Whorls and there meanings

Holliehope

Holliehope

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So my horse has a double whorl middle of her eyes just for a giggle wondered if any one has any theories about whorls and there meanings ?
I know of a few old wives tales that double whorls where ment to be lucky
 
Just had a quick read is interesting
The paper I read before said double whorls mean double personality haha means my horse is bi polar !!
I will stick to the lucky and top jumper would be lovely lol
 
Holliehope said:
Just had a quick read is interesting
The paper I read before said double whorls mean double personality haha means my horse is bi polar !!
I will stick to the lucky and top jumper would be lovely lol
Click to expand...

I am sticking to that notion of lucky too, even if he seems more like a dipstick than anything else at times. :-)
 
My grey is a triple whirler. :) This pic of her as a foal shows them reasonably clearly.

Flossyfour.jpg
 
My pony has lots of whorls - what does this mean - it is harder to clip him with his hair growing in whorls. Whorls do have a purpose as they are meant to help the water run off the fur.
 
Linda Tellington-Jones wrote a whole book on assessing personality by the shape of the head, ears, eyes, jaw, nostrils, mouth, nose and whorls. She says it is important not just to pick on one feature, but to assess the whole picture.
Whorls, double, single, off-centre, different placements CAN mean something.

She researched her theories with many, many horses. Without going to look up the book I can't tell you what they mean.
 
Orangehorse said:
Linda Tellington-Jones wrote a whole book on assessing personality by the shape of the head, ears, eyes, jaw, nostrils, mouth, nose and whorls. She says it is important not just to pick on one feature, but to assess the whole picture.
Whorls, double, single, off-centre, different placements CAN mean something.

She researched her theories with many, many horses. Without going to look up the book I can't tell you what they mean.
Click to expand...

do you know the name of the book ? Might be an interesting read
Or terrifying read if it says my new wildling is crazy lol
 
Both of my Appy mares have double whorls, they do share some pedigree, so I wonder if they are an inherited trait. They are both more reactive than the two horses we have with single whorls, but they are a draught mare and a cob mare, so it is only to be expected :)
 
I have the book, it is called Getting in Touch with Horses, have just had a look

Quote "2 swirls side by side in the middle of the forehead. In 70% of cases horses with this pattern will tend to react badly in stressful situations"

Quote "2 swirls one set above the other between the eyes. Can be as read as a warning, 70% of horses who have this pattern are more sensitive than normal and are easily upset."

Quote "3 triple swirls are rare, the triple swirl indicates a complex individual but not an unpredictable one"

Hope this is helpful.
 
This is all quite interesting! My boy has a high central whorl, single I think (checked my piccies of him and his forelock is in the way!). No idea what it 'means', but he is a kind, inquisitive chap.
 
silv said:
I have the book, it is called Getting in Touch with Horses, have just had a look

Quote "2 swirls side by side in the middle of the forehead. In 70% of cases horses with this pattern will tend to react badly in stressful situations"

Quote "2 swirls one set above the other between the eyes. Can be as read as a warning, 70% of horses who have this pattern are more sensitive than normal and are easily upset."

Quote "3 triple swirls are rare, the triple swirl indicates a complex individual but not an unpredictable one"

Hope this is helpful.
Click to expand...


2 whorls side by side just summed my horse up in one sentence !! Really weird
 
Quote the book again.........

A single swirl between or above the eyes

"this pattern and position is the standard one displayed by the majority of the horses in our studies and observations. It indicates a horse with a generally uncomplicated nature but there are variations. Sometimes swirls are set a little to one side or the other.

With swirls set to the left as you face the animal, the horse will tend to be a touch more complicated but still trustworthy. Horses who have a swirls set a bit to the right of the centre may be less cooperative than those with the pattern in the centre or to the left.

In general, swirls of this sort are less indicative of character than the more complex patterns."
 
I also have a double whorler & she's a wee superstar :) However the whorls are quite far apart & vertical (as opposed to being side by side) My old horse had a prophets thumb print on her neck & i loved it, made her very special :)
 
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silv said:
Quote "2 swirls side by side in the middle of the forehead. In 70% of cases horses with this pattern will tend to react badly in stressful situations".
Click to expand...

Might explain why my boy smacked me in the face tonight while jumping after he got very nervous because of me haha.
 
My horse has 2 whorls side by side above his eye line, and then a third in the middle on the same line as his eyes (so below the two). He is a TB but a very laid back character, and certainly does not react badly in stressful situations!
ETA, he also has a prophets thumb mark on his neck. He is very special :smile3:
 
Not sure if this has already been mentioned but there is a correlation between whorls and the direction they go and whether your horse is left or right footed. To test this theory of footedness get your horse to stand square and then walk him on. See which foot he strikes off with and see if its the same foot each time.

A quick search has found this item that I posted on the 1st June 2009 on this very forum:

This was published in H&H early Dec 2008. I kept meaning to look at my horse to see but kept forgetting. Why don't we all have a look at our neds tonight and see if they are right or left footed and compare notes tommorow?

A study, in the veterinary journal Behavioural Processes,by vets Jack Murphy and Sean Arkins, suggests that whether the whorl on a horse's forehead spirals clockwise or anti-clockwise indicates if it is left- or right-hoofed. A total of 219 horses were classed as being left- or right-hoofed, based on which hoof the horse led with when walking, which side they chose to go round an obstacle and the opinion of their rider.
Of 104 who favoured their left hoof, 75% had anti-clockwise whorls, while of the 95 right-hoofed horses, 67% had clockwise whorls. Dr Murphy told H&H: "Whorls are just a small part of the mix. It doesn't mean a racehorse will definitely win on a left-handed track if it is left-hoofed, but it may have an advantage."
 
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