Equinophobia

Equinophobia, also called hippophobia, is a psychological fear of horses. The first name joins the Greek phobos, meaning fear, to the Latin equus, meaning horse, while hippophobia uses the Greek word for horse. A sufferer may also fear other hoofed animals such as donkeys and mules. When thinking of a horse or standing near one, a person may feel terror, anxiety even around a calm and friendly horse, trembling, panic, palpitations, shortness of breath, a rapid pulse, nausea or crying. Causes named include bad childhood experiences with horses, a fall from a horse, or a simple fear of the animal's size, weight and large teeth, and negative media portrayals may add to it. Freud's psychoanalytic study of Little Hans is given as an example of the phobia. Cognitive behavioral therapy, which challenges the thought processes behind the fear, is reported as effective, and reassurance that horses are not natural threats to people can also help.