Horse Yawning During Massage? Top Answer Update

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Horses are social animals and generally enjoy the company of others. They often form close bonds with their owners.

After spending time together, your horse often shows affection for you. There are many different ways to tell if a horse likes you.

Here are 8 signs a horse likes and trusts you

1. They come to greet you

If a horse likes you, it will often greet you when it hears you coming. They can run to the fence or wait longingly for you at their stable door.

When a horse is dying to say hello to you, it’s his way of showing he likes you. When they come to greet you, they look forward to spending time with you.

2. They nod or whinny for you

Horses often whinny and whinny to people they are familiar with. They often vocalize with a whinny or nod when trying to get the attention of other horses or humans.

If your horse nods when he hears you coming, he is looking forward to seeing you. Nickering is a way for them to greet you as someone they care about.

3. They lay their head on you

When a horse lays his head on you, it’s a sign of trust. They are comfortable around you and like you enough to lay their head on you.

When a horse lays its head on you, it’s a way for it to bond with you and show affection. They let you know that they enjoy being around you. It’s like her way of giving a hug.

4. They nudge you

Although a nudge can mean other things, it is often associated with a horse showing affection towards you. Poking can be the equivalent of a horse hugging or kissing you.

If a horse likes you, it will often nudge you to get your attention. Gentle nudges can be a way for a horse to show love for you. They mean that in addition to their nudge, they will even lick or lip you.

5. They are relaxed around you

When a horse is relaxed around you, it is a sign that they like and trust you. When you see your horse relaxed with you, it shows that he feels safe with you.

Signs that your horse is relaxed around you include things like licking and chewing, bowing his head, letting out a sigh, and cocking his hind leg.

A horse that trusts you will be comfortable enough to relax around you.

When a horse lets you get close to him while lying down, that’s a real show of trust. Horses are vulnerable when lying down. So if they let you come to them lying down, they have a lot of trust and love for you.

6. They groom you back

Grooming is one of the best ways to bond with your horse. When your horse brushes you back, it sees you as a friend.

Horses grooming themselves in the wild not only because it feels good to them, but also because it’s a way to show affection for one another. They will nibble at each other’s withers, back, and neck.

When your horse nibbles on your shoulder or head, it is his way of grooming you. This is a way for them to show you that they like you.

Also check out our guide to the best horse grooming kits.

7. They show you respect

With horses, respect is a sign of trust. If your horse likes you and trusts you, it will respect you.

A horse that trusts you will see you as a leader. They will respect your space and your orders. A horse that likes you will be happy to follow you, which is also a sign of respect.

Some horses even follow their owners. When a horse follows you, they trust you to take care of them. This is how they show you their respect.

8. They breathe on your face

When a horse comes up and breathes your face, it’s the ultimate show of respect and trust. Horses show affection by gently blowing air through each other’s nostrils.

When a horse blows in your face, it’s a sign that he sees you as a loyal companion. Horses will breathe in your face when they see you as part of their family.

It’s one of the best ways horses show their affection for loved ones.

How do you know if your horse is happy? Here, equine behaviorist Dr. Debbie Marsden, the 13 signs you can look for to check how your horse is feeling.

How to read your horse’s body language

1. His nostrils

Your horse’s nostrils should be relaxed, soft and round. When he’s unhappy, they become cramped, skinny, and drawn in.

2. His lip line

Your horse’s lip line should be relaxed and soft with a slight curl down. If he’s feeling tense, he’ll be tense and tense in that area.

3. His lower jaw

Your horse’s lower jaw should be relaxed when he is feeling happy. His lower mouth can hang down and you can also see him dribble.

4. His tail

Your horse’s tail will be fairly loose, swinging freely and evenly as it moves. In the absence of injuries affecting where his tail hangs, he should be straight.

5. His ears

Your horse’s ears aren’t generally something you should tell luck by, as they usually point them in the direction he’s feeling tense. If they’re facing forward or backward, he’s probably focusing on something in that direction

How to read your horse’s behavior in his field

6. Rearing and scratching

Your horse may appear to be fighting, but rearing its front legs against another horse or pawing at the ground are often signs that it is enjoying it. Horses generally don’t play with each other unless they’re happy. If he gallops along the fence, it may well be an indication that he is stressed and unhappy.

7. Look relaxed

Your horse should appear physically relaxed while grazing and be aware of its surroundings.

8. Mutual care

Grooming each other out in the pasture is also a sign that your horse is relaxed, healthy, and bonded with another horse.

How to read your horse’s behavior in his stable

9. Regular poop

Your horse’s droppings should be regular and in normal amounts. When horses are stressed they may not have a bowel movement which indicates he is not happy.

10. Sharing a hay net

If your horse shares a hay net with a stablemate while they’re tethered in the yard, that’s a sign he’s happy.

11. A smooth bed

Your horse’s bedding should stay in place as much as possible because happy horses are not restless in the stable. A stressed horse may roam.

12. Stable vices

Stable vices like barking and boxing aren’t something your horse only does when it’s stressed – they also release endorphins that make it happy, so vice-like behavior could be a sign that it’s feeling agitated.

How to read your horse’s behavior while riding

13. Exhale

If your horse exhales through its nostrils and emits a soft snort, this is a sign that your horse’s diaphragm is relaxed and comfortable while riding.

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Two bodies, one heart: horses and your heartbeat

Every driver has had the experience. You see something in the distance that is sure to send your horse spiraling: be it a deer on the paths, a wayward tarp, or the earth-shattering open umbrella. Unbeknownst to you, your heart starts beating faster as your brain prepares for a spook, and before your horse even sees the threat, it’s tense too.

In these situations we were taught that a deep breath goes a long way; that horses can sense our fear, and by remaining calm, our energy transfers to them. But did you know that there is real science behind this art of horsemanship?

Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Horses have incredible hearing, with the ability to hear a human’s heartbeat four feet away. In the wild, horses synchronize their heartbeats with the other horses in the herd to sense danger more quickly, and recent studies have shown they use these tactics in domesticated life as well. When our horses interact with us, they also tend to sync up with our heartbeats, meaning they can sense slight adjustments in our mood. This means when we riders get nervous about something, we unwittingly transfer our fears and anxieties to our horses.

