# Horse twitches when I touch his side or belly?!?!Suggestions please



## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Cute horse. Maybe he is just sensitive there. A lot of horses are.
If you are not having other symptoms I would just figure it's sensitivity and just not touch him there too much.
How's it going with him otherwise?


----------



## Gizmo (Dec 19, 2010)

If he came from a bad home then he is sensitive there. My mustang, that was his worse spot everytime you touched him right there he would flinch really bad. You just need to desensitize him. Just keep touching that spot everyday until he starts to relax and he will get that it's nothing. She might have hurt him really bad once there or something and that's why he flinches so bad. Keep trying that and see how it goes.


----------



## Buckcherry (Nov 18, 2010)

Well he's going great gaining weigh like a champ. He looks even better than that picture now. My camera broke so I don't have any new pics. I've ridden him a few times just like once a week the vet said it was ok to walk/trot just no to much. and he's good, very lazy so far. Only problem I have with him is he's herd sour. He did try to throw a fit once, so I pulled his head up and gave his a very little kick and that was the end of it. I love him.


----------



## Go Slow Woah (Dec 30, 2010)

My OTTB mare does the exact same thing in the same area,her respnse is agression to that area (not me) for sure an old injury or post traumatic


----------



## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

Most horses are ticklish/sensitive in their flank area. Your horse is just acting like many of them do.


----------



## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Alwaysbehind said:


> Most horses are ticklish/sensitive in their flank area. Your horse is just acting like many of them do.


Exactly.

It has absolutely_ nothing_ to do with them being 'abused'. Seriously folks, that's a typical, routine, _normal_ horse response! :?


----------



## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

Exactly, SR.

Even my bomb proof your 90 year old grandmother could ride old man can get grumpy if you are tickling him in his flank.


----------



## Katesrider011 (Oct 29, 2010)

My horse does the same thing, don't all horses?


----------



## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

Pretty much, Katesrider..... yes.


----------



## Katesrider011 (Oct 29, 2010)

^^Oh I just read through the posts.... You already mentioned that  Oops.


----------



## Buckcherry (Nov 18, 2010)

I don't know if he was abused just going by what his previous owner said, but she was starving him and was a weirdo so I doubt it. He doesn't act abused he LOVES people very much I was just worried about ulcers because he's getting so much food and he's a OTTB but that doesn't seem to be the case he's probably just ticklish.
My other horses aren't like this, I just didn't know how common it was


----------



## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

None of my horses have ever been sensitive in that area. Interesting. My girlfriend's horses aren't either. This would be about 20 horses in total that are not the norm??? 

I wouldn't tolerate a horse being flinchy about me touching them anywhere. It's a safety and health issue. I agree that repeated touching will help. When grooming it might be easier to deal with it. Also perhaps people are being very light in their touch, rather than firm. I never "tickle" my horses. If I am touching them they definitely know I am not a fly!


----------



## eccodecco (Dec 10, 2010)

A horse I know does the same thing. If I touch him just on the skin or hair he twitches and swishes but if I put a full hand on him he doesn't care. I just figure a slight finger is as annoying as a fly.


----------

