Horses and deer can cross paths in many different ways. Sometimes, deer will graze in pastures where horses are kept. Other times, wild deer may wander into horse camping or trail-riding areas. In some cases, deer may even enter a horse’s stall or paddock.
What happens then? Do horses keep deer away? Or is it going to be your responsibility to keep them out?
Let’s find out.
Are Deer Afraid of Horses?
In most cases, deer are not afraid of horses but they will usually give them a wide berth and as much as possible stay out of their way. Deer are very aware that horses are large, potentially dangerous animals and there is no point in getting too close to them or antagonizing them in any way.
Both horses and deer are herbivores and so neither is a natural predator of the other. Yet, in the wild, they may end up competing for food, water and space. Also, since deer are inherently wild while horses are generally domesticated, a deer’s instinct for survival will usually win out over any curiosity they may feel about horses.
Having said that, deer are known to have attacked horses. This is usually done in self-defense, such as when a doe is protecting her fawns. In other cases, it may be because the deer feels threatened or cornered by the horse. If a deer feels it has no escape route, it may lash out in an attempt to protect itself.
Do Horses Keep Deer Away?
The short answer to the question, do horses keep deer away, is ‘No’. Horses do not keep deer away from pastures, paddocks, or any other areas. Instinctively, horses are not afraid of deer and so they will not do anything deliberate to keep deer away.
If you have deer in your horse’s pasture, the best way to keep them out is to erect a fence. Remember though that deer are good jumpers and can easily clear a standard horse fence. To keep deer out, you will need to build a fence that is at least eight feet high. (Note that deer can jump as high as 7 feet)
An effective way to keep deer our of your farm or stables is to have well-trained dogs. Dogs have a strong predatory instinct and will chase deer away if they see them.
And if the dogs are trained to protect your horses, it can be a win-win. They can keep the deer away and also be companions for your horses. Horses are not automatically scared of dogs and if both the dog and horse are used to each other then there is nothing to worry about.
Can Horses and Deer Graze Together?
Horses and deer can graze together as long as they each side has its own space and stay out of each other’s way. However, this can be risky and is best avoided. This is especially the case if either the horses or the deer have their young grazing with them.
In this case, the doe may attack the horse to protect her fawns. Similarly, deer wander too close to a foal, the mare may attack the deer to protect her offspring.
Deer are usually in the wild and cannot be controlled. But you can control where your horses graze. The best option is to pasture them in a separate area from the deer and avoid any potential conflict.
The Bottom Line
So the answer to the question – do horses keep deer away – is a clear No. Neither the horse nor the deer is a natural predator of the other and so they will not do anything to keep each other away.
If you want to stop deer from entering your horse pasture, that’s on you. You need to take care of this yourself and not rely on your horse to keep the deer away. The best option is to build a fence that’s tall enough to keep the deer out.
If your horses need to pasture with deer, keep a close eye on them to make sure everything is okay. If you see any signs of aggression from either the horse or the deer, it’s best to separate them to avoid any potential conflict.
References:
- How High Can a Deer Jump? – WorldDeer.org