In her study, Investigating Horse-Human Interactions: The Effect Of A Nervous Human, Linda Keeling, PhD, examined the relationship between human and horse heart rates using fear as an indicator. The study had twenty participants of varying riding ability walk or ride their horse from point A to point B four times, and participants were told that an umbrella would open on the fourth pass. The umbrella was never opened, but the heartbeats of both riders and horses rose in anticipation as man expected the umbrella to open.

“The increase in the horses’ heart rates probably means they are more alert and ready to react to any potential danger,” Keeling said. “In the wild, horses are adapted to respond to other animals in their group. A startle reaction is more likely when the horse is very alert.”

So if you are leading your horse and suspect a haunting is imminent, do not tighten your lead rope and allow yourself to be tightened. Instead, remember that your horse is looking to you for direction, and the most helpful thing you can do for him and yourself is to stay cool, calm, and collected.

But how can this information be translated into your driving experience? Well, now that we know that your horse can sense your nervousness, it means that as you ride, he’ll be on the lookout for what’s making your heart race, unaware that it’s your own fear. This can turn into an anxious rider, an anxious horse wheel that ends up leaving everyone tense and nervous.

There are many ways to combat rider anxiety, the most common being breathing and meditation exercises to calm the body and mind. Riders who are scared of jumping and thinking too much have said that closing their eyes a few steps before jumping dramatically improved their jumping performance (consult your trainer before trying!). But if you just don’t know where to start with your rider’s anxiety, The Nervous Rider Action Plan is a collection of self-help exercises designed specifically for riders.

Next time your horse starts reading your mind and tensing up, remember it’s “not you, it’s me”! Especially when your anxiety is raging, it can seem like everything is out for you, even your furry friend. It’s important to remember that sometimes your horse is just manifesting the negative energy he’s absorbing from you. A little awareness goes a long way.

Horse body language (Part 1): What is your horse telling you?

Horses are social animals. Herd members interact with each other through a communication system that includes sounds, postures, movements, and smells to let herdmates know what they want and don’t want. Horses obviously don’t use words. They don’t even use sounds on a large scale. But if you watch horses interact with each other and with humans, you’ll find that body postures and movements are their primary means of communication.

One of the first things I do with any new horse, whether it’s one of mine or one sent to me for training, is to let it go in the round pen. If the horse loses with no ropes or leashes attached, the horse has a chance to express himself and I have a chance to read the horse and find out what he’s about. Is he a passive horse, an aggressive horse or something in between? Is he friendly to people? Does he respect people? Is he shy or disrespectful and pushy? Each type of horse requires a different approach. You may say you don’t train horses and wonder why you should learn how to read horses, but the truth is that every time you are with a horse, be it yours or someone’s, you do other things, train the horse better or worse. Understanding what your horse is saying will greatly improve your relationship with him.

It is important to understand that a horse’s body and mind are hardwired. How their bodies are shaped is how they feel (body shape is state of mind). Unlike humans, who may smile at you even if they don’t like you, horses don’t lie. They don’t separate how they feel and how they act. What you see in the horse’s body language is how the horse is feeling at that particular moment.

One of the most obvious ways to tell how a horse is feeling is the horse’s overall body contour, its conformation. It’s easy to tell the difference between the high-headed frame of an excited horse and the flat or low topline of a relaxed one.

Body language is essentially energy and energy is movement and since movement emanates from the rear of the horse we need to read a horse’s body language from back to front. We need to read and interpret each message from each body part back to front and then pull it all together for the big picture. However, body language is not static, so messages can change all the time.

Starting at the back, a ponytail can express six different messages. A curled tail means the horse is calm and relaxed. A wagging tail means the horse is annoyed. A horse with a wagging or twirling tail shows signs of aggression. A straight or high-tailing tail means the horse is excited or feeling his oats. You can see that in spirited horses. A straight down tail means the horse is fearful. And a tightly clamped tail between a horse’s hind legs is a sign of fear.

Next I look at the hip. Will it be disrespected or politely pulled away from me? Is the horse’s chest (leg) curled into me with its ribs pressing towards me, or is the leg curved away from me in a polite manner? Is the horse pushy by dropping his shoulder in my gap?

Probably the easiest part of the horse to analyze (besides the tail) is its head. If you want to read what’s going on in a horse’s head, just look at the position and gestures of his head. When he raises his nose, he challenges your leadership. A twirling head means aggression. When a horse wiggles its neck sideways, that’s a positive sign, a relaxation of the muscles, like shaking from writer’s cramp. When a horse yawns, it’s not tired or bored. It’s a release from fear.

A horse can also bow to you. However, there are different types of bows, and not all are based on trust and respect. If a horse bows to you but immediately raises its head, respect for your leadership comes from fear. If the horse bows to you with its head down and stays down with eyes blinking, lips licking and ears moving, or if it bows to you and then raises its head calmly, it accepts your guidance of trust and Respect. However, if its head goes down and stays down, with eyes wide open, mouth tightly shut and ears stiff, the horse is grumpy and sulky and has most likely been overstressed.

Ears are also good indicators of your horse’s mood. A horse has 16 muscles in its ear so it can move them anywhere. A horse has excellent hearing and the ears point in the direction of the horse’s attention. A horse with pricked ears is curious and alert. Ears that move back and forth often indicate insecurity. Floppy ears are a sign of sleepiness or nausea. Flat ears (ears laid flat against the neck) indicate anger or fear, which are closely related. Flat ears are a warning sign that the horse might bite or kick, essentially telling another horse (or you!) to stay back and keep your distance.

When a horse flattens its ears while riding, it is a sign of resistance and can mean several things. The horse may be asked to do something it doesn’t want to do or something that is difficult for it to do. He might also be uncomfortable with an ill-fitting saddle, bridle or bit, hard rider hands pulling on the bit, or a rider with an unbalanced, bouncy seat. He might also have back pain, or maybe his teeth are bothering him. Flat ears should not be confused with ears pointing towards the rider, as some horses do this when they are very focused and focused on their rider.

