|
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 564
 
Location: South Dakota | What really does it mean when a horse swishes their tail while running?
I had a little mare that mildly would swish when I was running her home from 3rd. She was never sore, her ovaries were good, she just a had a little bit of an attitude.
I find that as I'm shopping for a new horse, I'm shying away from anything that cranks their tail in a run because I've always heard bad things about it. But really, what does it mean?? Can it mean absolutely nothing like my previous mare?? Or did she have an underlying issue we never found? |
|
| |
|
  Fact Checker
Posts: 16572
 
Location: Displaced Iowegian | I have always thought that it meant that they had pain "somewhere".....or they REALLY didn't like their job! That being said, some that I have watched that just "swished" their tail, the action could be connected to the rider's spurs.......I would shy away from one who "rung their tail".
Edited by NJJ 2014-05-23 11:25 AM
|
|
| |
|
 Tough Patooty
Posts: 2615
 
Location: Sperry, OK | NJJ - 2014-05-23 11:24 AM I have always thought that it meant that they had pain "somewhere".....or they REALLY didn't like their job! That being said, some that I have watched that just "swished" their tail, the action could be connected to the rider's spurs.......I would shy away from one who "rung their tail".
A mare I am starting will do this.. never swishes her tail at all until she is not paying attention to me.. I ask her once with my calves, then TELL her with my spurs, then she will do 2 quick flicks of her tail to let me know she didn't like that. |
|
| |
|
 "Hottie"
Posts: 1373
Location: Okemah,OK | my boy Cheese does a straight up and down motion with his tail when I tap him with a whip - always has, always will but he's a diva |
|
| |
|
 Husband Spoiler
Posts: 4151
Location: North Dakota | Can be pain or from something irritating like spurs. But for some it could also just be habit and that is the way they like to run. I knew a great 1D horse that rung his tail when he ran but he was well taken care of and ran amazing so I don't think it could have been pain (but I guess you never know). The rider was also a very light rider and never wore spurs. It was just his way of running. |
|
| |
|
Tough Patooty
Posts: 2615
Location: Sperry, OK | whiplashranch - 2014-05-23 12:14 PM my boy Cheese does a straight up and down motion with his tail when I tap him with a whip - always has, always will but he's a diva
Hero does this too, Paige. |
|
| |
|
"Hottie"
Posts: 1373
Location: Okemah,OK | ACEINTHEHOLE - 2014-05-23 12:27 PM whiplashranch - 2014-05-23 12:14 PM my boy Cheese does a straight up and down motion with his tail when I tap him with a whip - always has, always will but he's a diva Hero does this too, Paige.
I had people try to tell me he was hurting and swishing his tail - I said "no, he just thinks he's too good for a whip" lol - it's VERY obvious that he does it in time with a bat or a quirt - I couldn't use a bat at all with his brother Odie, he would turn his head around and look at you like "are you kidding me?" |
|
| |
|
Tough Patooty
Posts: 2615
Location: Sperry, OK | whiplashranch - 2014-05-23 12:43 PM ACEINTHEHOLE - 2014-05-23 12:27 PM whiplashranch - 2014-05-23 12:14 PM my boy Cheese does a straight up and down motion with his tail when I tap him with a whip - always has, always will but he's a diva Hero does this too, Paige.
LOL! I could see that... your horses personalities are so fun!
|
|
| |
Folks on-line