according to current information, snakes evolved at least 140 million years ago.

In other words, they’ve been here longer than we have.

That means that snakes have always been here alongside mammals, so an aversion to that long, potentially venomous noodle shape is as deeply ingrained in us as any of our instincts.

It’s worth pointing out, though, that this disposition is not universal.

Some horses are less bothered by snakes than others.

It can depend on how wary they might need to be of snakes; North American horses might be more wary of snakes, given the higher concentration of venomous snakes in that part of the world.

That said, what can happen if a horse does get bitten by a snake?

What happens if a horse gets bitten by a snake?

Even with a very venomous snake, the thing to remember is that horses are big, big animals.

Due to their sheer size, fatal systemic effects from snake bites are rare.

They’re not unheard of, though.

Extreme swelling can be a severe problem, since horses are not capable of breathing through their mouths.

If their nasal passages close up, it can be a serious problem.

It will depend on where the horse gets bitten, too.

Naturally, snakes are a lot smaller than horses, and their venom is not designed to take down animals of that size; after all, what would a snake do with a horse?

Due to the size difference, most of the time if a horse gets bitten it will be on the leg.

Bites to the leg typically are not fatal, since the venom cannot travel far enough to get a good foothold.

If the snake managed to bite the horse on the face while it was leaning over to graze, that could be more of a problem.

Here, the venom will take hold much more quickly.

What should I do if my horse is bitten by a snake?

So, there are a few things you can do in the event that your horse does get bitten.

First of all, stay calm, and help keep your horse calm.

This will stop the venom from traveling through its body too quickly.

Call a vet immediately, and ideally see if they can come out to your location.

If not, bring the trailer to the horse so it doesn’t have to move too far.

If you aren’t able to get immediate veterinary support, you can make tubing out of hose pipe to put into its nostrils and aid its breathing.

Try and prevent snake bites from occurring in the first place. Avoid riding near paved roads at night as snakes are attracted to the radiant heat from the day.

Avoid any poorly maintained areas with many hiding places for snakes like logs and rocks.

Keep a close eye on the ground around your horse.

Trust your horse, as well.

If it shies away from a bush or hesitates anywhere, it may be an indication that something is amiss.

Horses have good instincts, so pay attention to them.

So, being afraid of snakes is by no means an irrational fear for horses.

They’re always a potential danger, and there’s no point taking chances with potential dangers.

Snakes could be venomous, and their shape is very easily recognizable to horses, so an instinctive reaction usually kicks in.

Horses are afraid of snakes for the same reason they would be scared of a tiger or anything that might pose them harm!