dogsnhorses wrote:
In a safe pasture with compatible herdmates and good fencing, horses are rarely injured. Perhaps the occasional bite mark or scrape, but that's about it.

In 20+ years keeping horses this way, I've had only a few times with an injury bad enough to need the vet, and none of those was bad enough to be an emergency.
This is how ours are kept and I've noticed the same thing.

I just found it ironic because we used to board one of my trainer's mares at our last house when he had bred her so she could foal out there.  He got offended when we told him that once she learned the fence line, she would be kept out *gasp* all day and all night!  He made it sound as though she would get hurt if she was left out all night....yet his horses are hurt way more often and they are kept in the "safety" of stalls most of the day...hmm.

If you're wrong, admit it.  If you're right...shut up!