How many times does your horse roll? Does he roll all the way over? Yesterdays Daily Turnout video inspired quite a discussion about rolling! When I was a kid, they used to say that a horse was worth $100 for every time he could completely roll over. I remember my old show horse rolling over nine times in a row once and I thought he was worth a fortune! In my observations, more athletic horses roll over more (hence the $100/roll). Obviously as horses age and get arthritis, this is impacted. I found two interesting articles about the behavior and conformation involved in rolling. Check them out and report back to let me know what you think! --- Dear Dr. McDonnell, Almost every time I let my horses out of the stalls after feeding them, they roll in the dirt, dust, or mud. Why? Mike and Sharon Rolling associated with turnout after feeding is a slight variation on the more usual question of rolling immediately after a good grooming or a bath. Owners often ask why their horse hates to be clean, or tries to ruin his coat, and seems to deliberately roll to spite you for grooming him. The short answer to rolling when turned out is that its normal horse grooming and social behavior to roll whenever turned out from the stall to an open area. But since rolling is one of the most interesting equine behaviors, Ill take the opportunity of your question to explain in greater detail how and why rolling is normal. In horses living outdoors all of the time, especially those living under natural herd conditions, rolling behavior is one of the most conspicuously frequent social and grooming behaviors. While we dont know precisely what stimulates rolling and what it means in all circumstances, it likely serves several purposes. These would include: Speed drying and refluffing of a wet or matted coat to restore maximum insulative properties. Covering the coat with dust that reflects the sun and possibly helps repel biting insects. Aiding in shedding. Increasing comfort by scratching. Keep reading here>> research.vet.upenn.edu/HavemeyerEquineBehaviorLabHomePage/HavemeyerEquineBehaviorClinic/FrequentlyAskedBehaviorQuestions/WhydoHorsesRoll/tabid/2988/Default.aspx --- Reasons for Rolling Diana Thompson Theres an old saying which ties the monetary value of a horse to the number of times he can roll over. You might hear someone say: He rolled over once, hes worth $100oh, he made it over a second time, now hes worth $200... and so on. As it turns out, there is a great deal of truth to that adage. The manner in which a horse rolls can tell an observant horse handler a lot about the animals coordination and strength. As a horse-crazy 10 year-old, I was told about the importance of rolling by an elderly horseman who had ridden in the Army during the last years of the cavalry. He said rolling was crucial to a horse getting the kinks out of his spine. He insisted that all horses be given time to roll as part of their regular health care. Since first hearing those wise words, Ive studied horses and their rolling movement and behavior. Ive combined this interest with an extensive education in equine anatomy and movement, becoming a horse trainer specializing in equine massage, acupressure, and alternative health care. From over 25 years of experience, I definitely agree that the way a horse uses his body to roll will tell you if the muscles, nerves, and joints in his back and hindquarters are strong and healthy. This movement also lets you know if a horses hip, stifle, hock, and fetlock joints are as flexible as they should beit can even help you to assess a horses mental state. Healthy & Safe A physically healthy horse who feels confident and safe in his environment can easily fold up his legs and smoothly lower himself to the ground, like a well-oiled piece of machinery. He lies flat and, after a few scratching and scrunching movements, easily flips over to the other side. If his back is healthy and he can freely stretch his spine, roll back and forth enthusiastically, then stand up in one strong, smooth motion. One of the exceptions to this is a horse with an exceptionally high wither. This horse might enjoy perfect body health, and yet, because of his wither conformation, be unable to roll all the way over. When healthy, this horse will get down and roll vigorously on one side, then get up and immediately go down and roll on the other side. Rolling Trouble Means Body Pain. Keep reading here>> flyingchanges/htmls/2000/jul00roll.html Penn Veterinary Alumni, Flying Changes Magazine
Posted on: Thu, 10 Apr 2014 16:04:10 +0000
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