Facial signals are more subtle for us humans. A tight mouth shows anxiety and fear. A chewing mouth with lip licking means the horse is thinking and is calm and relaxed. It doesn’t mean the horse respects you! A wrinkled nose indicates anger and disgust. A horse that threatens to bite has an open mouth and possibly bared teeth. This is not the same as “mouthing” a foal, which is a submissive gesture. A long nose with a slightly open mouth shows the horse wants to groom each other, a gesture you may have seen grooming your horse before. It will have the characteristic long nose, retracted lower lip and elongated neck when you find the itchy spot.

When you stand next to your horse and he looks away, do you think he is distracted or even disrespectful? When your horse yawns, is it sleepy or bored? If he moves slowly, is he lazy? These are important cues from your horse, are you hearing them right?

When it comes to communicating with horses, some people are a bit like a self-obsessed rock star who throws a tantrum and trashes the room but then assumes everyone wants their autograph. By equine standards, humans rush into the environment and escalate from there. We are loud in our bodies and words. Part of respecting a horse is remembering that their senses are far sharper than ours. we can whisper

It is like man’s vanity and impudence to call an animal mute because it is mute to its dull perceptions. ~Mark Twain.

Horses give us calming signals, just like dogs. Norwegian dog trainer and behaviorist Turid Rugaas wrote about it in 2005. She coined the phrase calming signals to describe the social skills, or body language, dogs use to avoid conflict, invite play, and convey a variety of information to other dogs.

Calming signals in horses are somewhat similar and include looking away, side ears, yawning, stretching, lip licking, or eating to calm down. can you spot her Calming cues communicate stress while relieving stress. It models behavior for us; They want us to lower our stress levels or even our aggressiveness.

When a horse looks away, either with its eyes or with its whole head and neck, that’s a reassuring signal. He uses such a signal when he feels pressured and wants the driver to know that he senses the person’s excitement or aggression, but that person can calm down because they do not pose a threat to humans. In the mind of the horse, he communicates clearly and respectfully.

Do you pull his head back and force his position? It’s human nature to crank up our volume when we don’t think we’re being heard, and perhaps the hardest thing about listening to soothing cues is that they kind of nudge our dominant parts. So when the horse signals us to be less aggressive, but we mistakenly perceive it as boredom or distraction or even disobedience and then follow up with a larger cue, we start a fight. We let the horse know that we prefer aggression to peace. Is that what you meant to say? Or is the appropriate positive response from a good leader to de-escalate the situation?

It is like man’s vanity and impudence to call an animal mute because it is mute to its dull perceptions. ~Mark Twain. (It deserves a repeat.)

If riders are to understand the language of horses, we need to stop seeing our horses in our own worst image (lazy or distracted) and start a conversation where we listen more openly and honestly. It’s far too easy to dump everything a horse does into either dominant or submissive behavior. Herd life has a lot more nuance than that. As social animals, they work to get along and encourage others to work together. Dominant boss mares also give reassuring hints.

We can build trust in the horse if we learn to respect, and even reward, reassuring signals. In my training, the best calming signal I have is my breath. I can slow it down, emphasize the exhalation, and just be still at the end. Using our breath is a huge help that horses pay attention to, so much more than people realize.

Every time I start working with a horse I ask for his eye using my eye. I want him to volunteer. When my horse looks away, I take a deep breath, acknowledge the moment, and walk slowly. Usually on my second or third breath he looks back and tells me he’s ready. It’s a short wait compared to putting fear or resistance in that eye.

Reading horse body language takes some quiet time to learn and they are not all exactly the same. Some horses are so turned off, so overwhelmed by our past beatings, that they have no reassuring cues at all, but you can remind him of that. Reassurance is a good thing, no matter who announces it.

If you’re thinking about improving your communication skills with your horse, I really recommend groundwork. That’s what I like best about the horse agility that we do here at Infinity Farm in the summer. Obstacles are great conversation starters with a horse, and if the human can overcome the need to control the obstacle, communication can be eloquent, with understanding and a healthy give-and-take argument. And all this is later transferred to the saddle.

Now that I think about it, I also tend to look the other way when I meet someone who is loud or aggressive. Sometimes I turn my shoulders to the side and don’t make eye contact. I realize that I also don’t like it when pushy people push me around and speak harshly. That’s about the time I realize that I groundwork people just as often as I do horses. Perhaps the real reason we shouldn’t humanize horses is because they got it right from the start.

Anna Blake, Infinity Farm.

10 Lies About Horses You Shouldn’t Believe – by Don Jessop

1. Never look a horse in the eye

This common misconception stems from a very basic and ancient notion that horses are prey animals and for that reason cannot tolerate the peering eyes of a predator. Many beginner trainers and some more advanced trainers adhere to this principle. But they are misguided. You are only a predator if you intend to eat what you are looking at. Horses can easily distinguish between a predator looking for food and a predator looking curious and puzzled. However, horses have trouble understanding the intent of a person who hides their eyes. When you hide your gaze, you often appear sneaky or suspicious. This might be a good strategy for an aggressive dog, but it can have a negative effect on a horse. It doesn’t always have a negative effect, but it can, and that’s something to be aware of.

There is one exception to the “don’t look your horse in the eye” theory: This exception occurs when you first encounter an extremely fearful and shy horse. It’s useful to drop your gaze and energy in those first moments, to show absolutely no body language that could be misconstrued as predatory. But after just a few brief moments, you can lift your gaze and begin to form a genuine connection with curiosity and wonder emanating from your heart, your mind, and your eyes. I’ve never met a horse I couldn’t look into the eyes and share my heart in moments and I’ve met tens of thousands of horses now. It’s your intention that counts, not your eyes, ears, mouth, arms, or feet.

2. Kick to go

With every rule there is an exception, so there may well be times when pressing your heels against your horse isn’t enough and you have to kick your horse to get an answer. This exception is usually in the event of an emergency, e.g. B. when a horse gets stuck in the middle of the road when a car approaches. But in almost all other cases, you shouldn’t be kicking to walk. Simply because it is not elegant! Mastery horsemanship uses techniques that are elegant.

