Kirkcarrion Highland Ponies
Disclaimer: this is my personal home page: any views expressed here are
purely my own, not representative of the University of Dundee, the Highland Pony Society, or any other body.
Whorls
Whorls are a standard way of identifying horses and ponies from birth, since their location on the body and type/shape are very individual. There are common sites to find whorls (eg stifle - see photo) and there may be animals with similar types in similar locations, so the system isn't foolproof, but in combination with other descriptive factors such as gender, age, colour, other markings, scars and, if all else fails, chestnut patterns (unique as a fingerprint but very hard work to draw!), it is probable you can identify your horse or pony and, more importantly, so can a vet or official inspector of some kind.
However, it is common for folk to get confused about how to describe a whorl on their passport applications, or to identify the patterns from the vet's description, which may be somewhat technical.
With that in mind, I thought I might attempt a description and while I'm not 100% expert on it myself, it may help. If not, sorry, please try a more authoritative source as I'm still practising!
Types of Whorl
Apparently there are 6 types of whorl:
- Simple: a focal point from which the hairs diverge; this can be recorded just as a "whorl" in narrative.
- Tufted: a focal point into which the hairs converge from different directions and pile into a tuft
- Linear: two opposing sweeps of hair meet from diametrically opposite directions along a line
- Crested: as for linear but the hair from each of the two directions rises up to form a crest
- Feathered: two sweeps of hair diverge along a line but the direction of flow of each sweep is at an angle to the other so that together they form a feathered pattern
- Sinuous: two opposing sweeps of hair diverge or meet along an irregular curving line
To be honest, the only descriptions I have been using are simple and feathered (which might actually encompass linear or crested if I had done it right!), but my 2002 foal has what I think may be a sinuous whorl under all her foal coat so I'm going to ask my vet to check when he's out to vaccinate and microchip her!
A whorl is marked on the outline drawing with a black X. Anything other than a simple whorl should have a black line on the drawing coming from the cross and showing the direction and extent of the whorl.
Location of Whorl
As important as the kind of whorl, and easier to record, is the location of the whorl - this should be done on the drawing (with a black x) as well as describing it in the relevant text area underneath.
Common places to look in each area are:
- Head: mentally draw a line from the poll through the base of the forelock and down to the muzzle. This is the median line. A whorl can be described as median (along that midline), or in relation to it, ie right or left, working down from the forelock to the muzzle eg.
- Base of forelock
- Between eyes - for description, imagine lines across the face joining the upper, mid and lower level of the eyes and describe the location accordingly. Combined with the position relative to the median line, this should pinpoint the location clearly, and match your X on the diagram of course!
- Under Jaw - whorls along the lower jawline are known as mandibular whorls or you can just say under lower jaw.
- Muzzle
- Base of Throat
As an example you might find a "median whorl upper eye level" ie the middle line between right/left and level with the top of the eyes.
- Neck: mentally divide in three along the length - upper, mid and lower and locate according to these areas and the height on the neck (from crest to underside) as follows:
- Crest - along the top line of the neck, just below the root of the mane
- Side of neck - lower than crest, often along the jugular groove
- Down the front/lower side of the neck
So for example you might have "bilateral crest whorls, mid crest" ie a matched pair of simple whorls on either side of the neck.
- Body:
- Axillar - these are whorls found at the join of the chest and foreleg, and often come in pairs ie at the same point on both sides.
- Flank/stifle area - a very common location and again sometimes feathered upward - mark the X and direction/extent of any feathering
As an example, you might see "whorl at flank, feathering up".
- Legs: each leg marked separately.
Some horses/ponies have numerous whorls all over the neck and body, some have very few, but the passport requires a minimum of three identifiable markings so if you can't find even 3 whorls or other marks, you may be looking at chestnut drawings, not an easy prospect and I'd recommend you speak to a vet if you're going down that route.
I hope the above has been of some use. It is easier to describe examples with a diagram, which is why the passport application has both. I will try and photograph some of my ponies' whorls when I get a minute, and see if I can get the descriptions right!
