It’s not uncommon to find horses and pigs living on a farm. In most cases, they get along just fine because they are usually kept in separate areas. However, there are some instances where horses and pigs may come into contact with each other. What happens then?
Horses are creatures who are easily scared. And pigs can be scary at times. But are horses scared of pigs? And if so, what can you do about it?
Let’s find out.
What Scares Horses?
Horses are skittish by nature and are easily scared by many things including loud noises, sudden movements, and unfamiliar surroundings. This is a consequence of their evolution and adaptation to a changing environment and the instinct to survive predators through fast reactions, quick reflexes, and escape.
Horses are prey animals. So in the wild, they are at risk of being killed by predators. Their natural predators include bears, mountain lions, coyotes, and the like. Their survival is often linked to a strong fight-or-flight instinct and given a choice they tend to choose flight rather than fight. This is one of the reasons evolution has made horses into great runners. And they can run really fast, clocking speeds of over 30 mph. (The world record stands at 43.97 mph)
While it’s obvious that horses are scared of their natural predators, what’s interesting is that they are also scared of anything that gives the perception or presence of a predator. To take this further, any animal that makes movements similar to that of a horse’s predator can also scare a horse.
So, for example, a horse may be scared of a dog even though it poses no danger to the horse. It could be because the dog’s barking and the horse is spooked by the loud noise. Or because the horse mistakes the dog for a coyote. And horses are scared of coyotes.
Likewise, horses are not afraid of mice or snakes, but if either of these animals makes sudden movements, the horse may get spooked. In the same way, horses are not afraid of spiders but if a curious foal decides to investigate a spider and starts sniffing around a spider’s web, it could get startled by the spider’s sudden movements and then develop a mild fear or at least a wariness for spiders.
In short, anything that a horse perceives as a predator or anything that makes sudden movements can scare a horse.
Can Pigs Be Scary?
Coming to the question of pigs, yes, pigs can be scary. Notwithstanding cute pig animations like Peppa Pig, in the real world, pigs are formidable animals. They are intelligent, have excellent memories, and are quick to learn.
Pigs are also known to be aggressive. They are one of the most frequently biting animals on farms. While most bites are not serious, they can cause some damage. Pigs are also known to attack humans and other animals.
According to Prof. Monique Pairis-Garcia of North Carolina State University, aggression can be normal pig behavior used to establish dominance within a group.
But on a farm, this aggressive behavior can spill over to people and other animals including horses. Of course, this aggressive behavior wouldn’t be such a problem with horses if they weren’t scared by it. So are they? Are horses scared of pigs? That’s what we are going to look at next.
When Are Horses Scared Of Pigs?
Under normal circumstances, horses are not scared of pigs but there are scenarios when they can be. As we’ve seen earlier, horses are prey animals and their predominant fear stems from natural predators. Pigs are not natural predators of horses and so horses are not instinctively scared of pigs.
But as we also so, pigs can be aggressive at times and this aggression can cause a timid horse to get scared of them. This is also true with foals.
Foals are young and inquisitive. Their curiosity often gets the better of them and they are known to approach strange animals including pigs. But if a pig is aggressive, it can scare a foal and the foal may develop a fear of pigs that could last a long time.
Another scenario where a horse might get scared of a pig is when the horse confuses the pig or its actions with that of a boar. Wild horses and wild boars are often adversaries. They may compete for food and territory and are known to attack each other.
And many large pigs are descendants of the wild boar and so it’s not surprising that a horse might mistake a pig for a boar and get all jumpy about it.
Yet another scenario where a horse might exhibit signs of fear near a pig has to do with a pig’s stench. Pigs are not the cleanest of animals and their stench can be overwhelming for anyone including a horse.
This is not unlike horses and camels. While horses are not scared of camels, a camel’s stench can often revolt the horse to the point that it exhibits the same body language as when it is scared. So goes with pigs too.
What Can You Do If You Have Horses and Pigs On Your Farm?
The best thing anyone who has both horses and pigs on a farm can do is to keep them apart. This is not difficult to do since pigs are usually kept in pens and horses are usually kept in paddocks or pastures.
If you are comfortable with it and your pigs are not too aggressive, you may also try to introduce the two animals to each other gradually so that they can get used to each other’s presence. If the pigs are not overcrowded and have few reasons to be aggressive and if the horse is mature and not too timid, this could work out. But do it only if you must and be clear about the risks.
The Bottom Line
So, what’s the conclusion? Are horses scared of pigs? The answer, as we’ve seen, is that they can be.
Under normal circumstances, horses are not afraid of pigs. And in most cases, they need not come in sufficient proximity for the fear to manifest. But if a horse is timid or a pig is too aggressive, the horse may get scared of pigs.
The easiest solution to the problem is to keep the two animals apart. If you must have them together, do so only with caution and after having considered all the risks.
