Horses and Zombies?

[DarkRiderTommy]

Does anyone have any first-hand knowledge, or at least reliable anecdotal evidence, as to how horses behave around zombies?

I read the zombie survival guide, and it said they were terrified of them (which makes sense), but it made it sound like they'd freak out if a zombie came within a several mile radius and be totally uncontrollable... But I'm really not sure that applies to all horses, does it? My horses are mostly well-trained and can deal with almost anything. Especially if you have a good rider.

So yeah, I was really curious because my horses would be central to my survival plans... plus I'd rather die than abandon them

[roOism]

I tried to answer with a witty and informative reply. But that pretty much sums it up.

[DarkRiderTommy]

I tried to answer with a witty and informative reply. But that pretty much sums it up.

um, I did search for horse threads before posting, but they were all about cars. Sorry...

[dynomike]

I tried to answer with a witty and informative reply. But that pretty much sums it up.

um, I did search for horse threads before posting, but they were all about cars. Sorry...

I think a car would remain still until you started it. Previous evidence indicates cars will not run away in fear of a zombie on its own.

[DarkRiderTommy]

Yes, but:
- Horses are quieter
- I actually have a horse
- I do not have a car
- I don't even know how to drive lol
- in a PAW highways will be clogged
- I would never leave my horse

I wasn't trying to get into a debate over horses vs. cars, (I'd probably lose!) but rather asking a question, that's all.

[JojoZS]

My neighbors are zombies and for christmas they got 2 horses, an untrained mare and her foal, they claimed they know nothing about horses but that was what the internet is for.
The internet must not have told them that you have to clean up after them, because when the wind blows the stench is overwhelming.
As far as how the horses are behaving.....they seem oblivious, but given a chance to escape they will, unfortunately these horses were recaptured.

[bonanacrom]

I too have read the zombie survival guide. Didn't find one thing in it that could possibly help. It would make for TP if need though. Horse should do as well as one would near any dangerous animal.

[raptor]

I am going to move this to zombie tactics.

[TonTonMacoute]

I do not have any experance with Horses and Zombies but I have had lots of experance with Horses [used to run a large 300 Horse breeding farm]

In my experance Horses will usualy spook from anything new....If it walks by a trash can everyday no trouble....move the can into it's stall it will spook when it see's it....because it is something new. I am pretty certain the first few times a Horse saw or smelled a Zombie it would spook no matter how well trained, am sure with time it could get used to it.
Also in my experance Horses are put off by short jerky movements , the classic slow Zombies walk !, I think this too would frighten a horse.
I think a horse could be a good early warning system maybe

It was kind of funny what would frighten a horse and what wouldn't...Lots of horses would go crazy if they saw a deer many times running into a fence or other wise hurting themself. Just something about how a deer moves I guess. I've seen many times every horse in the barn snorting and staring out the windows at some deer in the field.
A big dog could run in the paddock and the horses would just look at it with no interest or at times even chase it....T

[SinCal559]

I do not have any experance with Horses and Zombies but I have had lots of experance with Horses [used to run a large 300 Horse breeding farm]

In my experance Horses will usualy spook from anything new....If it walks by a trash can everyday no trouble....move the can into it's stall it will spook when it see's it....because it is something new. I am pretty certain the first few times a Horse saw or smelled a Zombie it would spook no matter how well trained, am sure with time it could get used to it.
Also in my experance Horses are put off by short jerky movements , the classic slow Zombies walk !, I think this too would frighten a horse.
I think a horse could be a good early warning system maybe

It was kind of funny what would frighten a horse and what wouldn't...Lots of horses would go crazy if they saw a deer many times running into a fence or other wise hurting themself. Just something about how a deer moves I guess. I've seen many times every horse in the barn snorting and staring out the windows at some deer in the field.
A big dog could run in the paddock and the horses would just look at it with no interest or at times even chase it....T

Dont forget plastic bags blown by the wind, pigs, and like you said anything that surprises them. Horses are sissyfied, its just their nature. and when ever there is a noise they have to turn to face it to figure out whether to run for the hills, or if its safe to keep on doing what ever it was doing.

[James G]

You would have to train the horse so it would not be spooked by Zombies – probably in a way similar to how they train police horses

~James G

[BullOnParade]

But if you can train the zombies to eat horses instead of people we could coexist a-la survival of the dead

[James G]

Or you could just eat the horse, its not bad

~James G

[Shaper]

Yes, but:
- Horses are quieter
- I actually have a horse
- I do not have a car
- I don't even know how to drive lol
- in a PAW highways will be clogged
- I would never leave my horse

I wasn't trying to get into a debate over horses vs. cars, (I'd probably lose!) but rather asking a question, that's all.

Are you Amish by chance?

I got nothing against horses. I like them as a matter of fact I love them. I have rode horses for a number of years (even in the Army)

A motorized vehicle, however, would serve you much better in a ZPAW. A cage of reinforced steel with a powerful engine securely attached tends to work better than sitting atop a big ole' horse steak as the undead surround you.

In a regular PAW scenario...sure. Nice to have for transport after fuel becomes scarce. IF you can keep them alive that long,

[VeniVidiVici]

Yes, but:
- Horses are quieter
- I actually have a horse
- I do not have a car
- I don't even know how to drive lol
- in a PAW highways will be clogged
- I would never leave my horse

I wasn't trying to get into a debate over horses vs. cars, (I'd probably lose!) but rather asking a question, that's all.

Are you Amish by chance? [quote]


Can Amish people even use a computer? It would be spooked the first few times it saw a zombie, being able to control a spooked horse is probably more important and more useful then trying to train a horse not to be spooked.

[botzgirl217]

It depends on the horse. I have several horses that you can sneak up behind and grab their hind legs, and they'll just give you an annoyed look. In the same herd I have a horse that spooks when you get off the four-wheeler, and more so when you tie him up and try to pet him any lower than his shoulder (he was sort of a rescue, though)
Desensitize them every day. Moleste them (Figuratively speaking, of course) if you have to, then eventually you might have horses that only look up or trot in a circle when a low flying military jet rockets over their heads. (I was more spooked than the several aforementioned horses.)

So I bet Dash, Laura, Barkney and Pro will have no trouble galloping circles around zombies. Except Dash may want to be petted by them.