Horses can have whorls on the sides of their heads as well as the front. These whorls have plenty of information to share. Whether they are on one side or both, the meanings stay the same.
A whorl on the temple shows a horse who is intelligent to the point of it being a problem for some people. Crazy smart, they are capable of coming up with all sorts of ways to keep themselves entertained. They need something to keep their very busy minds occupied.
Whorls on the jaw show a horse who is a left brain extrovert. A left-brain extrovert is a brave and curious horse. They are thinkers who can think up all sorts of trouble with their very active minds. They are curious and clever, usually very friendly, and can be pushy.
Whorls on the cheek also show left brain but also add in a tendency to hold onto tension. These whorls affect the temporomandibular joint (tmj) the jaw joint in simpler terms. This joint can tighten the poll which has an effect over the entire body. Cheek whorls, through their effect on the tmj ,can also be a sign that the teeth will wear unevenly. When behavioral issues come up in a horse with cheek whorls it is very important to check the teeth for problems and the tmj for tension.
Sometimes horses will have different combinations of these whorls. The individual meanings stay the same, just combined. Except for when they have all three which changes the effects slightly. Horses with all three are rare but it seems to produce a quiet, dependable horse who thinks things through instead of getting upset, who is willing and happy to try whatever is asked of him.
