Temple Grandin talks a lot about cattle's flight zones & 'pressure'.. The breed of the bull can make a difference (continental breeds like the Lim can be fiery). (Native British breeds such as the Hereford or Devons are calm)..
I have had them challenge horses but it is usually when they are first introduced to horses. After they are trained to work horseback they are usually less aggressive than originally
Never ever trust that a bull or any of your cattle won't change in a moment and hurt you. My family owned a couple different Stockyard's from before I was born in the 1970's until the early 2000's and sadly we have heard quite a few stories over those years of farmers getting hurt or even killed. One thing alot of those stories had in common would be the story " I've had that ole bull since he was born or since he was a yearling and he ain't never acted like that" ... " He just busted through that gate bla bla" stuff like that. I don't like making pets of cattle and don't suggest it. Even if you buy a bottle baby Holstein from a dairy and have to hand bottle feed it for a while remember when he or she weighs 700lbs (or even less) in the future he can decide he wants to go a different direction than you want and can if he wants.
Pressure is when you move close to an animal to the point where they will feel uncomfortable. In an aggressive animal, they may try to fight you and show signs that they want you to back off. In a calm or docile animal, they might barely move and they'll tolerate you in their personal space. With 'flighty' or nervous animals, they will turn away and walk away from you. Usually, regardless of an animals temperament and personality, they should always give in to the person putting pressure on them, as that person is "the boss". Hope that helps!
