Hang Left

kryptonite · Listed Class Joined: 09 Sep 2009 Posts: 33

Why do the majority of horses hang their head to the left while under pressure ??? ...... If any vet or informed person knows the answer i would be curious to find out .

UnderdogsLover · Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 8:25 pm Post subject:

Thats a very good question.
Maybe they hang the head left,more easier for them.
Such as we right in our left hand etc. Very Happy

man o bong · Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 8:30 pm Post subject:

I would suggest that most horses prefer to run left handed much the same as most people would be more effective that way.

As an excercise, just in your mind, imagine running at your very fastest and put in a left hand bend, and then imagine a right hand bend, even just thinking about running a right hand bend for me feels uncomfortable. Maybe horses are predominantly right handed as we humans are, and ths running left handed provides a better balance than running right.

I certainly dont profess to know the answer, but perhaps there is something in that. I think the majoritu of racecourses are left handed, and as such most training would be done in this direction of orbit???
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alfresco11 · Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 8:32 pm Post subject:

kryptonite · Listed Class Joined: 09 Sep 2009 Posts: 33

If you lok at the reasons for horses not running to form or just running badly a very high percentage are said to have "hang left from a furlong out" or similar and very rarely do you hear of any hanging right ..... who know's the answer ???

MARYKEATING · Triple Crown Winner Joined: 15 Sep 2009 Posts: 1525

Must say I would go with MOB's answer. Just thinking about running myself and turning right seems to go totally against my mind & body.
Strange Feeling alright !!

RedLetterDay · Group 3 Class Joined: 09 Aug 2010 Posts: 63

A horse bares no resemblance to the human mind so it�s impossible to make claims based on how you feel running around bends, the simple answer is nine times out of ten a horse will hang when it�s tired and the camber on the track may bring a weakened horse to an area of the track which in your case may look like every horse is hanging left.

man o bong · Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 5:04 am Post subject:

UnderdogsLover · Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 6:46 am Post subject:

Interesting subject this Smile

Maybe watch them at Doncaster today,thats a left hand track.
Yes never really notice horses hung left,so watch them all
this week..

Think last furlong to busy looking at my horse,don t watch the
others horses.. Laughing

deswalker · Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 8:51 am Post subject:

Thats correct MOB from what I've read on the subject. Horses are right handed (hoofed?) predominantly in a similar proportion to humans, this means that the majority are happier going left handed because when turning left the right hand side of the body is under the most strain.

When a horse is tired and weakens its weaker side (generally left) weakens earlier and more, with the result that the horse hangs to that side.

All this information is doubly important over jumps where the horses are asked the more testing questions and have to perform huge feats of strength to get over the obstacles. Right handed horses will prefer to jump off with their right side with the result that they will on balance jump more toward the left hand side, making it easier to go left. Watch out for those horses which are strongly left handed and much prefer going right handed, particularly at tight courses.
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