Are Horses' Heads More Sensitive Than Their Bodies?

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puzzles

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Nov 11, 2006
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... Or rather, is the common belief that slapping a horse in the head is wrong, but kicking, punching or otherwise hitting her/him on the body is acceptable a well-founded and justificable belief? Is there any evidence for this? I am not starting a "for" or "against" argument about the endless rights & wrongs of slapping horses, but am genuinely curious as to why people have this sort of double-standard. Is it just because head slapping can make a horse head shy? If so, then what makes the rest of the body seem more acceptable to contact?

x
 
All the major survival kit is in the head, eyes, ears, teeth & nose. He needs them all to survive, his mouth is very sensetive as are all the other bits, natures way of protecting them agains serious injury.


A horse will swing his bum on you, if he is not sure, not to kick you but to take his head into a safe zone.

So many folk misinterperet this in a nervous horse as an attempt to kick. He's just protecting his vunerable, sensitive head.

There is also little muscle overlaying bone and thin skin on the head. A slap on his backend or neck will not have the same effect.
 
Hmm, interesting - thank you! :)

But surely, the bum, back, belly & legs being where pradators would attack, are equally as sensitive even if they may be more fleshy?

x
 
But a good gnawing on his bum won't do the damage the same gnawing on the head would do.
 
~*sugarlump*~ said:
Well, would you prefer to be slapped/punched in your face or your arm/leg etc?
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True; but then again we aren't instinctively protective over these areas. I understand that horses have thinner skin on their face, but their legs etc are vulnerable too, whereas the face isn't a major predator target. So arguably these areas are just as sensitive ... ?

x
 
The nose is a major predator target. If you watch a lion with a Zebra he will go for the nose too, while his mates go for other parts.
 
Where would one give a horse an injection of e.g. antibiotic? In his chest, base of the neck, buttocks or rump - yes. In his lip, nose, cheek or eye - no!
 
I don't think its a double standard. A slap on the chest or base of the neck is effective cos it makes a loud noise where the horse's body is very fleshy, without having to use too much force. Its not going to hurt them just provide a quick shock (think how rough horses are when playing in the field or a mare when disciplining her foal, or even how a tap with the whip feels - there is no comparison).

The horse isn't going to be startled by your hand moving towards his chest. On the other hand, if you swing your hand at his face, this is going to frighten him as you are so close to his eves. You'll end up with a horse you can't handle and who doesn't trust you near his head.

You say you would expect them to be just as protective of their legs - but this doesn't really hold true does it? If it was the case a horse would never jump, would never canter over rough terrain/long grass and would never step in water it couldn't see the bottom of.
 
Some can be very protective of their legs, specially if it's people handling them.

Galloping about through grass and stuff is one thing, handling legs, if they don't trust you it can be a trial.
 
TEmily said:
You say you would expect them to be just as protective of their legs - but this doesn't really hold true does it?
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There used to be an old cowboy saying about a horse being really quiet if you could curry comb them below the knees. I think the phrase more relates to being able to touch them below the knees, rather than actually curry combing them (or do people actually do this).

It is a fear that is conditioned out of them. You normally don't try and touch an untrusting horse's legs until you can touch its head all over, therwise you might get bitten on the butt as well as being kicked.
 
The legs and hed of a horse has very little padding; it's mostly bone close to the surface under the skin. The body is fleshy; much better for absorbing the impact of knocks coming from people and other horses.

This is also why if a horse cuts itself on the face or leg, it is more likely to scar and even takes longer to heal due to there being less flesh and tissue under it.

So yes, I'd say a horse's face is more sensitive than its body.
 
A horse will swing his bum on you, if he is not sure, not to kick you but to take his head into a safe zone.
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Lucy Rees makes this point in her excellent article on the Pottock ponies, this isn't an aggressive gesture at all :)
 
A horse will swing his bum on you, if he is not sure, not to kick you but to take his head into a safe zone.
Click to expand...

Working, all the time with unhandled ponies, as we do, this is something I encounter a great deal. I have yet to be kicked in the situation.
 
I think the phrase more relates to being able to touch them below the knees, rather than actually curry combing them (or do people actually do this).
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Mine loves a good rough groom below hocks and knees - especially at coat change times :) I use a variety of things - rubber curry, regular stiff bristled brush, the side of a hoof pick... ;) If you scratch against the grain of the hair he goes into total ecstasy, wobbly lip, neck all stretched, teeth clacking :D

Mind you, I haven't found the bit he doesn't mind being touched, so that might just be him...

The others in the herd also like scritchies in odd places (one mare loves having her udder cleaned :rolleyes:). Maybe we have a particularly trusting bunch, or maybe they're just very very itchy!

ETA - every horse I have groomed has liked a scratch with a bristly brush just behind their heels.

I think all animals tend to try to defend their eyes where possible - so any motion towards them is a potential threat. Humans are no different from horses on that one.
 
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