How dangerous is a deadly scorpion

[Joen4]

i really dont get the fascination with dangerous venom, to me i am mostly interested in large black skorpions that are physically imposing or tiny pseudoscorpions that dont even have a stinger in the first place. The T-rex amongst the mesofauna. Beware ye mites and wiggly nematoes, for he is on the prowl.

All about pseudoscorpions - A Chaos of Delight

Pseudoscorpions, also known as false scorpions, are tiny predatory soil mesofauna. They look very much like miniature scorpions, but without the sting.

www.chaosofdelight.org

Now these are truly incredible.

It also looks cool but like someone cut off its tail .

 

[The Snark]

The T-rex amongst the mesofauna.

Classic !! So apropos. Mites staring in terrified awe, "Holy crap! And it eclipses the sun!"

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

i really dont get the fascination with dangerous venom, to me i am mostly interested in large black skorpions that are physically imposing or tiny pseudoscorpions that dont even have a stinger in the first place. The T-rex amongst the mesofauna. Beware ye mites and wiggly nematoes, for he is on the prowl.

All about pseudoscorpions - A Chaos of Delight

Pseudoscorpions, also known as false scorpions, are tiny predatory soil mesofauna. They look very much like miniature scorpions, but without the sting.

www.chaosofdelight.org

Now these are truly incredible.

So unique !!

King Cobras I think is a death wish . I could consider getting some cool looking scorpions with size and preferably black like Hadogenes, perhaps Androctones. Hottentotta franzwerneri also looks very cool but I fear it can have babies on its own which is not that cool. Or maybe if I can get my hands on one of the more colorful ones. Not so much keen on those that borrow, I sense desert species are best. Only 2-3 of these critters.

Wish I had a scorpion I wanted a desert hairy the pet store Had but I hesitated oops .. o well I can always do Research in the mean time .

 

[The Snark]

Again it is good to protect the hobby but suggesting you need 2,000 hours of community service for an experienced keeper to own a eyelash viper is a bit overkill.

Pure hyperbole, that rapidly gets reduced towards reality a few seconds after that crotalid sinks a fang or two in your anatomy.... Oh! So that's what the stink is all about. Now to find someone with a blunt instrument to remove my leg and lessen this little stinging sensation. And maybe a few dozen pleasant bee stings to help distract me.
Just take a casual look down at your lower leg and imagine it tripling in girth in a matter of a few minutes.

And now, ye gads. A MotoGuzzi Lemans1000 custom revisited by an artisan. Two masterpieces in one day.

 

[Joen4]

Pure hyperbole, that rapidly gets reduced towards reality a few seconds after that crotalid sinks a fang or two in your anatomy.... Oh! So that's what the stink is all about. Now to find someone with a blunt instrument to remove my leg and lessen this little stinging sensation. And maybe a few dozen pleasant bee stings to help distract me.
Just take a casual look down at your lower leg and imagine it tripling in girth in a matter of a few minutes.

And now, ye gads. A MotoGuzzi Lemans1000 custom revisited by an artisan. Two masterpieces in one day.

I respect what you do, hots are for the few if any and of course you have to be careful. If I appear as using much hyperbole, it is probably because a part of my is wise for my age . Sometimes some of those hot experts that kiss their king cobra ends up with a surprise despite the expertise as it will always be faster than them. Even with a less unreasonable hot like an eyelast viper (so the experts categorize it), you cant wear too much protective gear as long as you are mobile. But it is a rather docile snake when it doesnt strike that dont move around too much, especially at day time. A common error is also keeping the hot snake in too small an enclosure where it will easily feel cornered. You can do that with a python. I know some that keep them with community of harmless poison dart frogs or fish. Only problem with that is of course that you can keep your focus on the wrong critters when you open the tank.

 

[The Snark]

those hot experts that kiss their king cobra

Okay, let's dive off topic in another direction. "It seems that you have been getting some negative vibrations from somewhere..." -The Rock Man.
In the wild, I have had about 50 encounters with Opheophagus Hannah. The most common venomous snake in our area. Our cat took one fang from an ~8 footer in our yard. I've been up close, 2 feet from, a pair, a couple, inside an enclosure with them.

