Will cows attack horses?

Chex

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I'm having a slight paranoia
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. Cows have been moved into Chex field and I can't stop worrying that he'll get trampled or speared
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. Problem is made worse because there's a big ass bull (he's huuuuuuuge!) and a little bull with spiky horns
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, as well as the calves and their mums. If they were dairy cows then he'd blend right in
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, but they're not.

Am I worrying over nothing? Would cows/bulls ever attack horses?
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alicedove

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I really don't know about that one, if he's been okay for a day or two, then surely that's it and he'll be fine. Surely thay have a form of language they can understand between them, and if your boy runs off they'll leave him alone since he's no threat?
 

The_Tranterer

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they might eat horse's tail! used to have a pony who was turned out with two cows and a goat at her previous home...she had no tail!!!!!
 

MizElz

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Elz is turned out with a herd of dry cows at the mo, and they're all fine. there's one who never leaves her side, even barges through electric fence to get to her! never had her out with a bull though, this sounds a bit risky to me!

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Tia

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Cattle are normally only curious and rarely aggressive to horses. Actually horses generally bully cattle in my experience.
 

lastresort

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I dont want to worry you but we have experienced a cow trying to mount a horse. Im not sure about attacking though. I hate riding through a field we have if there out, I avoid it now afer the mounting incident (the rider was on horse when it happened!)
 

moon_drop

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I won't worry to much the only thing cows do is eat tails and manes. horses are a lot quicker than cows and will just trot off if the cows are upsetting him.

We're had a few horses in with cows and the only problems we've had is tails and one mare ending up thinking she was a cow
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ebsandpol

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My mare happily shares a field with our herd of cows but she is quite clearly the boss. When a cow calved last week, she wouldn't let the mother (who is alot bigger than her - a South Devon) anywhere near it. She was licking the calf and generally mothering it until my husband got the hump and told me to 'get my b***dy horse out of the field!'. Have no bull so can't comment on that bit.
 

Chex

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Phew, thanks everyone - slightly less panicked now! The same calves ate Chex pal's tail over winter (they were in adjoining pens) and its only just started to grow back properly, so they better not eat it again!

I can see Chex picking on the calves, he's pretty mean to things that are smaller than him
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Now I just have to be brave when I go up to feed him later, cows scare me!
 

rabatsa

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My horse has every moo on the place terrified of her. She grazes in the middle but when she moves she goes in a straight line and the moo's just scatter. Horses are very quick compared to moo's and also use their back feet which cattle rarely do, so unless cornered your ned should be fine, even then would probably turn hind end to any incautious moo male or female. Unless the bulls are naturally narky as in dairy bull you have nothing to fear.
 

flyingfeet

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My horse was very mean to the cows out with him, if I turned him out with one cow it would eventually jump through electric fence, barbed wire and a wall to escape him. He would run, ears flat back and bite them.

In a herd they were safer, but I was never 'allowed' to check over the cows. I had to leave a feed bucket so I could go look at them!
 

Cobland

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There are cows in the field beside our lot, they broke into the field a few months back and our horses chased them! One received a hoofprint to the back end!

Mae hates cows so she just ran from them snorting!

My friend lives on a farm and her horse goes out with the cows, shes never had any problem
 

slivertonics

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the cows will not worry your horsey, nor will the bull. take more caution around the cows with young calves at foot they will attack if they feel threatened before any bull will!

mine are always grazing in the same field as our cattle and have no problems, if anything your horse will bully the cows!

farmers daughter I is, oh ere!!
 
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