Would ponies feel if you touched their horn?

[Ganondorf8 11,121]

I think the horn is the most sensitive part of their body or is the one part that they don't want to see anything bad happen to it. Should anyone attempt to touch their horn, it would result in some incredible pain coming their way from the pony.

[Jeric 46,835]

Do bones have nerve endings? I don't think so.... But with the power of magic I think that they can feel stuff with their horns, but I wouldn't advise it because feelings the power of magic isn't too fun. I'd expect it do feel like lightning.

There are nerves inside the periosteum of the bone which is where pain comes from when you fracture a bone. Hit a bone hard enough and you should feel pressure. A horn would have the potential for slightly different biological setup. The nerves could be at the base of the horn where it meets the skull and be there for specific pressure or environmental sensivity since in that animal it's use is practical. I never studied horns though. I only know rhinos die when the blood vessels inside the horn are severed.

[Goat-kun 2,500]

This thread is still going and nobody has bothered to peruse the internet? Now I'll have to do the work. Triggered.

 

Alright, listen up normies: Equidae family goes into order Perissodactyla (odd-toed ungulates) along with Tapiridae and Rhinoceroidae. That means our best bet is that unicorn horns are like that of rhinos.

 

Rhino horn is comprised entirely out of keratin with a dense structure made out of calcium mineral deposits and melanin in its middle. The softer keratin can be peeled by use which forms the structure into its distinct shape. This means that the horn is very similar to hooves and should thus also have similar sensitivity.

 

Counter argument is that the shape of the unicorn's horn is more similar to those of order Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates) whose horns mostly have a hollow bony core (continuation of frontal sinus) covered by keratin. The innervation of horn's dermis is supplied by cornual nerve which is a branch of maxillary nerve. According to histology of the hoof the dermis (situated between epidermis and bone) is actually a thing. Thus we can conclude that this horn version is more sensitive.

 

However, since unicorns are horses and horses are Perissodactyla I'd still argue that their horn is more similar to that of rhinos. Unless some awesome shitlord wants to fanon the narwhal tusk theory (their tusk is a very sensitive sensory organ), but that would mean the tooth had to travel all the way to the frontal sinus, center itself in the sagittal plane and exit the cranium.

 

Since we've already started, let's go further and see where the fanons take us. But be warned: this is Darkest Dungeon territory. There is no retreat!

 

According to Ponekotic Shards from the Second Polyp War, the unicorn anatomy has been a subject of intense research, particularly the horn. Its composition is indeed mainly keratin, but the mineral deposits within its core contain traces of rare element the Shards link to unspecified environmental pollution. From the wording of the elder signs, the substance is rumored to have a use in aether manipulation. Further research required.

 

Now that is how you lore, m'Bronies [tips fedora]

[Nightshroud 331]

question if rarity hit her horn on something how much pain would she be in that things gotta be sensitive

[Kivil 1,721]

There are nerves inside the periosteum of the bone which is where pain comes from when you fracture a bone. Hit a bone hard enough and you should feel pressure. A horn would have the potential for slightly different biological setup. The nerves could be at the base of the horn where it meets the skull and be there for specific pressure or environmental sensivity since in that animal it's use is practical. I never studied horns though. I only know rhinos die when the blood vessels inside the horn are severed.

Oh. Ok. I didn't know this, I guess I learn more from an internet individual than I do at school

[ThunderCrush 1,850]

Well think about something I really has horns. I have goats, so from experience I can answer your question, but ponies might be different since unicorns aren't real. But from a real life stance, they can't feel you touch their horn, but if they see you touch their horn then they react to it.

[cuteycindyhoney 13,284]

I've read and seen Gore, where they kill a unicorn (rarity) and there is a gem, that controls the magic. I'd say that the horn is like antenna. But that's just in the fanfiction and stuff. But that's another possibility than the one I previously mentioned.

I was talking more the other direction into naughty, but I do know a bit about gore.

[Johnny1226 14,674]

The horn would likely be full of nerves and tendons attaching it to the skull and even part of the brain so it would be very sensitive it is necessary to use magic after all so unlike a normal animals horn it would indeed be very sensitive, I'm sure many of us get that particular joke by now

[Lenny 249]

I was talking more the other direction into naughty, but I do know a bit about gore.

Oh yeah, me too. I was just stating something I read. Lol I have some horn... Uhh stuff I found. I was curious, cause an anti brony put it on the screen in a video.

I wasn't disappointed.

Edited March 22, 2017 by Lenny

[cuteycindyhoney 13,284]

Oh yeah, me too. I was just stating something I read. Lol I have some horn... Uhh stuff I found. I was curious, cause an anti brony put it on the screen

I won't risk being banned by posting an image, but I do know what I like!