My most memorable and simply wonderful encounter was a young adult, around 10 foot, trapped in a canal. The water running too fast for it to climb the steep concrete bank. It took me a while to find a long enough strong enough stick and carefully worked my way down the embankment about a half dozen times until I was able to get the stick under it's rear 1/3. With that assist not dragging in the current it managed to scoot up the bank. Then it just lay there, about three feet from me, catching it's breath. It knew I was there, them being the most intelligent snake I have ever encountered, up there with dogs IMHO, but reserved and sedate, never acting like idiots the way dogs often do.
Once it caught it's breath, a couple of minutes, it put me on ignore, casually went past me a couple of feet away and into the underbrush. Exactly the behavior I've grown accustomed to around them.

A drying up pond. Loaded to the max with frog spawn. I squatted near the waters edge as a Hannah grazed, gulping up the tadpoles like a hungry horse in a spring pasture. And it just kept cruising and gulping. Me saying things like 'You have to be kidding me." 'No way.' 'Honeybunch, you're making a pig of yourself. Porky hannah!'.
It cleaned out the pond. At least 500 tadpoles. Mini strike, gulp, over and over. Then I swear it looked smug as it slithered passed me into the rice field.

Out in our yard, a Hannah in the thick weeds. We both stop, freeze. I asked, "Which way you going?" As if it heard and understood it turned and moseyed off, down the bank and across the river.

And a couple of facts. Hannah is the #1 people killer in India. Why? During the summer they turn a golden olive tan to reflect some of the sun's heat. The exact same color as the dry grass. They aren't little snakes by anyone's standard, and the only major no no around them is accidentally stepping on them. And they are next to invisible in that grass.

Hannah does not have powerful venom. It isn't even in the top 50. But a full adult can deliver up to 500 milligrams or more in one bite.

And a simply gorgeous animal, even in their winter dusky black coloration to catch the sun and warm up better.
This is granpa. Guesstimated at over 18 feet. He can stand on his tail and reach a little over 6 feet up the wall of his enclosure.


Mom and dad, checking out the idiot with a camera. Mom had bonked her nose on the concrete and the handler was checking on her so I joined him.
So typical of Hannah. Alert, observant, hood out and like a statue. All they want is to put some room between them and humans. You respect them and their space, they will do the same.

 

[Joen4]

Very interesting story. I would like to see them in the wild but having one is thankfully not in the range of my fetish. Way too high energy, dangerous and big and as you also imply they really dont like to be held captive. Here we have two macho youngens measuring who has biggest snake.. sure they are good, else they had been dead, but who knows one day...

 

[Dry Desert]

Okay, let's dive off topic in another direction. "It seems that you have been getting some negative vibrations from somewhere..." -The Rock Man.
In the wild, I have had about 50 encounters with Opheophagus Hannah. The most common venomous snake in our area. Our cat took one fang from an ~8 footer in our yard. I've been up close, 2 feet from, a pair, a couple, inside an enclosure with them.

My most memorable and simply wonderful encounter was a young adult, around 10 foot, trapped in a canal. The water running too fast for it to climb the steep concrete bank. It took me a while to find a long enough strong enough stick and carefully worked my way down the embankment about a half dozen times until I was able to get the stick under it's rear 1/3. With that assist not dragging in the current it managed to scoot up the bank. Then it just lay there, about three feet from me, catching it's breath. It knew I was there, them being the most intelligent snake I have ever encountered, up there with dogs IMHO, but reserved and sedate, never acting like idiots the way dogs often do.
Once it caught it's breath, a couple of minutes, it put me on ignore, casually went past me a couple of feet away and into the underbrush. Exactly the behavior I've grown accustomed to around them.

A drying up pond. Loaded to the max with frog spawn. I squatted near the waters edge as a Hannah grazed, gulping up the tadpoles like a hungry horse in a spring pasture. And it just kept cruising and gulping. Me saying things like 'You have to be kidding me." 'No way.' 'Honeybunch, you're making a pig of yourself. Porky hannah!'.
It cleaned out the pond. At least 500 tadpoles. Mini strike, gulp, over and over. Then I swear it looked smug as it slithered passed me into the rice field.

Out in our yard, a Hannah in the thick weeds. We both stop, freeze. I asked, "Which way you going?" As if it heard and understood it turned and moseyed off, down the bank and across the river.

And a couple of facts. Hannah is the #1 people killer in India. Why? During the summer they turn a golden olive tan to reflect some of the sun's heat. The exact same color as the dry grass. They aren't little snakes by anyone's standard, and the only major no no around them is accidentally stepping on them. And they are next to invisible in that grass.

