(I see) Dead Things

[Hot4Spots]

Well, my horse is reactive anyway, but what has your experience been vis-a-vis your horse and dead or badly injured animals? My horse has been relatively calm, even lazy, in the arena, which is a good thing, since he's permanently on restricted exercise. Today, he was calm while being groomed, but kept staring at the creek/trees on the far side of the covered arena. He was initially quiet when I mounted, but as I approached the end of the arena on the creek side, he kept freezing, then became agitated, and I had to repeatedly bend him to the side and "disengage the hindquarters." He would settle a bit, but get upset again at that end of the arena. It was a bit cooler and windier than it has been, but this has not really been an issue. After about 20 minutes, he was becoming more and more upset so I dismounted, put on his halter and thought I would lead him for another 15-20 minutes. He went airborne and whirling in circles - not good for his leg - so I called it a day.

After I put him away, I walked over to the creek and found vultures perched on the trees and ground, and a deer down, but still alive, with what looked like her ear half torn off and festering and deep deep gashes on her head and neck (cougar attack? hit by car?) She got up and moved, but not far, when she saw me. I called animal control, but they said if she was alive and moving, they would not come. Was my horse, whose sense of smell is certainly better than mine, smelling her infected wounds? I don't think it was the vultures that upset him since they were not visible from the arena, and he's used to the wild turkeys that are always around. After I fed, I checked again, but the deer was gone.

[Josette]

Horses have far better senses than we do - so I'm not surprised your horse knew something was there. Years ago, when I did lots of trail riding I always observed and trusted my horse's behavior. My TB saved us from a crash with bikers when his head and ears went up. I immediately yelled heads up on a blind curve heavy with shrubs as 4 bikers came flying around the trail. The first one slammed on his brakes and flew over his handle bars - the bike barely missed us. The 3 fellow bikers all fell down. My horse almost sat down to avoid the bike but he was super sane about it. Now - if it were my current pony I'd would have been visiting Canada minus a passport.

[Tanga]

I'm betting it was the blood. Mine are used to all kinds of animals and don't usually react, but I always know when the wild pigs are near because of the way they react. They must have a very distinctive smell. My blind horse (who died 15 years ago) never spooked at anything except pigs and mules, so something about the smell.

I was on a trail ride once, though, and I had a vulture take off right next to me and drop a big chink of bloody meat almost on us. The horses diud not care.

[greenhorse]

That’s sad. I hate to think about the deer suffering out there somewhere.

[fergusnc]

I've never had an experience like this with my horses, but agree, they know way more about our surroundings and circumstances than we do. Recently my more sensitive horse and my donk were out of sorts for a few days...I believe it was due to a bunch of clearing across the street...a couple acres of trees. Not from the equipment or noise, they got over that in an hour. I think it was all of the wildlife being displaced. We had a literal newborn fawn crawling around in the hayfield that first night, mama recovering while laying and leaning on our fence. She and baby seemed "lost" for a few days as they navigated our farm and woods. Seemed to settle in at that point, must have felt established and safe, and at the same time, the two concerned equines settled. I don't think it was the presence of the deer, it was their lost energy. It was a really different experience than deer or even large equipment use as compared to many other examples.
As far as calling animal control...just FYI for anyone in a situation like this again...Google wildlife rehabilitation groups in your state...don't even have to be local as they will travel and often have volunteers in many areas...they would be the ones to come help. Oddly, our local waterfowl rescue is licensed to help with lots of species. And are connected with ppl who are licensed to help with what they are not.

[Quelah]

I'm sorry AC were like that. Are you still CoCo County? They should have come and dispatched it, or referred you to Fish and Wildlife who could have done it.