You're right in that I have little or no experience with horses. The incident related should explain why. I had gone along on the expedition after having joined the conversation half-way through and was under the impression we were going for a country walk. Having arrived at the stables, I was curious enough to carry on up to the point when I was bitten. I had no idea what this behaviour indicated -I had been soft-mouthed by friendly dogs before, but horses aren't dogs - so thought it safest to assume hostility. So now I leave them alone in the hope that they will extend me the same courtesy!

I took the same precaution when told by a staff member at a Sea-World that if I extended my hand over the pool, a dolphin might come up and rub against it. I declined to do so - never trust a species that grins all the time, they're up to something.