Training a horse to go from a simple, soft, gentle push from the heels or even from the calf muscles is far more elegant. Horses learn to do whatever you repeat and reward, so you can decide what signals to use to ask to leave. Kicking to go is a signal, yes, but it is not desirable for the horse or anyone watching you ride. To prove this point, I want you to look at an old Western film where the actor moves the horse and then compare that to the film Quigley Down Under with Tom Selleck. Watch as he tells his horse to go. Tom hired and was trained by a master for this film. I happen to know because this master (Pat Parelli) was my own teacher for almost fifteen years. I have been fortunate to work and live with Pat and Linda for many years and they will agree. Master Trainers do not train their horse by kicking it.

3. Pull until it stops

The same principle applies here. We were taught a lie that you should pull the reins to stop your horse. The reality is that you will have to pull the reins initially, especially when training young horses, but if you have mastery in mind you will discover that there are other, more elegant ways of stopping your horse. For example, my horse will stop if I slow my breathing and sink slightly in the saddle. Watch a reining performance trainer come to a full gallop and never lift the reins. It is wonderful. It’s elegant. It’s championship. You can also teach your horse to stop without pulling on the reins. In fact, you can decide which signal to use, as any signal will work. Believe it or not, kicking your horse can be a signal to get your horse to stop. I wouldn’t recommend it because it’s counterintuitive and not very elegant, but every signal supported and rewarded and repeated becomes part of your intimate language between you and your horse.

4. Show him who’s boss

Remember when I said there’s always an exception to the rule… this principle still applies. There may be times when you need to show your horse who’s in charge, especially in safety situations. But this concept of domineering alone is a big fat lie because you also need to bond with your horse and show him that you care about his experience more than anyone else on the planet.

I don’t even like the boss analogy when it comes to leadership. In my book, Leadership and Horses, I talk a lot about the models we use to describe our interactions with horses. My favorite model is the teacher-student/model or the parent/child model. These describe a loving, supportive, growth-oriented learning and leadership mode rather than the consequence and pressure model dictated by most boss/employee models.

5. You need a little driving

It’s okay to drive with a bit. But thinking you must have a bit of a drive isn’t accurate thinking…it’s old, militant thinking. In fact, bits were invented in the first place to ensure that any novice rider could hop on a horse and march into war with more control. Imagine you were a war general in centuries past, and imagine putting a dozen greenhorn riders on ill-trained horses that didn’t wear reins, and you’ll be able to follow horses’ reasoning who need dentures. But as with everything horsemanship, there are basic rules and advanced rules. The more advanced, masterful trainers know that you don’t need a bit to communicate with a horse. We no longer have to go to war on horseback, giving you more time to bond and bond and guide your horse to understand more elegant, subtle signals. Look on YouTube, type in the phrase “riding without a bit” and discover hundreds of videos (some good, some not so good) of people riding their horse bareback. When you observe other people… look for elegance and harmony. Those are the signals of the championship.

6. Bits are bad

That too is a lie. You don’t have to use a bit, true, but saying that bits are bad is also an unbalanced perspective typical of natural trainers. Humans are strange creatures. Once we learn one thing, we tend to only see that one thing and everything else is bad or stupid. Then one day we find out that the other thing wasn’t that bad and we switch sides completely. I see that every day. I see traditional riders entering the natural horsemanship industry and choosing to throw away all their past experiences as unhealthy or bad. Much can be learned from tradition and it would be foolish to “throw out the baby with the bathwater”, so to speak.

Bits have value. I don’t like them, I don’t usually use them, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have value. High performance trainers can use the bit as a tool to balance a horse in a complicated maneuver and wean the horse off this tool over time. Even low-performing drivers can benefit a little from it. This allows them to feel more confident in the beginning, then they can learn more advanced training modes over time. The idea behind this paragraph is that accepting a concept as pure truth can be detrimental to progress and communication. The key is to stay open to experience and to ask why someone would use a particular tool without judging that someone or that tool.

7. Horses know everything

In a recent post (one thing you should never do with horses), I describe how horses have the brains (cognitive awareness and emotional strength) of a four-year-old human child. It is an agile brain that quickly adapts to the environment. It’s a brain designed to sense and evade threats, but the horse’s brain’s level of concentration is very similar to that of a young child. Puzzles, detailed memory challenges, and processes often get lost in the context of “preservation-first” thinking. So if you’ve ever heard someone say, “My horse already knows that.” What they really want to say is, “My horse already did that.” But that doesn’t mean that the horse actually remembers the details of the exercise, the sequence of events where, following certain signals, something should happen next.

Whenever I hear someone say, “My horse knows that,” I often respond by asking them to immediately answer this question: What is 15 x 8 equal to? If they don’t respond right away, I jokingly chide them for not remembering something they’ve definitely encountered at some point in their lives, and then apologize because nobody likes to be embarrassed like that. Not even horses!

Remember to give your horse some time to process the details, even if they’ve been there before. Keep in mind that their distraction may be high, and while not new to you, there may be a new smell or small noise that triggers thoughts that prevent positive reactions. Don’t compound the problem by assuming your horse knows what to do, which will only lead to frustration and poor leadership.

8. Training a horse requires a professional

That’s like saying parenting requires a pro. Trust me, once you get started, you’ll become professional pretty quickly. I have now helped thousands of students achieve their dreams without sending their horse to a trainer. This is an important part of my business and also my life vision. Important to my business because a large part of my business is teaching people to train their own horses rather than sending the horse to a trainer for 60 days.

I have successfully helped people of all ages and physical abilities, even people in their 70’s, train their own horses with my home study and championship coaching courses.

This work is also important to my life vision because I believe there is an amazing leadership lesson to be learned from the challenge of horse training. My vision is to help horses have a great life around people, but it’s also to help people become the best version of themselves no matter what they choose in life.

Horses are a great vehicle to learn and test your own courage, control, discipline, kindness, communication and more. I believe that anyone who owns a horse should do all of the training themselves long term, even if it means postponing trail riding for a while. In the short term I think it’s wise to learn from a professional, take lessons, ensure you are confident in learning new skills and getting better at handling your horse, but the long term training should always be you!

