Shadows, butterflies and daffodils — the most ridiculous things your horse is terrified of

We asked Facebook users what was the silliest thing to freak out their horse. This is what they said…

Farts featured heavily

‘We had a horse that made herself spook whenever she passed wind due to it being so loud.’ Shannon West

As did poo

‘I had a big Irish cob mare who I thought was bombproof. Nothing seemed to faze her — until I was out on a hack with a friend one frosty morning. My friend’s pony had a poo and because the weather was so cold, the poo was steaming. My mare took one look, snorted twice and then took off across a field in panic!’ Tammy L Field

Shadows are everything that’s wrong with the world as far as horses are concerned

‘One of our horses when he was younger went out for a hack on an overcast day, there was a break in the cloud, his shadow appeared and he ran for his life from it. Obviously it chased him…’ Carly Sayce

‘I cantered up a hill one evening and at the top it bent round to the right and as we came round his shadow swung round in front of him! He spooked, spun and shot off in the opposite direction. Due to the speed we were going I thought I did pretty well to stay put, calm him down and sloooowly introduce him to the black horse that was following us on the floor!’ Zaria Bettles

That Alfred Hitchcock horror film ‘The Birds’ touched a nerve with horses everywhere

‘I was hacking out a friend’s thoroughbred once and he ran backwards up the road because a horse-eating pigeon was flying towards him.’ Julie Lane

‘Our 15.2hh Irish sport horse is terrified of our tiny pekin hen.’ Beki Gaskin

Modern life is rubbish

‘My big, brave thoroughbred had issues with an empty can of coke. He almost passed it with some serious snorting, then clipped it with his back hoof only to kick it and hit his front leg. All hell broke loose as he proceeded to play a mini game of football with himself, almost falling over himself at the shock of it!’ Annabel Wells

Butterflies may be small and pretty but they’re also deadly. Apparently

‘He wasn’t scared of anything but if a butterfly was to fly in front of him that was it, he was going to die.’ Gemma Willett

Coloured horses have their own issues

‘I rode past a cow mooing which spooked my piebald horse. The shock on her face when she saw the cow!’ Natasha Segen

Some ‘monsters’ are completely random

‘The letter S from the word SLOW painted in the road. The rest of the letters are fine, it’s just that evil S…’ Tammi Warren

‘I was hacking with my daughter on her horse who was really bombproof over things that should be scary, and she completely freaked out at a small bit of grass facing a different way to the rest of the grass. My horse was completely fine!’ Vicki Bishop

Although we understand about the horse blenders

‘My mare won’t go within sight of the horse walker. She thinks it’s a giant horse blender.’ Liz Morris

‘A host of golden daffodils’ is not a lovely Wordsworth poem but a vision of actual horse hell

‘We had just gone past a washing line full of flapping clothes and he stopped at a daffodil.’ Sarah Pomfret

‘Daffodils — he still won’t go near them!’ Alexandra Phillips

‘Both the mares I’ve had have been scared of daffodils, every spring is a nightmare.’ Lynn Hunt

Like this? You might also enjoy reading these:

14 things your horse does when you’re running late

Farting in dressage tests — and 5 more ways your horse is sure to embarrass you

But some might say it’s actually us owners who are the crazy ones…

‘My 15hh Welshie spooked at two miniature ponies playing, I came off him, broke five ribs, splintered three of them, 16 days in hospital, major operation, metal rods to hold my ribs together still recovering four months later! Do I still love him? Does he still have his forever home? Of course, I wouldn’t swap him for the world.’ Jo Holmes End Bsl

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