Strange But True

[cremello]

I've been playing around CT with some of the horses this afternoon (4 geldings)

All of them by the end of the session had their reproductive bits hanging down, the same thing was noticed on Heather's stallions a couple of weeks ago during a CT workshop, but was put down to being stallions. :lol:

But is it because they are being stimulated in some way (brain wise). :P

You may thinK it strange but by the end of each session each horse's bit was hanging and swinging as if it didn't have a care in the world.

Also got the nutty T/B to do circuits on the lunge in walk and trot, a major breakthough.

I've also noticed them hanging around the gate much more as if to say 'CAN I COME IN AND PLAY AGAIN'
 

[Heather]

Great Kim- well about them wanting to come in a play!!  but odd about the dangly bits- and by the way, Fanta is a gelding, although he still looks like a stallion and he is the worst for dangly bits, but only when Beck is teaching him to bow- think he needs a prop stand :lol:  :lol: !!!!

Heather

[Numbat]

It's a very common phenomenon, apparently. Lots of the people on the clickryder list have mentioned it.

[debgibsonmt]

Around the massage game I've noticed "dangleing" is associated with the horse being relaxed, and I belive feeling good.

Kev tells me that the "bits don't dangle" under situations of fear or stress, but I'm not sure if he's talking about horses.

Deb

[Vrijheidsdressuur]

Yep, same here. I have to shetland geldings and they unroll their gardening hoses  on a regular basis during training. I never really noticed it as that's not really the bodypart I watch the most during training but a couple of weeks ago when we were taking pictures of the tricks for the book, the photographer couldn't resist making the occasional dirty remark. Lots of Photoshopping done down there...

But I have discussed this phenomenon with an equine behaviour specialist, and she denied that it was a sign of relaxation and suggested that it was just accidentally taught behaviour. So when you're training the bow and your horse just let it down and you click, he thinks that that's part of the lecture and afte that always lets it hang loose when you ask that trick. Right...  <_<  Didn't really believe that one, as it's something I've encountered in all the horses I've trained, not just my own,  but also the ones at lessons and clinics. I really think too that it's a sign of relaxation, as lowering the vulnerable bit is not something you do when you're running away from sabretooth tigers.  B)  

[wetnwindy]

but they don't dangle when sleeping,  and though I'm no vet,  I thought it required effort and a change in blood pressure to get the bits out?  Though I am sure they wouldn't do it if they feeling stressed.

[Vrijheidsdressuur]

When they're lying down, I don't see the dangling either, but when they sleep standing, I do see them hanging quite often. Perhaps it's something different than relaxation, but then I think it's funny that though I work with both stallions and geldings and they both tend to dangle their bits now and then when training tricks, I've never seen anyone of them having erections in the process. So it's not that they're having hot dreams of beautiful mares. It's just dangling...