9. Horses do not experience human emotions

This is perhaps the greatest of all lies. In fact, horses feel and experience every human emotion. They’re sad, they’re afraid of loss, they feel pain, they’re hungry, they feel tension when they need to pee but don’t have time, they’re excited and happy and playful. They feel anger and resentment. you feel everything! True master trainers know this. Science has proven that horses have the emotional and cognitive awareness of a four-year-old human. This kid may not know how to qualify or label an emotion, but you can bet they feel every single emotion on the spectrum. Some emotions come and go quickly, like an outburst of anger, but others persist due to the pressure of circumstances.

Knowing that horses sense all of our emotions can sometimes put people off riding horses, but it doesn’t have to. Horses can still benefit from the exercise and stimulus we offer them because one emotion they also experience is boredom. Imagine you were locked in a small cage as a four-year-old child. You would get bored pretty quickly. Master trainers work with the horse’s emotions to neutralize negative emotions and guide the horse towards calmer, happier emotions. It makes the journey exciting and enriching for horse and human when the trainer notices how horses actually feel about everything.

10. Horses like to be ridden.

That is only partly a lie. Many horses don’t like being ridden at all and only give in because there is no other way. This can be backed up with sound observational science. But for those special few horses who are lucky enough to have a great friend, leader and trainer like you, they can actually learn to love being ridden. This requires a level of mastery that few people know about, but you now have the opportunity to learn it, starting now! Take a chance with me and check out the Horse Mastery Group. It’s free to watch and it will change your horse’s life!

Overriding dorsal spinous processes (ORDSP), also known as kissing spine. Kissing spine is a condition of the spine in horses in which the distances between the vertebrates are reduced so that they actually touch; This touching effect is related to the “kiss” and can cause significant pain and lameness in your horse.

Kissing spine is considered the most common cause of back pain in horses. Similar to arthritis, the underlying cause of kissing spine is not fully understood. The condition can occur in all breeds and is more common in horses over 5 years of age.

The problem occurs when the distances between the horse’s vertebrae (spine) decrease to the point where they touch (kiss) – hence “kissing spine”. The bony prominence around each vertebra helps the horse’s spine to bend and straighten, so when this is reduced a lack of mobility and pain is seen. The most common cases of kissing spine are found in the last few thoracic vertebrae, interestingly where a saddle sits on a horse.

Although more common as a degenerative condition, kissing spine can also be made worse by an injury to the spine from a serious fall. A kissing spine caused by repeated trauma can also be diagnosed as Spinal Crowding Syndrome.

Kissing Spine Symptoms

First signs of kissing spine in a horse are often a change in the horse’s temperament, behavior or health. You may experience a certain level of discomfort when adjusting or attempting to mount a saddle. If the condition worsens, the horse will likely become hypersensitive around the back.

If you have a sport or show jumping horse you may see signs of a refusal to jump or an overall reduction in flexibility and athleticism. Many horses tighten their back muscles to relieve the stress on their vertebrae, resulting in significant stiffness and a visible change in their stride, gait and performance.

Horses suffering from back pain have reduced general mobility and need immediate veterinary care.

Diagnosing kissing spine

Due to the restricted mobility and behavioral changes in the animals, the initial diagnosis is often made early in the course of the disease.

Multiple technologies are available to veterinarians to clinically diagnose kissing spine. A physical examination is performed during which the horse is ridden either under saddle or on the lunge line. If necessary, a series of scans or X-rays (X-rays) will follow to pinpoint the problem. Other technologies such as ultrasound and thermography are also used to support the diagnosis.

The most reliable and accurate method is X-ray. These images allow the veterinarian to examine the spaces between the horse’s vertebrae and make an accurate diagnosis, taking care to interpret the individual horse and its natural vertebral alignment. In some cases, nerve blocks are used to confirm the diagnosis. After diagnosis, treatment can begin.

The next time your horse yawns, pay attention – it could signal a marked shift in emotions.

Research suggests that yawning in horses may be related to frustration or other highly charged emotions.

“Yawning is commonly thought of as a result of boredom or sleepiness,” says Dr. Aleksandra Gorecka-Bruzda from the Polish Academy of Sciences. “However, horse behavioral research has shown that yawning can also be closely related to frustrated behavior in stabled horses, particularly in situations that provoke arousal, such as before feeding.”

To investigate the topic and learn how environmental factors can influence horse yawning, Gorecka-Bruzda teamed up with researchers from the University of Rennes in France to observe 16 domesticated horses living in a stable herd with extended grazing periods, and 19 Przewalski’s Horses Living in a Corral. During multiple daily five-minute observation periods, the researchers tracked and categorized each horse’s social interactions and counted the number of times it yawned. The Przewalski’s horses were observed for 10 hours while the domesticated horses were observed for 4 hours.

The researchers found no difference in yawning frequency between the two groups, suggesting that domestication alone has little impact on behavior. However, there was much less yawning in the domesticated herd under semi-feral conditions than in a comparable group of stable horses observed in a previous study. This, the researchers say, can be attributed to the options offered to the domesticated horses in the current study – primarily ample exercise time and unrestricted feeding.

“In the most recent study, the domestic horses lived in ‘good’ naturalization conditions with little yawning,” says Martine Hausberger, PhD. “This clearly shows that the very high frequency of yawning observed in previous studies is not related to domestication but to the cramped housing conditions of the horses.” The frequency of yawning varied between individuals, but stallions tended to yawn more than geldings or mares.

The researchers note that the Przewalski’s horses had more social interactions overall, which may have influenced the data, but both species showed a correlation between the frequency of yawning and that of social interactions. In the Przewalski horses, interactions preceding yawning tended to be agonistic, such as B. a bite threat or a chase; In contrast, interactions between domesticated horses were positive or neutral, such as B. Mutual sniffing. “It can be hypothesized that yawning may be related to, among other things, the increase in arousal in response to any positive or negative trigger,” says Gorecka-Bruzda.

