Horse Fakes Being Dead When Someone Tries to Mount Him
Image: Tom Oun (Not an image of the horse in question.)
You might be familiar with possums that “play dead,” but have you ever heard of a horse doing the same? Indeed, it seems these animals are also known for this behavior. However, instead of fainting involuntarily as possums do, horses appear to be employing this tactic to evade responsibilities. (Perhaps there’s something we can glean from this).
One humorous clip features a horse named Jingang executing a cunning maneuver: collapsing just when people attempt to ride him. The video includes several takes of him falling dramatically, accompanied by heavy breathing and rolled eyes. It’s only when Jingang believes he’s not being observed that he stands up and resumes his activities.
As per the viral footage, Jingang has been performing this act for quite some time and has honed his performance. This involves collapsing from a low center of gravity, essentially resting on the ground, ensuring that neither he nor the riders face any injury.
Jingang is not the only horse with a flair for tricks. “My friend owned a horse that I could swear believed it was a dog,” a Reddit user shared in a discussion that showcases a variation of the original clip. “He was also quite the prankster. His favorite trick was to ‘sneak’ up behind you in a rather conspicuous manner and swipe your hat. He would then place it on the most distant post he could locate and perform a joyful dance upon your discovery of it, subsequently seeking affection for his cleverness.”
“We had a horse that would feign lameness when my sister attempted to ride her,” another user remarked, “but then she would dash about when we let her out in the pasture.”
While numerous commenters on Reddit view the video and can envision a horse pretending to be dead independently, others speculate that Jingang could be a trained performer acting on cue. Although we may never ascertain the truth, the anecdotal accounts from our fellow internet users suggest that horses are not always as they appear.
Observe Jingang the horse “playing dead” by collapsing whenever someone tries to ride him.
Horse behaving as if dead whenever people attempt to ride it.
by u/BadGirlNila in AnimalsBeingDerps
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