Hannah does not have powerful venom. It isn't even in the top 50. But a full adult can deliver up to 500 milligrams or more in one bite.

And a simply gorgeous animal, even in their winter dusky black coloration to catch the sun and warm up better.
This is granpa. Guesstimated at over 18 feet. He can stand on his tail and reach a little over 6 feet up the wall of his enclosure.
View attachment 452395

Mom and dad, checking out the idiot with a camera. Mom had bonked her nose on the concrete and the handler was checking on her so I joined him.
So typical of Hannah. Alert, observant, hood out and like a statue. All they want is to put some room between them and humans. You respect them and their space, they will do the same.
View attachment 452396

I agree, a truly wonderful, intelligent snake.

The only snake that can stand and look a 6 foot person in the eyes

 

[Matt Man]

a more important part is an honest self evaluation asking "Why do I have a hot fetish?" This question needs to be honestly answered because in most cases it isn't coming from a healthy origin.
I have Hot Ts, I don't own them because they are hot, I find Poecilotheria beautiful and fun to keep. I don't own Stromtapelma or Heteroscodra because you rarely see them and IMO aren't that amazing looking.
So I use a risk reward index for my T collection. Pokies in my experience flee versus threaten where the others are quite the opposite.
So I'm not getting off on the danger, I have made assessments and keep some hots that I find beautiful but see the risk levels as manageable

as a side bar, I was/am a downhill Skateboarder, Big Wave Surfer, Bike Racer......so I am not a risk averse human by nature

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

a more important part is an honest self evaluation asking "Why do I have a hot fetish?" This question needs to be honestly answered because in most cases it isn't coming from a healthy origin.
I have Hot Ts, I don't own them because they are hot, I find Poecilotheria beautiful and fun to keep. I don't own Stromtapelma or Heteroscodra because you rarely see them and IMO aren't that amazing looking.
So I use a risk reward index for my T collection. Pokies in my experience flee versus threaten where the others are quite the opposite.
So I'm not getting off on the danger, I have made assessments and keep some hots that I find beautiful but see the risk levels as manageable

as a side bar, I was/am a downhill Skateboarder, Big Wave Surfer, Bike Racer......so I am not a risk averse human by nature

Yeah I wouldn’t ever buy something just because it has hot venom I personally think you should work your way up from beginner species and for scorps I know far less about them Ts I’m a beginner when it comes to knowledge about scorpion care and stuff I know basics like don’t drown them with a deep water dish etc .. but I’m not understanding why you’d start out with a fat tail scorpion etc …makes zero sense .

 

[SpookySpooder]

i really dont get the fascination with dangerous venom,

Like touched upon, it is a fetish. In line with the thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies who do stuff like jump off cliffs with wing suits. The mere presence or thought of danger triggers an endorphin trickle in their brain.

There are various other motivations for collecting exotics. Some people are into the rarity of a specimen, and fetishize the "newest most exclusive species in the hobby."

Others are only into the most recessive designer genetic strains or line specific traits that would breed out within a few generations if left unchecked. The high price tag "Gucci" strains (I'm thinking Emoji Boas or those super recessive Ball Python morphs)

I've heard a lot of different reasons for why someone likes something.

Besides how interesting a lot of these animals are to observe just living, I personally like the appearance of the animal. The more colorful and patterned a species is, the more interested I am. "Eye-candy" is my motivation.

 

[Matt Man]

Besides how interesting a lot of these animals are to observe just living, I personally like the appearance of the animal. The more colorful and patterned a species is, the more interested I am. "Eye-candy" is my motivation.

that is a healthy motivation

 

[SpookySpooder]

that is a healthy motivation

I wish, but not really. The downsides are there, they are just more insidious.

People who share my motivation tend to bite off more than they can chew, or are quite impulsive with their specimen collection. They will have a bunch of expensive colorful specimens and hardly know anything about them. People like this are exactly why there are so many abandoned Tortoises and Terrapins. (They're really cute when babies, but nobody wants them past their 2nd year) Sadly most people who purchase them lose interest when they aren't cute anymore and abandon them. This is a major drawback to people who value the appearance of an animal more than the animal itself.

Not saying I do this myself, but the fancy does strike me sometimes. I find myself wanting a cute or colorful species I just saw online or at the store, but after some due diligence and a lot of effort mentally repeatedly telling myself "you don't need this, you just want it, you don't have any space or time for it anyway" I have taught myself to resist the "oooh shiny" impulse.