“If a horse yawns a lot, the owner shouldn’t assume it’s relaxed and healthy, especially if the yawning is frequent,” says Hausberger. “In some cases it may actually be related to drowsiness, but frequent yawning should draw the attention of the owner, who should then monitor the horse and the situation for signs of potential welfare issues.”

Reference: “Studying determinants of yawning in domestic horses (Equus caballus) and Przewalski’s (Equus ferus przewalskii)”, The Science of Nature, October 2016 (Click here to read the abstract)

This article first appeared in EQUUS issue #470

Do not miss! Receive the latest horse health information straight to your shopping cart with the free weekly EQUUS newsletter! If you are not yet receiving the EQUUS newsletter, click here to subscribe. It’s free*!

What to do Observe the horse carefully for a few minutes before making any guesses as to what is going on. Is it shaking, smacking or something else. Record a video and share it with your vet.

Consider the context. When does this occur? Under the saddle, while feeding or just resting.

When horses twitch their lips or flap their lips under saddle, it can indicate stress. Consider the factors that might be causing anxiety or irritability and adjust your approach accordingly.

If the lip movements occur when the horse is fed, determine whether or not the horse can eat properly. Assess your horse’s overall health with the Whole Horse Exam (WHE). Pay special attention to how the horse moves at the walk, posture and appetite, heart rate and rectal temperature. Assess the mouth (wear gloves) and look at the inside and outside of the lips and nostrils. Offer food and water and determine if they are interested in food and can chew and swallow. Watch carefully for tremors in other parts of the body. Contact your veterinarian with your findings and concerns.

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Does your horse open its mouth while riding, gnaw its bit or grind its teeth? Are you trying to figure out why your horse is exhibiting this behavior?

Maybe you’re worried that the horse doesn’t like his bit, there are possible dental problems, or you need a different noseband.

I was wondering the same things when my horse Chip (rental horse) started chewing on the bit when I rode him, even with a loose rein.

Did people then tell you not to worry about your horse’s mouth, just ignore it and ride? Or does your horse have to get used to the bit first? Or do you have to tighten the noseband and use a flash?

Don’t listen to these people. Don’t ignore your horse or try to silence him.

A horse that opens its mouth while being ridden does so because it is responding to discomfort or pain. This can be caused by dental problems, hard hands, an ill-fitting bit, or anything else that bothers the horse.

Perhaps some of you are aware that it is uncomfortable when a horse opens its mouth while riding.

But for others, you may have never really thought about what the real issue is, always thinking it was just quirky or a bad habit the horse has, such as kicking. B. Koppen or other vices.

Other behaviors similar to open mouth behavior under saddle, which can also have similar causes:

Bit chomping

stick out the tongue

teeth grinding

If you want a good cooperation with your horse. It has to be built on trust. If your horse is uncomfortable riding it, it will be difficult to build that trust.

You take the first steps to solving this problem by identifying the possible causes of why your horse is opening its mouth.

Well done that you care enough about your horse to learn more about what is going on, unfortunately not everyone does.

Disclaimer: If you have a problem with your horse, make sure your veterinarian helps assess what is going on. A phone call to the vet can sometimes help. They have extensive knowledge and experience. I am just a rider sharing what I have learned and experienced in my own life with horses and not passing this on as professional advice.

What it means when your horse opens its mouth under saddle and why it does so

How would you like working out at the gym in too small sneakers with crumpled toes or too big sneakers causing your foot to slip around and cause blisters.

You’d probably grimace, frown, maybe say “ouch” if you’re in pain, or at least have some kind of expression about the discomfort.

As I mentioned earlier, when a horse opens its mouth, it’s because there’s a problem. Something is bothering the horse. And it’s not always the obvious choice that causes the discomfort.

Most people would think of the bit as the source of the problem. Sometimes it’s a little, but not always.

When a horse opens its mouth, it is reacting to the pain or tension. This is a form of dodge, the horse trying to avoid the pressure. The pressure is the discomfort or pain.

But discomfort can also be expressed in other ways, such as:

cock whoosh

throw out

pin ears

tilt your head to one side

uneven gears

don’t drive straight

and many other possibilities

Another thing just to note is that sometimes a horse that was in pain, to which it responded by opening and closing its mouth under saddle, might still do so even after the pain was gone.

“It’s possible that it will become a habit. Often the horse anticipates pain and has a certain level of anxiety, which causes the opening-mouth reaction.

But you shouldn’t come to that conclusion until you’ve fully investigated all aspects of the possible causes of the behavior.

You care about your horse, want the best for him and your horse needs you to do his best, because if not you, then who?

Why you shouldn’t just ignore it and move on

There are riders who see a horse open its mouth at face value and don’t delve further into the problem.

They think it’s normal with some horses and you just have to ride them forward, get a steady rhythm and ignore it because the horse is just quirky.

Then there are riders who think because they’ve tried a few different bits, are riding on a loose rein, had the vet examine the horse’s mouth, which was found to be fine, that it just has to be a behavioral problem.

So they tighten the noseband a bit, add a flash to minimize the problem, and hope the horse calms down and eventually settles its mouth.

But are there other factors that could influence this horse to produce this behavior? Yes, quite a few that you wouldn’t have immediately thought of.

Why tightening the noseband and using a flash won’t help

There aren’t just a few issues with a tight noseband and flash.

Cranked nosebands can cause even worse abuse to the horse because they allow you to tighten the noseband more than the typical noseband.

Although not everyone who uses a crank noseband abuses it, nor does a bridle with a lightning bolt.

Before I continue, I just want to say that nosebands are not inherently bad, and neither are all bits (some bits are bad though).

Dropping nosebands, snaffles with flashes, and snaffles like Micklem’s snaffle can help stabilize the bit in the horse’s mouth.

However, they can also be used harshly if overtightened.

Tight noseband and flash problems:

If the noseband is too low and tight, it can restrict the horse’s airway and make it difficult for the horse to breathe.

Using a flash to keep the horse’s mouth shut is a band-aid to the problem and does not address the underlying cause causing the horse’s behavior.

A noseband that is too tight can damage the horse’s cartilage over the nose. (This also applies to hackamores and certain bitless reins used with rough hands.)

