What function do fuzzy horse whiskers serve? - Photo by Colleen Peachey
There’s always a dilemma for me when it comes to whiskers. To trim or not to trim, that is the question. When I’m not going to a show, fuzzy looking horse faces don’t bother me one single bit. In fact, I find them to be adorably endearing.
And then my mind wants to compare a horse’s whiskers to that of a cat. Then I find myself wondering just how much of a function equine whiskers serve. I’ve always had the impression that they serve a sensory function, but never took the time to really educate myself.
So why do horse’s need their whiskers? Head over to Horsetalk to learn more about the function of equine whiskers.
And then make sure to check out some of the other headlines from this week in Horse Health News:
Frightening Stimuli: It’s pretty much a fact of life that horses spook at one time or another, but does the nearness or location of a frightening object have any impact on the severity of a horse’s spook? A recent study by Belgian scientists has concluded that no matter where or how near a scary object is, a horse that is going to spook is going to spook. [The Horse]
5 Steps to Prevent Proud Flesh: When one of my horses comes in from turnout with a cut, the first thing I reach for are supplies to clean out the cut, no matter how minor it seems. Timely wound cleaning is important to try to prevent infection and help encourage healing. A complication to healing can be proud flesh, which is the excessive growth of blood vessels and connective tissue that extend past the skin’s surface. Learn about some ways to prevent proud flesh here. [Equus Magazine]
Diagnosing Equine Lyme Neuroborreliosis is Difficult: Horses living in the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. have likely been exposed to the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. While the majority of horses are fine, a small number of horses exposed can develop Lyme Neuroborreliosis, which can be tricky to diagnose. A team from the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center has recently sought to uncover more information about this condition. [The Horse]
Horses Have a Range of Facial Expressions: I can generally tell my horses’ moods when I approach, whether I’m being happily greeted since I come bearing grain or I’m getting the stink eye because I’m late with said grain. Researchers at British-based at the University of Sussex have developed a system to identify the range of equine expressions, called the Equine Facial Action Coding System. Their next step is to examine the link between expressions and emotional states. [Horsetalk]
