I kept reading that horses fear camels and believed it unti I saw the film Lawrence of Arabia. In it you have hundreds of horses calmly trotting side-by side with hundreds of camels! So should assume that these horses were forced to tolerate these camels? What really is the degree or intensity of fear involved here? Better yet, what is it based on?

RickJ

Actually, the reason they got along in the movie is because generally horses don't fear camels. Yes, we find it stated here and there but it's more urban legend (and not a common one at all) than fact.

I am not a zoologist, but zoology and research interest me. Research tells me horses do not really fear camels.

Starman

Ever read about an ancient battle in Asia where an entire army was routed when cavalry horses panicked because the opposing cavalry was riding camels. If true, then how can we conclude that it's just a saying. What's your opinion on this historical incident.

RickJ

The only thing I come up with is the story of Cyrus The Great of Persia's defeat of Croesus of Lydia (6th century BC):
"Cyrus is said to have overthrown the Lydians in the final battle by placing camels in front of his own troops, with the result that the strange smell so terrified the horses of the Lydian cavalry that their ranks were scattered in confusion."

To add: a painter named Harvey Dunn, in 1928, did a painting called Fools, do you not know horses fear camels?

You've got my curiosity going though. Next time I'm at our wonderful zoo, I'll ask one of the keepers. We're there about once a month.

SixTails

I realize this was asked quite some time ago, but I thought I'd throw my two cents' in.

Horses are prey animals, and thus tend to fear new things of all types, because with prey animals new can often = something that wants to eat you. How badly they react to new things/animals depends on the individual. Some handle new things with minor wariness, and some exit the scene entirely. For example, some horses take immediately to working with cows, and some will run a mile the first time they're presented with one. My gelding was deathly afraid of traffic cones. One of the things we do with horses is get them used to new situations slowly, with reassurance and repetition. What I would guess for the movie was that the horses had been taught that camels are nothing to be afraid of. In the historical setting, if the cavalry horses had never seen camels before they might very well break and run.