Double swirls
I keep finding horses with high double swirls, it appears to be my latest hobby. My original research said that many high level eventers had them. I thought that sounded nice but didn’t fully believe. Then I came across this guy, so there is one at least.
Judging by his front view he should be hot and forward, those ears, intelligent, very broad between the eyes, extremely athletic, look at the width of his jowls amazing, and possibly intelligent (I know already covered that), eager to learn and capable of great concentration, those high double swirls. A very interesting horse.
Then there was this girl. Her head reminds me a lot of Coyotes, a real thinker. Owned by a clicker trainer, with a great blog, and apparently house broke. Not a high level eventer, really who wants to do that anyway, but a very broke extremely trainable horse.
Could be wrong about the high double swirls but sure looks like it to me. Broad set ears and eyes, intelligent and a thinker.
I am going to continue my search. It’s interesting to find horses with unusual swirls, of any placement, but especially ones my horses have.
So what do double swirls mean? Thought it meant a difficult personality. Also, are you saying wide jowls mean athleticism? Cause have you ever seen the old style quarter horse stallions? They look like they have the mumps.
I have seen the old style quarter horses and yes, mumps. They used to be bred for speed and using, bet they were very athletic.
As for the swirls, to quote one source: “This type of double whorl seems to give the ability to hyper focus. These horses are challenging and gritty, like most double whorl horses, but the ability to hyper focus and not back down from a challenge can be an asset in professional hands.” But yes, generally difficult, multiple personalities, can be overly sensitive and react badly. My kind of horse, lots of character 😉
I loved your post about the double swirls. I find it difficult to say if Kyra (the grey on the picture you posted) has a difficult character (she is mine) since we are getting along just fine.
Do you know what I find interesting? My son has 2 swirlies too on his head, next to each other. A Chinese woman once told me that this meant \’highly intelligent\’.
Someone told me that the way swirlies and character are connected because it has something to do in the development of the fertilized egg: the brain and the swirlies develop at the same time. What do you think?
My husband has double swirls, right next to each other! He is very intelligent. I\’ve heard people talk about swirls in people but all I can ever find is talk about showing right or left handedness, nothing interesting like this.
The gelding I\’m starting has two high swirls, hard to know exactly what he\’s like yet but my other gelding has double swirls, one above the other instead of next to each other. I\’ve had him for most of his life and although we get along great I do think he is a little (lot) difficult. Kinder training techniques, asking instead of forcing (he doesn\’t take that well), seem to make a big difference. I think sometimes that intelligence gets labeled difficult because the horses are smarter than their people.
I think the development theory makes the most sense of any I\’ve heard. Granted it\’s also the only one I\’ve heard. I have also heard it carried though to the rest of the body. With uneven swirls showing sidedness and placement on the neck showing where they will want to bend and so on. Whatever the cause or if it really means anything it\’s fascinating.
Does your mare have double swirls? I found another picture that looked more like she only had one. They can be so hard to see in pictures.