The itsy-bitsy spider
Climbed up the water spout.
Down came the rain
And washed the spider out.
Out came the sun
And dried up all the rain
And the itsy-bitsy spider
Climbed up the spout again.
–Nursery rhyme

Most of us remember that little nursery rhyme from childhood, accompanied by hand and arm gestures. It evokes a picture of a cute little spider that has no desire to do harm; he just wants to have a safe place to rest in the water spout. Fortunately for us, this is an apt description for the vast majority of spiders that exist in the world. They mean no harm to anyone or anything except flying and crawling insects that constitute their food supply. Unfortunately, there are a few spiders that, although they might mean no harm, are capable of inflicting pain and suffering on humans and horses alike.

It is estimated that there are 30,000 to 40,000 species of spiders in the world. Of this number, only about 100 are known to bite. The number shrivels even more when we consider the fact that in the United States, only a very few are considered to be poisonous. Primarily, they are the black widow and the brown recluse spiders.

Although they are poisonous or venomous, depending on one’s interpretation, it is rare that even these two spiders cause serious injury via bites. When they do, however, it can be painful and potentially harmful to the good health of horses and humans