When you tighten a noseband, it presses the horse’s cheek against the teeth. The horse can sometimes bite the inside of its cheek and if it has hooked, sharp or rough edges on its teeth, the cheek rubbing will be aggravated by the tight noseband.

Horses will drool with something in their mouth and they need to be able to move their jaw and lift their tongue to the roof of their mouth to swallow. This is difficult for a horse with a tight noseband.

Imagine your mouth closed and your teeth clenched. It would lead to tension in the jaw. This happens to the horse with a very tight noseband.

Horses lick and chew when concentrating, learning and accepting, and this is hindered by the closed mouth.

The horse will have trouble relaxing its jaw.

Wearing a tight noseband is simply uncomfortable for the horse. You can tell by looking at them.

Not every horse will exhibit exactly the same ailments, but there are some signs to look out for.

Common facial expressions in horse complaints

Tension around the eyes, the whites of the eyes may show in the inner corners of the eyes and the bone of the eyes may protrude.

Masticatory muscles are evident

Extended nostrils for a flatter profile

Upper lip slightly pulled back

Chin may appear a small pointer

List of problems that can cause open mouth under the saddle

I have here a long list of possible causes that can cause a horse to open its mouth or react while being ridden.

So let’s go through the different areas of discomfort that can cause a horse to open its mouth, with the most common reasons first.

In this section, I’ll just go over the possible causes of open mouth or chewing under saddle and explain a little bit about each of them.

In my next blog post I will support you in finding out what problem your horse has and provide solutions to each of the different problems.

Possible reasons for discomfort that causes the horse to open its mouth under saddle:

The way the rider uses the reins

Bit does not fit properly

Bit is not placed in the right place

There are dental problems

The noseband is uncomfortable for the horse

temporomandibular joint problems

Saddle seat is wrong

Saddle is not in the right place

The horse feels pain somewhere

tension or fear

The way the rider uses the reins

This is the most common reason horses open their mouths while being ridden.

Every horse has a different sensitivity in the mouth. Some horses have mouth or tongue injuries that can be made worse by the bit.

Bits also vary in severity depending on how much pressure they apply and what areas of the mouth the pressure is applied to. A tighter bit requires less pressure on the rider’s reins than a bit that feels gentler on a horse.

A rider with busy hands can cause the bit to constantly move in the horse’s mouth, which can cause friction at the corners of the horse’s lips. This can anger a horse with a sensitive mouth who wants the bit to be much more stable in the mouth with smooth, controlled movements.

A rider who gets angry and uses the reins harshly will cause the horse pain and possible lacerations in the horse’s mouth. The horse may become nervous or expect pain from the bit.

A rider who becomes unbalanced and uses the reins to feel more secure, or catches himself on the reins when losing balance, also causes discomfort in the horse’s mouth. This will cause the horse to anticipate pain as well.

A rider who is working on contact with the horse, but the contact is not constant. The reins go back and forth from tight and loose. The horse can be kicked in the mouth. The inconsistent contact has an even greater impact on a horse with a sensitive mouth that wants the bit to be more stable in the mouth.

A rider with heavy hands will make the horse uncomfortable. The horse may try to avoid contact with the rider’s open mouth, as well as to get over the bit or behind the bit. The horse may also try to lean into the rider’s hands and become heavy because of the sore mouth. I read a good analogy in The Horse. A baby with sore gums will bite things to relieve the pain, just like a horse experiencing pain in its mouth can lean on the bit for support.

A rider who rocks or pulls and releases the reins to try to get the horse on the bit. This is uncomfortable for the horse. And the tension and pain the horse feels can lead to panting or open mouth.

Bit does not fit properly

There is more to fitting than just finding the right size.

Of course, the width of the bit is a component that you need to determine when finding a bit that is right for your horse. If the bit is too wide, it will slip around in the horse’s mouth too much. If the bit is too narrow for the horse, it will pinch the sides of the horse’s lips.

It is true that a thicker bit is softer in the sense that the pressure is distributed more than a thin bit. However, depending on the horse’s roof of the mouth, called the pallet, this can be uncomfortable for the horse.

if it is too thick and makes it difficult for the horse to move its tongue to swallow. If the bit is too thick, it will be difficult for the horse to release the pressure.

Bits have different shapes.

A horse that has a low pallet with a single jointed bit will be uncomfortable as the joint could hit your horse’s palate if pressure is applied to the bit.

A horse with a sensitive mouth wearing a French link or double jointed bit may not like the feel of this type of bit because it moves more. Some horses like a sturdier silent mouthpiece.

Bit is not set correctly

You may have a bit that works for your horse, but that doesn’t help much if the bit on the bridle isn’t set correctly for the horse.

If the bit is too tight and too high, not only is it uncomfortable for the horse’s stretched lips, it can also interfere with the horse’s molars.

If the bit is too low, it can clink against the horse’s front teeth or canines, if they have any. The bit hitting the horse’s teeth will definitely cause a horse to react and open its mouth.

dental problems

It should be a no-brainer that when the horse has dental problems it will feel uncomfortable whether from:

Inflammation,

aching gums,

Cuts on the cheeks from sharp teeth,

balled up bales of hay stuck behind the teeth

or something similar

Because if their mouth is uncomfortable, they are very likely to open their mouth, chew, or appear dissatisfied with their teeth.

Remember if horses have sharp edges or hooks on their teeth and wear a tight noseband this will result in the horse’s cheek rubbing against the sharp tooth causing ulcers or cuts on the cheek.

Other possible dental problems could be a decaying tooth, a tumor, or something lodged in the horse’s mouth.

Uncomfortable with noseband

Except that the noseband is too tight. Some horses don’t like the feel of certain nosebands.

Some horses prefer one noseband to the other, even when properly adjusted. It could be that the horse has more sensitive areas on the face and some nosebands irritate the area while other nosebands don’t.

temporomandibular joint problems

The temporomandibular joint, also known as the temporomandibular joint, connects the horse’s lower and upper jaw. When this joint interferes with the horse, it can be difficult and uncomfortable for the horse to move its jaw. This can cause resistance in the horse, e.g. B. sticking out the tongue, chewing the teeth or opening the mouth. These are just a few of the many symptoms horses with TMJ can experience.

