The poll is a name of the part of an animal's head, alternatively referencing a point immediately behind or right between the ears. This area of the anatomy is of particular significance for the
horse
The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million yea ...
.
Specifically, the "poll" refers to the occipital protrusion at the back of the skull. However, in common usage, many horsemen refer to the poll joint, between the
atlas (C1) and skull as the poll. The area at the joint has a slight depression, and is a sensitive location. Thus, because the crownpiece of a
bridle
A bridle is a piece of equipment used to direct a horse. As defined in the ''Oxford English Dictionary'', the "bridle" includes both the that holds a bit that goes in the mouth of a horse, and the reins that are attached to the bit.
Headgea ...
passes over the poll joint, a
rider can indirectly exert pressure on the horse's poll by means of the
rein
Reins are items of horse tack, used to direct a horse or other animal used for riding. They are long straps that can be made of leather, nylon, metal, or other materials, and attach to a bridle via either its bit or its noseband.
Use f ...
s,
bit
The bit is the most basic unit of information in computing and digital communications. The name is a portmanteau of binary digit. The bit represents a logical state with one of two possible values. These values are most commonly represente ...
, and bridle.
Importance of the poll in riding
The poll is especially important in riding, as ''correct'' flexion at the poll joint is a sign that the horse is properly
on the bit
The phrases "on the bit", "behind the bit" and "above the bit" are equestrian terms used to describe a horse's posture relative to the reins and the bridle bit.
"The Art of Classical Riding--On the Bit",
ArtOfRiding.com, 2010, web:
AoR-Bit. ...
. Over-flexion, with the poll lowered and the neck bent at a cervical
vertebra
The spinal column, a defining synapomorphy shared by nearly all vertebrates, Hagfish are believed to have secondarily lost their spinal column is a moderately flexible series of vertebrae (singular vertebra), each constituting a characteristi ...
farther down the neck, is usually a sign that the horse is either evading contact or that the rider is trying to pull the horse onto the bit, rather than correctly ride from behind. In classical
dressage
Dressage ( or ; a French term, most commonly translated to mean "training") is a form of horse riding performed in exhibition and competition, as well as an art sometimes pursued solely for the sake of mastery. As an equestrian sport defined by ...
, the poll should always be the highest point on the horse when the horse is on the bit. The horse is always relaxed over the poll, giving it a relaxed look when going about its job. When, for example, the third vertebra (C3) is the highest point on the neck, rather than the poll, it is a clear sign of incorrect work.
See also
*
Polled livestock
Polled livestock are livestock without horns in species which are normally horned. The term refers to both breeds and strains that are naturally polled through selective breeding and also to naturally horned animals that have been disbudded. Na ...
, for information on naturally or mechanically
dehorned animals
References
* Bennett, Deb. ''Principles of Conformation Analysis'', volume I. Fleet Street Publishing, 1988. .
Horse anatomy
{{horse-stub