Do YOU think horses have thick skin or thin skin?

They're a lot more sensitive than a lot of people make out to be, they are not built to be beaten around same as we aren't. They're not going to fall apart and they're hardy animals, but if you give them a real whack with the crop of course they're going to feel it.

First off as you said, they're sensitive enough to feel a fly land on them. Those things weigh less than a gram and they can locate them exactly on their bodies. If they can feel that then of course they can feel a crop. The nerves used to identify touch are the same ones that identify pain.

Secondly, horses are prey animals. Prey animals are of the mindset that they will not show signs of pain unless it's severe. If they show signs of weakness in a herd from injury, they will likely be rejected from the herd and they will show up like a sore thumb for predators. Their instinct will drive them to push forward through pain, and not show signs of it. Only when they're very ill or very sore do they generally show real signs of pain and discomfort. People often associate this with them being completely ok after a painful experience, when infact they're probably still stinging from it.

Horses aren't made of china, and kicking and biting in the field are used as every day treatment to each other to remind a horse of their place in the herd. But at the same time I think lots of people convince them selves they're justified in beating their horses because 'they have thick skin and can't feel it'. I will never let people justify hitting their horse far too hard for no valid reason because they think the horse can't feel it.

Both! Every horse differs just like people. Just like there are people with thick and thin skin, there are horses with thick and thin skin. For instance, Mustangs and some QHs and "old style" Morgans have pretty thick skin. Depends on the breeding and of course the individual horse. Others like Arabians, TBs, and Saddlebreds have thinner skin in general because they are a "lighter type" breed, again, depending on the individual horse. I owned an Appy that you could beat the sh*t out of with a crop to move and she wouldn't even flinch, whereas my Arab I have now goes bonkers when a fly lands on his rump! Super sensitive skin and very sensitive emotionally as well. Cows are a whole different story. Not only are they thick skinned, but they have a extremely high tolerance for pain. This is why a cow can be cut open with a scalpal blade when it colics and have a person stick their arm inside their body and twist the intestines with their hands, all while being standing, conscious, and chewing their hay like nothing even happened. A horse however can die from the shock of the pain of a stomach ache alone, hence why we horse owner's try to prevent colic and are so afraid of it. I think some people can use a crop on their horse and I think some people would be stupid to, if their horse is anything like mine. In my opinion, even if I had a thick skinned horse, I would make it my goal to regain sensitivity and responsiveness. I wouldnt want to be seen in the show ring or out on the trail kicking the daylights out of my horse's sides because he won't walk forward. I would use leg, then a hint/reminder of what my leg means with my crop, until I had to use it less and less. I have a feeling you would do the same ;-) Some people have different values in riding, others have none. lol

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I don't think that's really relevent to the real question, which related to crops. Yes, horses are sensitive skin. They can tell when a fly lands on them. (Though I think it's a reflex and not really a conscious thought most of the time when they twitch). However, look at how horses interact with each other. They kick the snot out of each other when they're feeling frisky. They bite and shove, kick and stab, and it really doesn't seem to bother them at all.

Most crops are thick enough that they don't produce a 'stinging' sensation. It's more blunt force. Horses can tolerate that very well.

Whips (dressage whips), work by 'stinging' the horse, producing actual pain. I mean, it still doesn't really bother them a whole lot, as the bite from the whip really effects a very minimal portion of the body considering how much surface area is on a horse. Horses decidedly prefer not to get hit by the whip or crop because it is painful in some instances.

However, it's not like horses are super fragile creatures. Like I said, they'll knock each other around and be perfectly fine. Lots of people pat their horses firmly rather than petting them.

Pain reactivity doesn't actually relate to skin thickness or even skin sensitivity...

Thoroughbreds are generally more sensitive than drafts, but that doesn't mean drafts don't notice when they're being smacked. They just generally don't care, whereas the thoroughbred thinks the world is ending.

And just to add, I always notice when a fly lands on me. :) Same as a horse.

I really don't mind using whips on horses. I know how and when to use it and my horses behave but are not whip-shy at all.

Horses have semi thick, but very sensitive skin. Like you said, very few animals can feel every time a fly lands on them, not to mention they can twitch their skin to get it off. Humans certainly can't do that. They have to have thick enough skin to survive in the wild, but it's definitely thinner than a cow hide.

I think that, as far as crop use, a little tap is just fine. But some people go to town on their horse's hindquarters, and I can't imagine that would feel very good to any animal - no matter how thick the skin.

In a literal sense, horses have thinner skin than other animals and are more prone to getting injured. That's why barbed wire fencing is fine for cattle (which have tougher skin) but discouraged for horses.

In a figurative sense, we often use the terms "thick-skinned" versus "thin-skinned" to indicate a horse's responsiveness to cues. A sensitive horse that responds to a very light cue would be called thin-skinned, while a more desensitized or lazy horse would be called thick-skinned. Which route the horse goes depends on how he is handled and trained by his humans.

It depends on the horse! My QH (and most quarter horses) has thick skin and loves to have her forehead rubbed with a curry comb. But my trainer has a lesson horse who is a TB and she (and most other TB's) has very sensitive skin and hates it when she is groomed.

Using a riding crop is fine as long as you don't beat your horse with it! Just don't over use it and you will be fine.

Horses out in the pasture with 1000's of lbs of force and they are just fine!

Good Luck!!

I think they have thick-ish skin. They can feel a fly land on them but some can stand there while a huge horse fly is just sucking their blood. Have you ever gotten bite by a horse fly? It hurts!

well i mean if you think about it, they have really sensitive skin, if they can feel a tiny fly on there back and know to shake there skin (lol you know that thing they do when a fly lands on um, they shake there skin or watever), so they do have thick skin, but it is really sensitive. so you dont need to be beating your horse with a crop (not that you are) :)

Thick compared to what? A whale? no. A mouse? yes.

so really it would depend on your definition of "thick skin".

I don't really have much of an opinion on it, because it is so conflicting and leaves much in the air. I think they have skin thick enough to not bleed at the slightest prick, but thin enough that they can still feel a fly land on them (I know that has to do with hair, but if they can feel a fly land why wouldn't they feel a crop?).