Can horses grapple?

[Kimera757]

One wonders why constrictor snakes don't get a racial bonus to grapple checks. But something makes me think that escaping a hippo which is atypically deliberately sitting on your chest is going to be incredibly difficult. Hippos generally don't do that, but they can be violent and have far more effective ways of ruining your day.

[Chris Lambertz]

Please take note that this isn't an official answer and entirely a an anecdotal contribution in the name of complete chaos and silliness.

Technically, the rules don't inhibit horses from grappling. So, if you really want to give your GM a headache (as my group was inclined to), you can have your bard, cleric, sorcerer or wizard (in our case, the bard), learn Summon Monster III. You summon 1d4+1 horses. One of the horses attempts to grapple the enemy while the remaining horses use aid another and help the first horse grapple the enemy. That's right. Potentially 5 horses helping each other grapple a single target.

And if that wasn't enough fun, try this tactic while another caster in your group creates a pit during this absurd display, causing the enemy and a few horses to topple into said pit.

You're welcome! :D

[blackbloodtroll]

A Horse pile of horses, all grappling and horsing around?

Horse hockey!

[Dennis Baker]

Kimera757 wrote:

One wonders why constrictor snakes don't get a racial bonus to grapple checks. But something makes me think that escaping a hippo which is atypically deliberately sitting on your chest is going to be incredibly difficult. Hippos generally don't do that, but they can be violent and have far more effective ways of ruining your day.

#1 The "Constrictor Snake" from the bestiary is a size Medium creature. For a sized Medium creature their grapple check is quite decent. The bestiary described the constrictor as "a small constrictor snake" specifically and gives some suggestions for altering it to make it size Large and must nastier grappler.

#2 They do get a racial bonus to grapple in the form of the grab monster special ability. Grab is given to creatures who... grab stuff. It gives them a +4 on grapple checks and the ability to grapple as a free action on a bite so they don't provoke. Creatures with grab are much better at grappling.
#C Snakes are great at grappling creatures their size (aka 'food') or smaller and the constrictor in the bestiary is in fact pretty darned good at grappling creatures size Medium or smaller. If you follow the notes on advancing it to size Large, it's pretty decent at grappling size Large creatures also.

[Ciaran Barnes]

It is my understanding that police horses are trained to pin unruly pedestrians to walls by leaning against them.