Look, when a beach town tells you not to pet the horses, however beautiful they are, don’t pet the wild horses.
A male vacationer may think twice about ever disobeying authorities because it can have consequences — such as getting kicked in the crotch by a horse.
The incident happened on the beach in Assateague Island, off the coast of Maryland. Major pun intended here. The first three letters of the island’s name appears to epitomize the stupid tourist.
Oh, and there’s footage.
And he was wearing a “skimpy” bathing suit.
Plus, he’s pasty pale.
It’s not like he wasn’t warned.
“Enjoy their beauty from a distance, and you can help make sure these extraordinary wild horses will continue to thrive on Assateague Island,” reads a statement on the National Park Service website. There’s also plenty of signage on the island.
“It’s not a common thing at all,” Garrett Caldwell, a volunteer for the National Park Service, told me by phone Monday. “It’s once in a blue moon. It’s usually out-of-towners that don’t obey and go off and do their own thing. Unfortunately, these accidents do happen. If they so choose to make those mistakes, then this is what can happen.”
Caldwell says the signage is rampant. “It’s posted everywhere,” he said, explaining that humans must maintain a 40-foot distance from the horses at all times. “They are displayed all over our visitor’s center. It’s really hard to miss them.” (RELATED: Feds Offer $1000 To Adopt Wild Horses)
When asked how locals react to idiotic tourists who pet these gorgeous horses, he replied, “They kind of shake their heads. Like how do you miss that type of thing? But locals know better. We say over and over, they are definitely wild animals. They are not domesticated. No matter how much they are around humans, they maintain a wild will.”
There are other rules, such as not feeding the wild horses, which seems like a no-brainer. The horses typical dine on marsh grasses and plants around the island.
“Feeding and/or petting them is detrimental to both visitors and horses,” the park service site says. “Horses can get sick from human food. Those that learn to come up to the road to beg for food are often hit and killed by cars.”
Tourists who don’t heed the warnings have paid dearly.
“Visitors are kicked, bitten and knocked down every year as a direct result of getting too close to the wild horses,” the NPS site explains. ” Treating wild horses like tame animals takes away the wildness that makes them special. Protect your family by respecting theirs. Give the horses the space they need to be wild.”
Caldwell, the local expert, maintained that the island isn’t just about horses. Although, one could argue they are the main attraction. He says the place has sand dunes, forests and a pretty beachfront.
For his (or her) part, the horse in this groin-attack appeared to know exactly what he’s doing as he hoof went directly for the man’s privates.
In one swift kick, the man flew back and landed on his butt in the sand.