Are some horses more sensitive...

[K8]

Than others, Or do some just express them selves more?

Do you think they all 'feel' the same things or do their life experiences all add or take away sensitivity??

[Deleted]

I think they have different temperaments and some will tolerate more than others. Some are naturally laid back whereas others are time bombs.

Life experiences and handling in my opinion will exagerate these traits. A nervous stressy type will become worse with either forceful or inconsistent handling and will lose confidence easily, I think the laid back types just switch off with less than ideal handling. I think good handling and good experiences can control and reduce the sensitivity but I think it will always be there and reasonably easily triggered if it's a fundamental temperament trait

[K8]

what about physically sensitive? Like sensitive to the bit or saddle for instance?

[bryony83]

I did hear that Chestnuts are more sensitive than other horses. I did get told why but can't remember why, might be due to hair as I know people with red hair has less hairs on their head than other colours. Mmmm just rambling now sorry

[K8]

No bryony.. thats the kind of thing i meant.

People say TB's are thinner skinned.... Are they?!?!

[rj]

I don't know the answer but I am sure that some horses are more REACTIVE than others. Some internalise their feelings more and others react immediately.
We were always told that cobs are less sensitive than TB's & Arabs, but I think that is not the case. Some cobs and others who do not show a fast physical reaction to something, actually seem to be worrying rather than moving.
The heart monitor test would be interesting, because I'm sure it was shown that when they're moving the heart-rate goes down, while standing stressing makes it whoosh up.
I'm not sure about sensitivity to touch, that must be down to each individual I suppose?

[Zoe RA]

Without a shadow of a doubt!

In the same way that some people feel things physically more than others, so do some horses. Some breeds are naturally more sensitive than others - thin skinned TBs for example, or chestnut horses - but within breeds you are going to get variations too.

Apparently red headed people are hell to give anesthetics too because they are more sensitive to pain so need more anesthetic. Makes sense really as chestnut horses physically have more sensory nerves than other colours, hence their sensitivity

[Trouble]

If I just say one word.....

SNIP


Does that answer the question?! lol!!

[K8]

lol trouble!!

[Trouble]

On a serious note - yes i think some horses are more sensitive than other, but sometimes it's the reactivity, not the sensitivity that we see.

My friend has a horse who is so good, bombproof, nothing 'bothers' him. Yet it is easy to hurt his feelings, and he is very sensitive in that way - but the reactivity isn't there.

Then there's Snip, who you only have to blink out of turn and he's a dying swan (I know there is a problem there so it's not his fault) and he becomes outwardly violent, aggressive, panicked - very reactive. Yet, it's not so easy to 'hurt his feelings'

[2 bays & a grey:D]

Think my two are like that, Nancy, nothing much bothers her yet is very easy to hurt her feellings and will let you know with teeth when you do (incidently seeing a lot of teeth at the moment as she is not happy with her environment, I am guessing) and bronte seems quite 'tough' on the face of it yet is scared of her own shadow. Yet Bronte is more submissive whereas nancy will fight tooth and nail and be very dangerous is she feels threathend, Bronte will run 1st think later. They are very complex animals and for me to decipher all the behaviour they display is way beyond my knowledge, I just know what makes my girls tick, what they like and don't and try to understand why they display certain behaviour and behave accordingly.
I know what I am trying to say anyway

[Mellymoo]

My lad is very sensitive, and is stressy. He cribbed badly when I first got him, and although now he is better, he still gets stressed sometimes and does it. I have to have low energy when dealing with him if he is upset. One of the exmoors is the opposite - nothing bothers her at all, and she needs some high energy handling at times to get her going!

[Deleted]

my old chestnut mare hated being groomed, came to me head to toe with rain scald and then developed sweet itch later on in life, so that does follow on the chestnut theory. Interesting

[HolsBols]

I think anyone questioning the sensitivity of horses should get on my TB chestnut mare bareback with just a headcollar.

You literally have to think what you want her to do and which way to turn and shes doing it. Maybe it is reactivity, she's extremely reactive to things around her but she projects her feelings into the rider more intensely than any other horse i know that it must be sensitivity!!

I can be riding her and all of a sudden adrenaline is pumping for no reason, then i notice her ears and realise shes concerned about something then just a big deep breath, she copies and adrenalines gone again. very odd

[Yann]

People say TB's are thinner skinned.... Are they?!?!

No two ways about it, it's true. I've got a Tb and a welshie type, same age, similar temperaments, both pleasant to be around but I experience the contrast between them, both physically and mentally every single day. I think horses are as varied as people in terms of both physical and mental sensitivity, although you can cast your net over most breeds and you'll get more similarities than differences amongst them.