# doll head? head shapes? swirls?



## shesocalifornia

I didn't know where to put this thread but I have heard the expression doll head and was curious what classifies as a "doll" head. Is there a guideline? Also people say the shape of a horses head can determine personality. Is this true? I won't even get into swirls on the horses head. Someone told me my horse would be crazy because he had two swirls in the middle of his head above his eyes. I found him to be sensitive, easy to train, and a problem solver who can untie himself other horses and unlock gates. He is not even close to crazy. I taught him to bow by the age of 2. So I didn't take much stock in that cowboys comment.  what is your experience? Sorry if this is the wrong spot to post this.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## greentree

From my experience, a doll head is like an Arabian head(wedge shaped, with a small muzzle, perhaps a dished profile) on a Quarter Horse. 

Nancy


----------



## shesocalifornia

Ok does anyone have a pic of what they would consider doll shaped on a quarter horse?


----------



## jumanji321

This horse seems to match greentree's description pretty well and looks like a doll head to me.


----------



## kiwi79

No idea about what doll headed means sorry! But my older gelding has a double swirl and my chiro said that horses with them generally had great dispositions which he does but I figured it was one of those old wives tales.


----------



## Yogiwick

Over eyes is supposed to be intelligent/hot (not necessarily crazy) sounds like your boy might fit the bill! Below laid back/lazy, and then middle just average


----------



## DancingArabian

shesocalifornia said:


> I didn't know where to put this thread but I have heard the expression doll head and was curious what classifies as a "doll" head. Is there a guideline? Also people say the shape of a horses head can determine personality. Is this true? I won't even get into swirls on the horses head. Someone told me my horse would be crazy because he had two swirls in the middle of his head above his eyes. I found him to be sensitive, easy to train, and a problem solver who can untie himself other horses and unlock gates. He is not even close to crazy. I taught him to bow by the age of 2. So I didn't take much stock in that cowboys comment.  what is your experience? Sorry if this is the wrong spot to post this.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


All of those stories that say a horse's personality is based on body part shape, color, swirls, eyes, hoof color, etc are all old wive's tales and should not be taken seriously.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## shesocalifornia

Well I just purchased my third horse ever and low and behold he has the two swirls in the middle of his head close together but above his eyes. What are the chances of that? So bizarre that I have two horses like that. My other one has a perfect one above her eyes in the middle. She is smart but not as athletic and I call her my babysitter. Even if you don'tjknow what you are doing she makes you look good. Just knows what lead she is supposed to take and what is expected of her. I think she would make a lousy schooling horse for that reason but could give someone confidence if they lacked it. Surprisingly she is 98.9% arabian. Here ale her pics.


----------



## shesocalifornia

I honestly believe personality is inherited and learned from the dam. If it was a good mare then chances are it will be a good foal.


----------



## smrobs

DancingArabian said:


> All of those stories that say a horse's personality is based on body part shape, color, swirls, eyes, hoof color, etc are all old wive's tales and should not be taken seriously.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Agree 100% with this. All those old stories are completely unproven, just like stories of horses with blue eyes being crazy or horses with white feet being worthless.

Anyway, a baby doll head is, like others have said, a very delicate and refined head on a QH with big eyes and small ears. They are most commonly seen these days on halter bred horse.

This horse is a great example in non-halter breeding
Hank

Here's a halter horse with a baby-doll head. Though, sometimes I wonder if those massive bodies are what make their heads look so small and delicate.


----------



## Zexious

I like the cute little heads <3

I agree with the above: there is no empirical evidence to suggest that facial features have anything to do with personality xD


----------



## shesocalifornia

Zexious said:


> I like the cute little heads <3
> 
> I agree with the above: there is no empirical evidence to suggest that facial features have anything to do with personality xD


Here is my horse baby head with the two swirls in the middle of his head...they are even dark....I think they make him unique.


----------



## sarahfromsc

this is photo shopped, right? How do those skinny legs hold up all that mass of.....of....of, well, mass?


----------



## smrobs

It's photoshopped to add in the background and foreground but the horse is actually the horse. Typical halter horse build.

Actual photo of a "champion" halter horse at a show...


----------



## paintedpastures

Baby doll head is term used to usually describe a pretty headed horse. No standards on that,it depends on breed & sex of horse:wink:. To me these horses show a presence about them...look at me. With stock horses short broad head smaller ears,muzzle,big expressional eyes etc. Other breeds you are going to look for the structural "type" typical of the breed but will always be individuals that have a pretty/presence about them that will set them apart from the more ordinary/common headed of the breed.

my one mare that I consider to have that  Was shown in younger years but now retired pasture puff & trail riding horse :lol:


----------



## shesocalifornia

http://www.foxpointfarm.com/site/mobile?url=http://www.foxpointfarm.com/Swirlology.html
Found this link on swirlology. Fact or fiction?


----------



## BlueSpark

> I honestly believe personality is inherited and learned from the dam


 in my experience from the last 10 years, personality can come from either side. For example, one broodmare, bred to three stallions, producing 4 foals. mare was very spirited, and reportedly hard to break;

1- out of a athletic quarter horse stud, handful, hard to break, very sensitive

2-out of a thoroughbred stud. Spirited, but pretty level headed, easy to get along with, great to ride, easy to start under saddle. Filly was a replica of the father, in color and personality.

3- filly out of the same stud. Looks almost like a clone of the dam, and has the same personality. VERY hard to start under saddle, but a great horse once she got going, very sensitive.

4) colt out of a thoroughbred stud. Stallion was very sensitive to his environment, prone to colic. other wise remarkably non sensitive, laid back, a bit stubborn. colt is exactly like the sire, just a nicer head and more height, from the dam. same color and attitude.

anyhow, horse dolls are typically sculpted with cute, refined faces, with big eyes and a soft expression. I think this mare has a pretty cute face, but don't think it quite qualifies as a doll face:


my new filly's would definitely qualify:


these three all have nice faces, but I think Diva in the middle qualifies as a 'doll' face


----------



## Zexious

All the pretty faces 8)


----------



## EliRose

BlueSpark, can you please send me Diva? My goodness that's a beautiful mare.

Anyway, I'd consider my boy Parker to have a "doll" face. I don't have any good pictures of his face, but he has a large eye and wonderful head. My trainer's project TB, Chuckles, has a very much "doll" head, with big eyes and a tiny muzzle. One of my friends/fellow boarder has three OTTB with just amazing heads. The one I have a picture of, Click, probably has the coarsest head of her three. Her mare and that mare's son look like Arabians.

Here are some pictures, Parker is the buckskin, Chuckles has the star, and Click has the star and snip. All pictures were taken with their winter coats on, since I seem to only take pictures in winter :wink:


----------

