Fatal accident to a horse from a narrow transverse beam in the box door

: It is reported on the fatal accident of a horse due to a cross-beam too low above the door of the stable, in which the animal suffered several skull fractures and a tear of the musculus longus capitis from the base of the skull. The aim of this article is, to supply a contribution to the establishment of minimal requirements for the housing of horses, in this case for the request of the minimum height of stable doors and ceilings as well as for constructions on horse transporters. On the grounds of this example, the natural behaviour of horses is discussed at the hand of the literature and the efforts are shown to improve the existing inadequacies in the housing and transport of horses with regard to the judicial situation. In the light of section 2 of the animal protection law, as to the construction of horse stables the importance is especially emphasized to consider the panic behaviour in connection with abrupt flight reactions as physiologic in the prevention of accidents.