[Justin_Case001 4,858]

Aside from rhino horns, horns aren't dead, they have core made of bone which is very much alive, full of blood vessels and whatnot. It still can't feel anything, but that's because of what the surface of the horn is made off. If you break it it would HURT.

Oh, did not know that.  I just looked it up and read about horns.  Fascinating.  I guess I always assumed they were just like fingernails or hooves, which are dead, like hair, and are only felt through pressure where they are connected to live tissue.  I guess horns are kind of like teeth, then.  You don't have nerves in the surface, but the inside and root of teeth are alive (I think), and it would obviously hurt like f**k to drill into a tooth.

 

However, since unicorn horns are magical, I believe that FIM ponies' horns would be highly sensitive, with tactile nerves throughout.  I've always imagined their horns acting as highly sensitive tactile receptors as well, like a cat's whiskers.

[Violet_S 783]

I'm pretty sure they would at least feel something 0.0 ...right? 

[ReverieRiver 525]

Strangely enough, when I think about this question, I think about deer antlers. Deer antlers actually have a fine layer of fur and all, and just beneath that layer is nerves and such. If I recall correctly, of course.

 

Seeing that ponies' horns always match the color of their fur instead of, you know, being bone colored or something, it could be implied that their horns do have a similar layer of fur over their horns. I mean, of course it could just be a stylistic choice, but it's interesting to think about!

 

If that were the case, I imagine that unicorns' horns would be pretty sensitive in that regard. And also fuzzy!

[Hoppy 699]

I can't remember for the life of me which episode it was, but Sweetie Belle did hit Rarity's horn in an episode and it seemed to hurt in some way, enough to cancel out her magic.

thats the one ware the cmc get into the school paper and become Gaby gums

 

it was in season 3 

cant remember the name of the episode 

Edited March 23, 2017 by Hoppy

[Ganondox 899]

hmm odd one really. would it be bone or would it be like Rhino horns made of coarse hair matter? To us it could feel like teeth, but teeth are rather sensitive to any touch at all really and temp changes. just try tapping or flicking your tooth now, tends to hurt after a while. It could also feel like finger/toe nails? but i dont think horns would be made form the same stuff as hooves.... its an odd one.

 

Does anyone know anything about Narwhals? they pretty much have unicorn horns.

Narwhal horns are actually teeth, so probably not what is going on in ponies.

[Fhaolan 4,468]

There are several options on how a unicorn horn can work.

 

The Antelope/Sheep/Goat/Cattle style: True horns, meaning there is a core bone covered in keratin. The core bone has blood vessels, a limited number of nerve endings and the like in it, so if you have the opportunity to feel along a live sheep/goat horn, you will find that it will be relatively warm until you reach a certain distance from the skull. That's where the bone core has ended, and the rest is the covering of keratin. You can cut the keratin with a saw and it won't hurt the animal at all, because that part is like a fingernail. In fact with domestic sheep or goats it's sometimes necessary to trim horns if they are growing in bad directions (towards an eye, for example). I've had to do this personally. If you cut into the bone core, however, the animal will feel pain. And bleed profusely, unfortunately.

 

The Rhino: Vaguely similar to the previous, except there is no bone core. It's solid keratin (of multiple different keratins, to give it structure, but still just keratin). You can cut the horn completely off without pain.

 

Mythological unicorns were based on a blending of Rhino and Antelope stories, so these are the most *likely* models, but not the only ones.

 

Other options:

 

The Deer: Not actually a horn, the antlers of deer are actually bone, no keratin. However, the bone is only 'live' when it is growing and covered in 'velvet' which is skin and short fur. Once it has reached full growth the velvet sloughs off and the bone dies. The entire antler will drop off some time afterwards, to begin the cycle anew next year. Once 'dead' damage to the antler is not painful. This is not a likely unicorn horn scenario, but it does lead into...

 

The Giraffe: These are called ossicones because they are ossified cartilage instead of true bone or keratin. They retain the velvet all year round covering unless damaged. They are considered to be 'live' all the time, and the animal feels pain if they are damaged. These are interesting because of the velvet, which would explain why the horns of unicorns always match the coat color of the unicorn. They might actually be covered in velvet.

 

Now in all cases, impact on the 'horn' is felt by the animal because it is connected to their skull one way or another. However, most of these animals use these horns for dominance, meaning they smack them around fairly often and pretty hard, so they're not particularly sensitive to impact. In the same way some styles of martial arts involve toughening your hands or legs so that you don't feel the pain of hitting things with them. You can still feel with them, it's just a rather dull sensation.

