Stag aggressive towards horse

[rob_walsh]

Whilst at work today I received a phone call from my wife asking is it normal for a red stag to attack a horse. After I initially laughed at her, she explained that whilst driving she had spotted a stag in a horse paddock persuing a horse and actively trying to charge it head on. By the time she had pulled into a gateway the encounter had fizzled out but the deer had now got part of the horses rug attached to its antlers and the horse a bloodied face. Has anyone else witnessed an encounter of this sort?

 

[deerstalker.308]

With cattle but not horses yes. Deer was shot on principal for the welfare of the herd of cattle, but that was mid rut, a not this late in the season!! Hope the horse is ok?

 

[rob_walsh]

With cattle but not horses yes. Deer was shot on principal for the welfare of the herd of cattle, but that was mid rut, a not this late in the season!! Hope the horse is ok?

She stopped in to tell someone at the nearest property who said they would tell the owner. She did say it was bloodied but nothing particularly serious.

 

[Dunwaters]

I had to shoot a stag out of a paddock a few years back for that very reason.
He was chasing some very expensive blood stock around and it was well after the rut.

 

[Jon P]

Red deer as a species is my least knowledgable species- I was in Scotland last week and the red stags were still calling on the hills- is this normal in December or are the seasons changing?

 

[Tim.243]

With cattle but not horses yes. Deer was shot on principal for the welfare of the herd of cattle, but that was mid rut, a not this late in the season!! Hope the horse is ok?

A few things one it might be injured also food, as you know Andy you might be tiring to fix do something and they keep coming over to the point you have to tie them up or move them into a different part.
Cattle are the worst also the most dangerous with there size when you are in there field. You can't out run them with a few times I have been up and over a fence pdq.
Horses are not shy of lashing out or biting when dealing with them as I am sure you know.

 

[Dave_45]

Whilst at work today I received a phone call from my wife asking is it normal for a red stag to attack a horse. After I initially laughed at her, she explained that whilst driving she had spotted a stag in a horse paddock persuing a horse and actively trying to charge it head on. By the time she had pulled into a gateway the encounter had fizzled out but the deer had now got part of the horses rug attached to its antlers and the horse a bloodied face. Has anyone else witnessed an encounter of this sort?

Venison for Christmas dinner is how I read it