Now that we understand that horses do not do things just to annoy us, that they always have a reason, either safety or comfort issues, it may be a good time to look at some of these touchy spots and discover why they are so sensitive.
1. the mouth
2. the death spot
3. girth
4. legs
5. flank
6. under the tail
7. personal space
8. back legs
1. The Mouth – apart from being an obviously sensitive place, the mouth and in particular the nose has a unique quality. Just underneath the top lip is a little spot that when stimulated, releases endorphin into the body. Endorphin has the opposite function to adrenalin. That is, it slows everything down and makes the horse drowsy. When a prey animal is attacked, most often one of the attackers will go for the nose to try and drag the animal down. By having this trigger point here, Mother Nature has shown some mercy by helping the animal have a less painful and traumatic death. There is another trigger point just in front of the shoulder.
2. The Death Spot – right at this point is where the spinal cord is closest to the outside of the body. All horses know instinctively that one good swipe of a predator’s claw (much like our hand!) in this spot could sever the cord and completely disable them.
3. The Girth – again a popular spot for predators to attack. One good swipe of the claw leaves the animal disembowelled. No wonder some horses get a little cinchy or girthy.
4. The Legs – are the horse’s primary mode of survival. The tendons exposed at the back of the leg can be vulnerable and horses will protect them.
5. The Flank – this area is in close proximity to the genital area and is where the rib cage protecting the vital organs ends. This is a favourite place of attack for the lone predator that leaps onto the horses back from behind, wrapping it’s fore legs around each side to tear it open with it’s claws.
6. Under the Tail – rub under your horses tail and feel how soft and tender the skin is under here. Very sensitive and once again near the genital area; most important to prey animals counting on reproduction for the species to survive.
7. The Personal Space – horses are very wary of anything sneaking up on them and will sometimes start if they see something suddenly appear in their personal space. Run first - ask questions later!
8. Back Legs - Just above the hock on the back legs is another spot where tendons are vulnerable. Pressure at this point will collapse the back end, making flight virtually impossible.
Is it any wonder that some horses have difficulty giving us their complete trust when we act in a predatory way, particularly around these areas? This may explain why some horses have issues like being difficult to bridle, worm, catch, pull back when tied up, get cinchy, buck, rear, kick, strike, tuck and run, shy, bite, blow-up and a host of other things.
When they do react like this, rather than us getting mean, mad or frustrated, what they need from us is our understanding. They are letting us know that they still see us as predatory in some way and they don’t quite trust us THAT much yet. We need to learn to not take it personally. It’s their life at stake and they need to feel sure of us.
If your horse does have some of these reactions, try not to see it as a personal slight, but rather an invitation to become the kind of leader that your horse respects, admires and trusts.
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- By Meredith Ransley, Quantum Savvy.