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Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: dro
Post Number: 19070
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Friday, Aug 24, 2007 - 7:37 am: |   |
I did not know there was a journal devoted to the bilateral nature of higher organisms but this turned up in the journal "Laterality". It provides a fascinating look into the horses response to startling events. For instance this work suggests, when teaching horses to lunge you need to look at your stimulus to move forward a bit differently depending on the side you are on and if you have trouble getting your horse to go consider starting on his left side where he is more reactive.
DrO
Laterality. 2007 Sep;12(5):464-74.
Asymmetry of flight and escape turning responses in horses.
Austin NP, Rogers LJ.
University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia.
We investigated whether horses display greater reactivity to a novel stimulus presented in the left compared to the right monocular visual field, and whether a population bias exists for escape turning when the same stimulus was presented binocularly\. Domestic horses (N=30) were tested on three occasions by a person opening an umbrella five metres away and then approaching\. The distance each horse moved away before stopping was measured\. Distance was greatest for approach on the left side, indicating right hemisphere control of flight behaviour, and thus followed the same pattern found previously in other species\. When order of monocular presentation was considered, an asymmetry was detected\. Horses tested initially on the left side exhibited greater reactivity for left approach, whereas horses tested on the right side first displayed no side difference in reactivity\. Perhaps left hemisphere inhibition of flight response allowed horses to learn that the stimulus posed no threat and this information was transferred to the right hemisphere\. No population bias existed for the direction of escape turning, but horses that turned to the right when approached from the front were found to exhibit longer flight distances than those that turned to the left. |
CherylA
Member
Username: canderso
Post Number: 376
Registered: 3-2000
| | Posted on Friday, Aug 24, 2007 - 7:48 am: | |
My personal experience has been that if horses are going to 'be bad' (bolt, shy, etc.) it is significantly more likely to happen on one rein than on the other.(For most it has been to the right).
Would this be related to the findings of this study? |
Linda Lashley
Member
Username: lhenning
Post Number: 287
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Friday, Aug 24, 2007 - 9:45 am: | |
I have found that "catching" a horse in the pasture, especially one that is rather flighty, is easier if one approaches on the right first. Gain acceptance and be able to touch the horse on the right, then work toward gaining that same acceptance on the left. Very interesting study. Thanks for sharing.
Linda |
Cynthia G
Member
Username: cgby1
Post Number: 152
Registered: 5-2006
| | Posted on Friday, Aug 24, 2007 - 2:33 pm: | |
Great information, I will definitely remember this and try it on my horses when I am doing anything new.
Cynthia |
Erika L
Member
Username: erika
Post Number: 973
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Friday, Aug 24, 2007 - 10:41 pm: | |
Spock says, "Fascinating." |
Imogen Bertin
Member
Username: imogen
Post Number: 998
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, Aug 25, 2007 - 4:42 pm: | |
Is this why it's easier to lunge/start horses lunging on the left rein do you think? Very interesting... Particularly the last sentence of the abstract. I must watch the herd in the field more and try to relate which way they turn when spooked. Offhand I would say they always run right handed.
As do foxes, of course...
Imogen |
jojo
Member
Username: jojo15
Post Number: 979
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, Aug 26, 2007 - 3:53 pm: | |
how interesting. I wonder if that would help flighty horses getting saddled? do it from the right instead of the left? And always wondered why we mounted on the left. Maybe with studies like this mounting on the right would be acceptable. and we always lead on the left? why? lead on the right might pose a calmer lead...
I know my horse is a better ride on the right lead though.
and from now on when something spooky happens? i will turn her head to the left and see what transpires. though from what i do recall when panicked she does turn left naturally.
very cool read. Any more studies like this? |
Erika L
Member
Username: erika
Post Number: 975
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, Aug 26, 2007 - 4:12 pm: | |
This has really piqued my interest! I can picture all of us out there checking out our horses' flight instincts...opening umbrellas, jumping out of bushes, etc., to see which way they turn!
We'll either end up with a bunch of bomb-proof horses or a lot of busted fences!! |
Lilo
Member
Username: lilo
Post Number: 577
Registered: 4-2000
| | Posted on Monday, Aug 27, 2007 - 12:04 pm: | |
I have been told that the reason for mounting on the left dates back to the military. It has to do with the sword hanging down from the belt - the sword was carried on the left so it could be drawn with the right hand (reaching across the body to the left).
Correct me if I am wrong on this.
The natural horsemanship trainers advocate being able to mount the horse from the right as well as from the left - also saddling from both sides is advocated. It comes in handy on the trail, also, to have the horse used to being mounted from either side. Sometimes the trail is narrow and one side is more conducive to safe mounting than the other.
Lilo |
Leilani
Member
Username: leilani
Post Number: 331
Registered: 4-2000
| | Posted on Monday, Aug 27, 2007 - 3:27 pm: | |
I saddle and mount from both sides. I also lead them from both sides. Great article, Dr. O. |
katrina
Member
Username: kthorse
Post Number: 943
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Monday, Aug 27, 2007 - 7:24 pm: | |
Too weird. For the first time in my life yesterday I mounted from the right. I dont even know why, just to see if I could I guess. I never even read this post, I did it but thought I was going to fall off, over the other side. Funny this was mentioned.
Katrina |
