Les changements dans la robe font partie de mes observations du cheval, surtout quand on voit des changements ces indications pourraient être utiles. Les épis sont aussi notés et parfois on me demande pourquoi... Voici les infos que j'ai pu collectionner pour expliquer un peu l'intérêt. Je pense que tout ça reste dans la catégorie "intéressant" et ne change pas la façon que je travaille. Un cheval compliqué avec des épis compliqués.... intéressant ! Mais l'approche reste sans force et en respectant les seuils de tolérance du cheval.
"Un épi chez un cheval est un ensemble de poils divergents ou convergents autour d’un point, plus ou moins apparent. Il est défini par le sens de pousse des poils (horaire ou anti-horaire) et sa localisation. Les épis peuvent être présents sur toutes les parties du corps, et se trouvent principalement sur la tête, l'encolure, le poitrail, le ventre, et les jarrets. Un cheval possède en moyenne 6 épis, bien qu'un cheval arabe ait été enregistré avec 40 épis. Le nombre d'épis et leurs localisations sont relevés dans le signalement des chevaux, afin de permettre leur identification."
Épi du cheval — Wikipédia (wikipedia.org)
"Did you ever consider that a swirl on a horse’s body could give you clues to his personality? Or perhaps help predict where he may be stiff, resistant or have trouble bending? Callie Rae King investigates."
What’s in a Swirl? | HORSE NATION
"Why should hair swirls and temperament be connected in any way? As it turns out, hair swirl patterns form in the developing fetus at the same time the brain is forming.
"The nervous system and the skin, which contains the whorl patterns, come from the same embryonic layer," explains Grandin. "This may explain the apparent relationships between body traits and temperament." "
Do Horse Hair-Whorl Patterns Indicate Temperament? - Horse&Rider (horseandrider.com)
Detailed PDF with some cultural history and lots of examples and talks about body whorls too.
2018 Swirlology pdf.pdf (wsimg.com)
What do they find in dissection under a whorl ? I'm going to see who I can ask about this...
🎓 The research :
The relationship between hair whorl position and temperament in 57 Bos taurus cattle was assessed [..] Whilst the general response of cattle to a familiar human was not associated with whorl position, the general response of cattle to an unfamiliar human was (P<0.05). Individuals with mid whorls exhibited significantly greater flight distances to an unfamiliar human than did individuals with low whorls (P<0.01). Individuals with mid whorls were significantly more interested in an unfamiliar human than were individuals with low whorls (P<0.05).
Facial hair whorl position and temperament in cattle - ScienceDirect
The aim of this study was to estimate variance components for hair whorl traits in Quarter Horses. Genetic parameters were estimated for vertical whorl position on the head, number of facial whorls, and number of whorls on both sides of the neck. The heritability estimates ranged from 0.69 to 0.99 and genetic correlations ranged from 0.84 to 0.96.
(PDF) Genetic parameters for hair whorl traits in horses (researchgate.net)
The relationship between facial hair whorl position and reactivity, as assessed by behavioural measures (handling score=HS; startle reaction to a suddenly appearing novel object=SR; latency to touch a novel object=LNO) and heart rate measures (mean HR; increase in heart rate=IHR) were studied using 55 Konik horses reared either under conventional stable conditions or in the forest reserve. [..] Horses with a high whorl position demonstrated a lesser degree of manageability as expressed by a lower HS compared to individuals with medium (P=0.002) or low whorl positions (P=0.016). Horses with different whorl positions did not differ significantly in their startle response to a suddenly appearing novel object (P=0.685). The horses with an elongated or double whorl, which appeared only in the forest group, took significantly longer to approach the novel object than horses with medium (P=0.006) or low (P=0.005) whorl positions.
(PDF) A note on behavior and heart rate in horses differing in facial hair whorl (researchgate.net)
This pilot study tested for an association between facial hair whorl characteristics and behavioral responses to a fearful stimulus in horses.
Behavioral Laterality and Facial Hair Whorls in Horses - ScienceDirect
In 2008 vets Jack Murphy and Sean Arkins studied 219 horses to see if the forehead spirals indicated if they were left or right hoofed.
Of the 104 who favoured their left hoof, 75% had anti-clockwise whorls, while of the 95 right-hoofed horses, 67% had clockwise whorls.