Farm Animal Phobias

All of the following phobias have to do with farm animals, or animals that people have as pets. Remember, each time a person with a phobia is confronted by what he or she fears, there are physical reactions. Dread, nausea, or breathlessness overcomes him. He sweats excessively and possibly loses the ability to think or speak clearly. Loss of control and excessive anger are also liable to occur. The individual could also experience a full-blown anxiety attack and detachment from reality.

If one just stayed away from animals, I guess that being afflicted with an animal phobia would be too bad. But have you ever tried to stay away from all animals? Even if one lives in the city and has no pets, there are birds that fly around. Stray dogs and cats are in every city across the country.

There are even stray horses. Once my neighbor’s horse got out of his stall and ended up in my front yard. Lucky for me I’m not afflicted with Hippophobia, fear of horses. What if I did struggle with Hippophobia? How would I have reacted when I looked out my front door and saw a horse eating the grass in my front yard? How would I have ensured that the horse went back to where he belonged? Write a short story telling how you think I would have dealt with the situation.

Someone who is afflicted with Bovinophobia has an unnatural fear of cows. Maybe the individual was chased by a cow or steer as a youngster. Maybe he saw a cow attack someone and hurt the individual seriously or kill him. The person may never have even seen a live cow, but just be afraid that one will chase or hurt him.

Maurice grew up on a cow farm and suffers from Bovinophobia. As soon as Maurice turned 18, he moved off the farm. His dad has tried everything he can possibly think of to get Maurice to at least come and visit him, but has not had any luck. The cows are how he makes his living, so he cannot get rid of them. One day Maurice gets a phone call from his aunt. She informs him that his dad is seriously injured and his only request before he dies is that Maurice, his only son, come and see him one more time. What happened to cause Maurice to be so deathly afraid of cows? Does Maurice go visit his dad? Was his dad seriously injured, or was it all a trick?

I could not find a name for fear of goats. Since the scientific name for a goat is capra hircus, the name for fear of goats should be Capraphobia. The main reason I have read that people have a phobia of goats is because of the blank stare that they give you. As a goat owner, I have a bit of trouble understanding this one. My goats are rather sweet animals.

Delores is a kindergarten teacher. The parents of one of her students own a petting zoo and have practically begged her to bring the entire class to visit the zoo. After being asked half a dozen times, she decides to quit putting it off and take the class to the petting zoo. What harm could happen at a petting zoo? Maybe there aren’t even goats at this one. The zoo does have goats and she freezes up. Which one of her students goes to her assistance and helps her to get over her phobia?

Almost every farm has a pig or two. If the farmer was afflicted with Swinophobia, I’m sure he would find a valid reason not to have any pigs on his farm. Pigs are cute when they are little, but not so cute when they grow up. I can understand someone being afraid of a hog. They are huge and will eat just about anything, including dead bodies.

Andy, afflicted with swinophobia, works for Farmer Joe. He has always done everything Farmer Joe has asked of him, until one day the farmer brings home half a dozen pigs. Andy cleans up after goats, sheep, horses, cows, and chickens. He wants absolutely nothing to do with the pigs. Why not? Does his job survive?

What other farm animals do people have unrealistic phobias of? Ovinophobia is the fear of sheep. I wonder, could a person be so phobic of sheep that he or she would even be afraid of items made from wool?

Play around with the nursery rhyme “Mary had a little lamb”. Change it so that she doesn’t have a pet lamb who follows her to school each day. Instead she is deathly afraid of sheep and lambs and there is this little lamb who follows her to school each day and terrifies her. Why is the lamb following her every day? Now write a story detailing how she deals with this lamb.

Feel free to post any of the exercises you choose to do in the forum.