When people think of horses they usually imagine a tall looking dog. Well, maybe not, but nonetheless we imagine a large, powerful creature. But can these majestic creatures be considered to be dangerous?

 Horse riding is known to be one of the most dangerous sports out there. Unlike a motorbike or car, you can never have full control over the horse you are riding. In the wild, if a horse were to hear a large noise or see another creature, they would get as far away as possible. Luckily, not all horses do this, and not every noise or creature approaching them will spook them. It is, however, nearly impossible to have a horse that will never feel this fear; they are animals and are merely following their instincts. Due to this fear, in 2007 there was an estimate of 78,279 people injured due to horse riding incidents, and although wearing a helmet is safer than not, concussions from falling from a horse is very common.

When it comes to horse riding, there are many different type of competition. There is dressage, jumping, racing, cross-country, pony club, western and many more. If you are not interested in riding a horse, you can alternatively acquire a therapy pony. Therapy ponies are adorable and are usually brought into hospitals to entertain children with diseases. Despite their tiny appearance, they are NOTHING like dogs. You cannot keep them in a house; they must be treated as a normal horse, meaning shooing is needed and a large paddock for them to gallop around. However, it is more entertaining having a large horse, in my opinion. Though more expensive, larger horses are majestic infinitely lovable, as long as you’re rich enough to keep one.

At the end of a day, you should not be scared of horses despite the injuries they can cause you by being kicked, falling off, being bitten, and many more. It’s all worth it to have a giant dog-like animal to care for and look after.