I had to literally hold myself back from picking up a trio of Ornithoctoninae last weekend because they were a nice size and their colors were developing.

Like I stood there looking at them, hand already in my pocket on my cash, brain redlining to resist just screaming TAKE MY MONEY AND GIVE ME THOSE SPIDERS!

Even now I'm considering going back to get them. It's a tough fight TBH, and every day since I saw them I've been wrestling with a back and forth pro and cons of "do I get them or not" which eventually turned into "do I get them now or do I get them later" which makes me wonder if I really even have any control over it or if I'm just struggling against the current.

 

[Joen4]

a more important part is an honest self evaluation asking "Why do I have a hot fetish?" This question needs to be honestly answered because in most cases it isn't coming from a healthy origin.
I have Hot Ts, I don't own them because they are hot, I find Poecilotheria beautiful and fun to keep. I don't own Stromtapelma or Heteroscodra because you rarely see them and IMO aren't that amazing looking.
So I use a risk reward index for my T collection. Pokies in my experience flee versus threaten where the others are quite the opposite.
So I'm not getting off on the danger, I have made assessments and keep some hots that I find beautiful but see the risk levels as manageable

Keeping pet or hobby animals will never be rational. We all have different takes. Some think keeping any animal is a crime and speak with great pathos about the romantic disney life out in the free nature and the evil of locking up these pure free spirits. Many would consider having a dog or cat a lot more rewarding, sensible and justified. Some have a limit with certain animals they will not allow in their house such as snakes or tarantulas. I was one of those kids with a mother who would not allow (harmless) snakes and I considered and consider today her opinion absolutely ridiculous, but something about them creep her out. But then again, personally I find the big scolopendras absolutely revolting and I am not too keen on spiders either with the possible exception of jumping spiders. There is just something about them I find creepy and unappealing, the way they look, their ability to climb walls and their webbing . You might consider it is odd and ridiculous I dont feel that way about scorpions and many other critters but that is personal taste. Why do I prefer scorpions? Above all because I find their appearence much more appealing. It is a bonus that I know where I have them. They are not escape artists like the scolopendras or the Poecilotheria. The God of evolution blessed us in that Androctones Australis cant climb glass. It also looks very cool which is a part of it. But try to bring your Poecilotheria or forest scorpion to Ms. Petterson next door and ask her if she is ok with you having them. You will get very mixed responses. Some might say ok, but dont show them to me, some would scream and try to do what they could to give you trouble and if you lived in a appartment complex have you kicked out or forced to get rid of the animals. I would personally be so creeped out and angry if I spotted a scolopendra gigantea on my veranda. I would (almost) kick in the door of that person if I knew who it was and ask wtf is going on. Which I also why I would keep my mouth shut in the neighborhood whether I had a forest scorpion or a fat tail. Now for hots it is really a matter of taste. The only real difference is that you potentially bring people in great danger. And again, not many would like to live next to a person having them. Something is wrong with all hot keepers, with the exception of the heroic person who sacrifices his health and life to participate in the production of antivenom to save lives, which of course almost exclusively is justified in parts of the world where people bump into these critters by accident

 

[Matt Man]

Keeping pet or hobby animals will never be rational. We all have different takes. Some think keeping any animal is a crime and speak with great pathos about the romantic disney life out in the free nature and the evil of locking up these pure free spirits. Many would consider having a dog or cat a lot more rewarding, sensible and justified. Some have a limit with certain animals they will not allow in their house such as snakes or tarantulas. I was one of those kids with a mother who would not allow (harmless) snakes and I considered and consider today her opinion absolutely ridiculous, but something about them creep her out. But then again, personally I find the big scolopendras absolutely revolting and I am not too keen on spiders either with the possible exception of jumping spiders. There is just something about them I find creepy and unappealing, the way they look, their ability to climb walls and their webbing . You might consider it is odd and ridiculous I dont feel that way about scorpions and many other critters but that is personal taste. Why do I prefer scorpions? Above all because I find their appearence much more appealing. It is a bonus that I know where I have them. They are not escape artists like the scolopendras or the Poecilotheria. The God of evolution blessed us in that Androctones Australis cant climb glass. It also looks very cool which is a part of it. But try to bring your Poecilotheria or forest scorpion to Ms. Petterson next door and ask her if she is ok with you having them. You will get very mixed responses. Some might say ok, but dont show them to me, some would scream and try to do what they could to give you trouble and if you lived in a appartment complex have you kicked out or forced to get rid of the animals. I would personally be so creeped out and angry if I spotted a scolopendra gigantea on my veranda. I would (almost) kick in the door of that person if I knew who it was and ask wtf is going on. Which I also why I would keep my mouth shut in the neighborhood whether I had a forest scorpion or a fat tail. Now for hots it is really a matter of taste. The only real difference is that you potentially bring people in great danger. And again, not many would like to live next to a person having them. Something is wrong with all hot keepers, with the exception of the heroic person who sacrifices his health and life to participate in the production of antivenom to save lives, which of course almost exclusively is justified in parts of the world where people bump into these critters by accident

