Windsucking and the benefits of a congenial companion

I have just discovered another reason for keeping two or more horses together. 

There is a powerful acupuncture point in the horse’s mouth that releases endorphins, the feel good, pain relieving hormone.  That point is located where the gum joins the upper lip in the centre of the horses mouth. 

Yesterday I  noticed that rubbing another horse with the pad of the their nose, activates that acupuncture point and releases the feel good endorphins. 

I had already noticed in the past that as they rub another horse, they are often working on that horse’s known pressure and acupuncture points. (Gee whiz, what a surprise that they know what they are doing! Yes, a little Aussie sarcasm there…)  I have seen in clinics on numerous occasions how being rubbed by another horse gets visible and almost instant results with muscular problems. 

These two insights mean that depriving a horse of a companion to rub and be rubbed by, seriously compromises our horse’s ability to self heal. 

While I was working with Matt to reduce/eliminate his windsucking, I  had some huge insights that add to these observations. 

  • Windsucking increases oxygen intake.
  • More oxygen than normally needed is necessary for healing, thus windsucking increases a horse’s ability to heal.
  • Windsucking gives the horse a  “high” of endorphins, the feel good hormones, creating an addiction to that feeling.
  • Horses who windsuck are almost always confined to a stable, frequently suffering from painful stomach ulcers and aching legs from lack of movement, amongst other things. And if they aren’t in a stable now, I will bet they were.  (There’s the pain that they are trying to combat by getting high off windsucking.) 

So, my advice is, if you have a young horse who is starting to windsuck – forget the collars and other nasty windsucking prevention devices that will prevent them healing.  Go straight to the causes – get them a companion to rub and be rubbed by and address all the factors that cause them pain, from feet to feed. See my other articles on windsucking under “Horse Health” here on this website.

And, if you are keeping a horse by himself, even if they aren’t windsucking yet, consider the benefits of a companion to rub and be rubbed by…