Investigating horse hair whorls

Is it possible to gain insights into a horse's character merely by examining its facial features? 

Hair whorls, also referred to as cowlicks or trichoglyphs, are described as variations in hair patterns, and can manifest as circular or linear forms. They are commonly observed on the horse's face, neck, and body.

 

Whorls are hereditary traits in horses and may be linked to temperament and coat colour. 

 

The number and placement of hair whorls have been the subject of numerous superstitions. For instance, whorls on the neck and pectoral region are often considered lucky, while those on the lower part of the thigh, jaw, back, and shoulders are looked upon less favourably.

 

Although the idea that whorl position is linked to temperament might initially seem far-fetched, it becomes less implausible when considering that these features are attributed to the same layer of cells in the embryo as the nervous system, suggesting a connection to early foetal brain development.

 

Some people associate specific whorl patterns with calm and trainable temperaments, and other patterns with more spirited or challenging behaviour. 

 

Ana Encina and colleagues conducted research on whorls in the Pura Raza Española (PRE) horse, the chief native Spanish equine breed. Their study looked at the frequency and genetic parameters, including heritability and genetic correlations, of circular and linear hair whorls on the head, body, neck, and limbs of PRE horses. Factors such as gender, level of inbreeding, birth period, and coat colour were also considered in their investigation.

 

They found that circular hair whorls were more prevalent than linear ones. Linear whorls were less common, with over 90% of horses lacking them on their head and limbs, although more than half display them on their body and neck. Conversely, a majority of horses, especially those with a grey coat, had circular hair whorls below the central line of the eyes. 

 

They conclude that, considering previous correlations between hair whorl position and temperament in cattle, the findings could support a potential link between hair whorl position and a more docile, calm temperament in horses, particularly within the PRE breed and the specific grey coat colour. However, additional research is necessary to substantiate this hypothesis.

 

 

 

For more details, see:

 

Phenotypic and Genetic Study of the Presence of Hair Whorls in Pura Raza Español Horses. 

Encina A, Ligero M, Sánchez-Guerrero MJ, Rodríguez-Sainz de los Terreros A, Bartolomé E, Valera M. 

Animals. 2023; 13(18):2943. 

https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13182943