and each has its taste. I deal in hots (all inverts) and I know people that collect Androctunus, etc...I think you are misunderstanding my point. Some people keep fat tails because they are cool looking, I find their morphology beautiful as well. I have no issue with that. Where I have issue is when people only desire hots because they are hot. To me that is the part that isn't healthy. I know people who adore the big Scolopendras and again support that. To each their own, as long as there is interest other than "Hot". If that is your sole interest then that is being driven from an unhealthy place in the psyche and probably needs addressing.
You are correct that Scorps are the easiest to contain, and that reduces escape risk for sure. So for those that enjoy them, that works into their risk reward data. Thrill seeking is like any other addiction (dopamine release) so people seeking hits for a dopamine rush at some point are going to need to up the risk (handling etc..) and this is where this can turn really bad. It's like the guys using squirrel suits to base jump. Soon it isn't just jumping, it is 'let's shoot the gap between those rocks" and this is why they so frequently, and sadly die

 

[Joen4]

and each has its taste. I deal in hots (all inverts) and I know people that collect Androctunus, etc...I think you are misunderstanding my point. Some people keep fat tails because they are cool looking, I find their morphology beautiful as well. I have no issue with that. Where I have issue is when people only desire hots because they are hot. To me that is the part that isn't healthy. I know people who adore the big Scolopendras and again support that. To each their own, as long as there is interest other than "Hot". If that is your sole interest then that is being driven from an unhealthy place in the psyche and probably needs addressing.
You are correct that Scorps are the easiest to contain, and that reduces escape risk for sure. So for those that enjoy them, that works into their risk reward data. Thrill seeking is like any other addiction (dopamine release) so people seeking hits for a dopamine rush at some point are going to need to up the risk (handling etc..) and this is where this can turn really bad. It's like the guys using squirrel suits to base jump. Soon it isn't just jumping, it is 'let's shoot the gap between those rocks" and this is why they so frequently, and sadly die

I hear what you say. It would be really weird if someone kept a hot for the sole purpose of it being hot. Yet I dont think any private keeper can get off the hook of being a weirdo for having a hot. I can understand the appeal of the Poecilotheria. I almost feel a bit envious of those that are into Ts as the colors are very beautiful but I am told such arboreals can fly up in your face, armpit or up the walls . I dont think they are really hot in the sense that they are not illegal anywhere, but you dont want a bite for sure. We dont want a bite or sting whether it is a forest scorpion or a black mamba . But there are huge differences in the danger risc and the venom potency.

 

[Matt Man]

I hear what you say. It would be really weird if someone kept a hot for the sole purpose of it being hot. Yet I dont think any private keeper can get off the hook of being a weirdo for having a hot. I can understand the appeal of the Poecilotheria. I almost feel a bit envious of those that are into Ts as the colors are very beautiful but I am told such arboreals can fly up in your face, armpit or up the walls . I dont think they are really hot in the sense that they are not illegal anywhere, but you dont want a bite for sure. We dont want a bite or sting whether it is a forest scorpion or a black mamba . But there are huge differences in the danger risc and the venom potency.

there are people I meet at shows, typically inexperienced but wanna get into "Hots" from the get go. I discourage the behavior.
Pokies are fast, it is really fun to watch them feed, but in all honesty not as scary as they are made out to be. Any time mine are disturbed they retreat to their hide or sit still hoping their camp is doing the job. I have yet to see one throw a threat posture, which is way more common among OBTs, H. Macs, etc.....
and agreed, no one wants to get bit. The only Hot Snakes I deal with are Musical. (Band from San Diego who recently lost a member)

