Do you think my horse was protecting me or just got spooked?

So a while back a man on trail walking tried to pull me off my horse and my horse swung her back end at him and kicked at him the man came very quickly towards us once he got close. (I went and got a park ranger and they found him he is serving 4years for assault) I am super thankful that my horse reacted the way she did. But do you think she truly was trying to protect me or just spooked at the man. Thank you!God bless!

it was probably a combination of both. Very nice horse

I think mostly spoked because when horses spoke they swing there butts at what's scaring them if it doesn't react to the threat it's gonna do whatever it can to get it away or hurt it but you are very lucky and it sounds like a really loyal horse

I think she was protecting herself as much as you. The man probably approached threateningly, made the mare think that he was going to hurt her and you, so swung and kicked. I don't think she was spooked as much, because I think she would've ran instead than kicking.

Animals are able to sense emotions better than us humans, They can pick up on fear, excitement, stress etc. Your horse might of been picking up on the emotions of this man. Then again perhaps the man got too close or touched the horse and the horse took that as a threat. Has your horse ever acted this way to strangers or people who come in to close contact with it? If not i would perhaps say that the horse sensed something you could not and gave him a warning kick! My dog did the same in a similar situation, she has never acted aggressively to anyone, not even strangers. but she sensed something i could not feel nor even see before the person approached me she tried to attack, while he backed off and started yelling at me. He was know to be aggressive because of his mental illness (i had not know until a family member told me about his behaviour and that he was known to randomly bite and kick people) - and he spouted off some things that i could barely comprehend and tried to reach at my arm and my dog took a leap and almost grabbed his hand! It was just quite odd that even though this man never displayed any anger or threat previously (in my eyes) that she tried to attack him!

That's such a nice story and i think it was both. Animals know how you feel and I bet she/he knew you were creeped so she did what she/he could. It also could have been that she felt something malicious about that guy.Or he walked too close or in the wrong spot

Horses minds don't work like ours, the horse may not have seen it as a threat to you as much as a threat to her. Although, chances are she was protecting you both naturally. Sounds like a lovely horse though x

BothMaybe more spooked because thats horses instinct

I think the horse knew it was a bad situation and just reacted.