[Flutter's lover <3 8,204]

I'd imagine so. I've seen images where  touching it in certain ways provides the unicorn with some sort of pleasurable feeling or it could give them pain, such that of the leading edges of a pegasus's wings being sensitive to touch...which would also explain why certain pegasi just love flying more than most pegasi. 

[Bronyyy333 7]

I don't know but funny idea.

[ChocolateCrane 155]

I think the horn is the most sensitive part of their body or is the one part that they don't want to see anything bad happen to it. Should anyone attempt to touch their horn, it would result in some incredible pain coming their way from the pony.

 

Hmmm, I highly doubt that.

 

Edited March 23, 2017 by ChocolateCrane

[Leave a Whisper 703]

Presumably so. I mean if real life animal horns are made of keratin like our nails then they could.

[Luigi 7,868]

I'm pretty sure they would, but I'm more worried about something else.

Would touching a unicorn's horn with your bare fingers be safe? I don't know what's you guys are thinking, but with all the magic they use, a unicorn's horn must be pretty warm or hot after using magic. 

[Ganondox 899]

On 3/21/2017 at 5:24 PM, Goat-kun said:

This thread is still going and nobody has bothered to peruse the internet? Now I'll have to do the work. Triggered.

 

Alright, listen up normies: Equidae family goes into order Perissodactyla (odd-toed ungulates) along with Tapiridae and Rhinoceroidae. That means our best bet is that unicorn horns are like that of rhinos.

 

Rhino horn is comprised entirely out of keratin with a dense structure made out of calcium mineral deposits and melanin in its middle. The softer keratin can be peeled by use which forms the structure into its distinct shape. This means that the horn is very similar to hooves and should thus also have similar sensitivity.

 

Counter argument is that the shape of the unicorn's horn is more similar to those of order Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates) whose horns mostly have a hollow bony core (continuation of frontal sinus) covered by keratin. The innervation of horn's dermis is supplied by cornual nerve which is a branch of maxillary nerve. According to histology of the hoof the dermis (situated between epidermis and bone) is actually a thing. Thus we can conclude that this horn version is more sensitive.

 

However, since unicorns are horses and horses are Perissodactyla I'd still argue that their horn is more similar to that of rhinos. Unless some awesome shitlord wants to fanon the narwhal tusk theory (their tusk is a very sensitive sensory organ), but that would mean the tooth had to travel all the way to the frontal sinus, center itself in the sagittal plane and exit the cranium.

 

Since we've already started, let's go further and see where the fanons take us. But be warned: this is Darkest Dungeon territory. There is no retreat!

 

According to Ponekotic Shards from the Second Polyp War, the unicorn anatomy has been a subject of intense research, particularly the horn. Its composition is indeed mainly keratin, but the mineral deposits within its core contain traces of rare element the Shards link to unspecified environmental pollution. From the wording of the elder signs, the substance is rumored to have a use in aether manipulation. Further research required.

 

Now that is how you lore, m'Bronies [tips fedora]

Considering the rhino's horn is a derived trait not found in the ancestor's of horses, does being a closer relative to horses actually mean anything? 

[Goat-kun 2,500]

On 19. 4. 2017 at 9:00 AM, Ganondox said:

Considering the rhino's horn is a derived trait not found in the ancestor's of horses, does being a closer relative to horses actually mean anything? 

Implying that there is less of a probability for a trait to be exhibited by families of the same order because the creatures in other families do not exhibit said trait than for a trait to be exhibited among completely different families of the same class even though one of the orders in question does not exhibit said trait is a bit off. If it looks like a rhino's horn and the animal belongs into the same order, then it's probably something similar. Heck, some ancestors of modern rhinos look pretty horse-like. For you argument's sake, the closest thing to a bony horn among Perissodactyla is the bulbous protrusion of the extinct family of Bronthotheriidae. I'm not sure that thing was even coated in keratin.

[GrimGrimoire 4,970]

This thread has so many allusions to deviance I am not sure how i should feel... humored or horrified?

Shame on you all for going around touching unicorn horns with your dirty hands!

 

And to stay on topic...of course they would feel it... it is not disembodied material from them. Even though cutting your nails and hair does not hurt you, you can still feel it when they are touched, disturbed or damaged. What they are made of really becomes immaterial at this point.

[K.Rool Addict 718]

On March 19, 2017 at 8:42 AM, ChocolateCrane said:

I think they would feel some form of sensation. Not something very stimulating, mind you. But more like how you feel when touching your elbow bone. Just try and knock on that elbow with a slight force; it has a weird sort of feeling, but overall a very "dull" sensation. That would be my guess. ^-^

^Pretty much this.

I would imagine if their horn was broken, however, it would be quite painful O_O