 

[Joen4]

there are people I meet at shows, typically inexperienced but wanna get into "Hots" from the get go. I discourage the behavior.
Pokies are fast, it is really fun to watch them feed, but in all honesty not as scary as they are made out to be. Any time mine are disturbed they retreat to their hide or sit still hoping their camp is doing the job. I have yet to see one throw a threat posture, which is way more common among OBTs, H. Macs, etc.....
and agreed, no one wants to get bit. The only Hot Snakes I deal with are Musical. (Band from San Diego who recently lost a member)

I saw something about how you could trick them into going for the hide instead of flying out of the cage . I can certainly understand the desire to discourage. Though much less dangerous, getting baby lizards or snakes that get too big for the home enclosure is also a really bad idea. My first reptile was a green iquana. I think I was 12. I hear today people talk about them being dangerous. Sure he gave me an angry stare sometimes but I was never afraid of him, which I understand I should have been. Apart from nasty scratches you get from any big lizard if you dont wear protection, the only incident was when I as a totally idiot stuck my face into his enclose when he was about 4 ft (tail is 2/3 of it). He gave me a good smack with his tail . My parents hated when he pooped in our bath. It was fun times. I would never get a big animal today though. I want small critters in beautiful setups. That is also the appeal I see in the only hot snake I like, the eyelash viper and related tree vipers. A small stunning snake. Although it has never killed anyone, you DONT want to receive a bite.

I have heard of stories of kids at US expos purchasing a gaboon viper baby which if true is insane. They make many babies and the interest is limited in this noddle from hell, so they are cheap. If you cant sell the babies to responsible adults, you must feed them to king cobras or something.

 

[The Snark]

Speaking mostly to myself, just organizing my mind.
An epiphany. With Phil Ochs song and lyrics, quoted below slightly paraphrased, beautifully elucidating my mental quandary.
"But just one doubt was nagging at my caustic mind....
So I snuck up close behind myself and gave myself a kiss,
and I led myself to the mirror to reveal what I had missed,
where I saw a laughing maniac who was quoting songs like this...
and my shoulders had to shrug,
as I crawled beneath the rug...
and retuned my piano."

My older wiser mind managed to be heard through the mental clamor. "Son, draw an analogy to something you can closely relate to; horses."
Essentially, exactly the same as keeping animals. And horses are much more dangerous than any and all hots.
* In the US, second only to bees and wasps in causing injuries and deaths.
* To some, a pure fetish. The fanciest and foofiest, fantastically expensive
* To others, the big bad macho hot and 'I'm in charge of it, keeping it in a containment'.
* And others... (I'm not understanding these people.) Something to improperly keep until bad care or handling causes their untimely deaths. Quite common.

At the pack station. Three problematic animals. Rattlers here and there and a major job of mine, keeping them and people a safe distance apart. Night cruisers, the scorpions, getting into peoples sleeping bags and personal articles. And horses. Hots. Real, present and ongoing dangers. Most of the injuries I and all others doing horse handling as a job have to cope with.
And airheads. Typified by the 'stable girls'. My man! Ignore the misogyny - not relevant. This is the heart of the matter. Your quandary. The fascination with simply keeping or being around Hots / Horses. They aren't hots by nature, but that's a 1000 lbs+ of muscle, unpredictable, capricious, often moody, and around people, accidents just waiting to happen.

This is the does not compute. Yet every day that goes by, people are buying animals and shoving them in containments or chumming up to and foofing with horses.



I've got a glass aquarium so my scorp can't possibly escape.
Why is my scorp clinging to the underside to my containment lid.?

Well heck. I'm pretty much a pro working horses. Animal control has me on their list to help cope with them. I'm a horse whisperer. Got thousands of miles under me thanks to four legs. Thanks for the dislocated knee and busted ribs, Melody. One of the calmest most gentle horses I've ever worked.

 

[Matt Man]

and as far as sports equestrian is #1 for Cranial / Spinal injuries. One of my clients was badly kicked in the head by her beloved horse. Major facial surgery, head swelling. coma.
Weird thing happened when she got out, she was terrified of her car. Her unconscious mind, protecting the horse, told her she was in a really bad car wreck, even though her car was fine. Climb in the car, panic attack.
Be around the horse that damn near killed her, no reaction at all.
Funny how the brain works.