Equinophobia or hippophobia is a psychological fear of

horse The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million y ...

s. ''Equinophobia'' is derived from the Greek word φόβος (''phóbos''), meaning "

fear Fear is an intensely unpleasant emotion in response to perceiving or recognizing a danger or threat. Fear causes physiological changes that may produce behavioral reactions such as mounting an aggressive response or fleeing the threat. Fear ...

" and the Latin word ''equus'', meaning "

". The term ''hippophobia'' is also derived from the Greek word ''phóbos'' with the prefix derived from the Greek word for horse, ἵππος (''híppos''). Sufferers of equinophobia may also fear other hoofed animals such as donkeys and mules. An example of the phobia can be found in Freud's psychoanalytic study of

Little Hans Herbert Graf (10 April 1903 – 5 April 1973) was an Austrian-American opera producer. Born in Vienna in 1903, he was the son of Max Graf (1873–1958), and Olga Hönig. His father was an Austrian author, critic, musicologist and member of Sig ...

Symptoms

The following symptoms can be exhibited when a person suffering from equinophobia either thinks of a horse or is physically near one: * Feeling of terror * Anxiety (even if the horse is considered friendly and relaxed) * Trembling * Panic * Palpitations * Shortness of breath * Sudden increase in pulse rate * Nausea * Crying

Causes

Negative experiences with horses during one's childhood may give rise to this phobia. Equinophobia may also be triggered by a fall from a horse (An infamous example is when

Christopher Reeve Christopher D'Olier Reeve (September 25, 1952 – October 10, 2004) was an American actor, best known for playing the title character in the film ''Superman'' (1978) and three sequels. Born in New York City and raised in Princeton, New Jersey, ...

, an actor known for playing Superman, fell from a horse, broke his neck, and was paralyzed from the neck down for the rest of his life). In many cases, people begin to avoid horses and this gradually develops from fear to a serious phobia. The phobia can also be caused by a simple fear of the animal itself. A horse's imposing size and weight and large teeth may scare some people, especially children. Negative media portrayals of horses and stallions may add to one's fears.

Treatment

Many treatment options are available for those suffering from it.

Cognitive behavioral therapy Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a psycho-social intervention that aims to reduce symptoms of various mental health conditions, primarily depression and anxiety disorders. CBT focuses on challenging and changing cognitive distortions (suc ...

is one form of therapy for people who suffer from certain phobias. It focuses on one's fears and the reason they exist. It tries to change and challenge the thought processes behind one's fear. Studies have shown that it has been effective in treating people with equinophobia. Convincing the patient that horses are not natural threats to humans and even humans have been predators of horses can help. During the

Paleolithic The Paleolithic or Palaeolithic (), also called the Old Stone Age (from Greek: παλαιός ''palaios'', "old" and λίθος ''lithos'', "stone"), is a period in human prehistory that is distinguished by the original development of stone too ...

, wild horses formed an important source of food for humans. In many parts of Europe, the consumption of horse meat continued throughout the Middle Ages until modern times, despite a papal ban on horse meat in 732.

Notable sufferers

Eric Berry James Eric Berry (born December 29, 1988) is an American former football safety who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers, where he was a two-time unanimous All-American and recog ...

American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...

player *

Kristen Stewart Kristen Jaymes Stewart (born April 9, 1990) is an American actress. The world's highest-paid actress in 2012, she has received various accolades, including a British Academy Film Award and a César Award, in addition to nominations for an Acad ...

, American actress *

Robert Pattinson Robert Douglas Thomas Pattinson (born 13 May 1986) is an English actor. Known for starring in both big-budget and independent films, Pattinson has ranked among the world's highest-paid actors. In 2010, ''Time'' magazine named him one of the 1 ...

, British actor

References

{{Reflist Zoophobias

Symptoms

Causes

Treatment

Notable sufferers

See also

References