Saddle disturbs horse

Saddle does not fit the horse properly

The saddle must fit the horse properly to avoid pain or injury.

An improperly fitting saddle can be a major source of discomfort for a horse. Opening the mouth under saddle or chewing the bit can be a sign that the horse is experiencing pain from the saddle.

The saddle is not properly placed on the horse’s back

Even if the saddle is in the right place, you can still cause the horse discomfort and body aches if the saddle is not in the right place.

Too far forward, the saddle interferes with the horse’s shoulder and movement. The shoulder is rubbing under the saddle or possibly bumping against the saddle.

Too far back in the saddle, which would be past the last rib where the kidneys and other soft tissues are, often causes pain in the horse’s loins.

Horse feels pain somewhere

So you know if the horse is experiencing pain in its mouth, whether it’s from a bit, a rider’s hands, dental problems, or an ill-fitting saddle. These are all things that can cause a horse to respond by opening its mouth or chewing on the bit.

But they aren’t the only areas of pain that will cause this. It can be caused by pain anywhere in the body.

sore throat or neck

ulcers in the digestive system

lameness

tight muscles

or other sources of pain

Anything that makes the horse uncomfortable can manifest itself as the horse fidgeting with its mouth.

tension or fear

Tension and anxiety are a little different from the possible reasons for mouth opening behavior mentioned earlier. Think about how you might fidget or act when you’re feeling nervous, anxious, or tense.

This is different because it is mental how the horse is feeling in his head and it manifests as a physical symptom of opening his mouth, chewing, grinding his teeth etc.

The horse may be expecting something.

The horse can become tense through new exercises or new experiences.

The horse may worry about being separated from its friends.

The horse can expect pain.

The horse is not used to the contact with the reins and is tense

These are just a few examples of why the horse may be nervous, anxious or tense. It can also be something else that is causing your horse to feel this way.

Quick points about why your horse opens his mouth under saddle:

Be patient with your horse. This behavior of opening their mouths under saddle is not because they are bad or quirky, but because they are responding to the discomfort they are feeling.

Don’t give up trying to find the root of the problem your horse is relying on you for. If you’ve had your teeth checked, tried different bits and nosebands, there’s always something else bothering your horse. Your horse relies on you.

Now you know the various possible causes of this behavior. It’s time to find out your horse’s cause. Read my next blog post to help you figure out the cause and find a solution to it.

Next blog post to read:

What to do if your horse keeps opening its mouth with a bit!

I hope this has helped you better understand why your horse opens his mouth under saddle.

Keep up the good work and look for the best for your horse.

Cheers,

kacey

The next time your horse yawns, pay attention – it could signal a marked shift in emotions.

Research suggests that yawning in horses may be related to frustration or other highly charged emotions.

“Yawning is commonly thought of as a result of boredom or sleepiness,” says Dr. Aleksandra Gorecka-Bruzda from the Polish Academy of Sciences. “However, horse behavioral research has shown that yawning can also be closely related to frustrated behavior in stabled horses, particularly in situations that provoke arousal, such as before feeding.”

To investigate the topic and learn how environmental factors can influence horse yawning, Gorecka-Bruzda teamed up with researchers from the University of Rennes in France to observe 16 domesticated horses living in a stable herd with extended grazing periods, and 19 Przewalski’s Horses Living in a Corral. During multiple daily five-minute observation periods, the researchers tracked and categorized each horse’s social interactions and counted the number of times it yawned. The Przewalski’s horses were observed for 10 hours while the domesticated horses were observed for 4 hours.

The researchers found no difference in yawning frequency between the two groups, suggesting that domestication alone has little impact on behavior. However, there was much less yawning in the domesticated herd under semi-feral conditions than in a comparable group of stable horses observed in a previous study. This, the researchers say, can be attributed to the options offered to the domesticated horses in the current study – primarily ample exercise time and unrestricted feeding.

“In the most recent study, the domestic horses lived in ‘good’ naturalization conditions with little yawning,” says Martine Hausberger, PhD. “This clearly shows that the very high frequency of yawning observed in previous studies is not related to domestication but to the cramped housing conditions of the horses.” The frequency of yawning varied between individuals, but stallions tended to yawn more than geldings or mares.

The researchers note that the Przewalski’s horses had more social interactions overall, which may have influenced the data, but both species showed a correlation between the frequency of yawning and that of social interactions. In the Przewalski horses, interactions preceding yawning tended to be agonistic, such as B. a bite threat or a chase; In contrast, interactions between domesticated horses were positive or neutral, such as B. Mutual sniffing. “It can be hypothesized that yawning may be related to, among other things, the increase in arousal in response to any positive or negative trigger,” says Gorecka-Bruzda.

“If a horse yawns a lot, the owner shouldn’t assume it’s relaxed and healthy, especially if the yawning is frequent,” says Hausberger. “In some cases it may actually be related to drowsiness, but frequent yawning should draw the attention of the owner, who should then monitor the horse and the situation for signs of potential welfare issues.”

Reference: “Studying determinants of yawning in domestic horses (Equus caballus) and Przewalski’s (Equus ferus przewalskii)”, The Science of Nature, October 2016 (Click here to read the abstract)

This article first appeared in EQUUS issue #470

Do not miss! Receive the latest horse health information straight to your shopping cart with the free weekly EQUUS newsletter! If you are not yet receiving the EQUUS newsletter, click here to subscribe. It’s free*!

Hi,

I came across “eye roll” in horses in some books and wanted to ask the question

by perhaps those more familiar with it as it actually is. Is it like people roll their eyes?

“Watch the horse’s eyes and ears during this activity. You have a great attitude

Barometer. The happy horse is either ears forward concentrating on the route ahead

or work back and forth. Rolling eyes and flat ears mean an unhappy, unstable horse.”

(Happy Trails: Your Complete Guide to Fun & Safe Les Sellnow Trail Riding)

What to do Observe the horse carefully for a few minutes before making any guesses as to what is going on. Is it shaking, smacking or something else. Record a video and share it with your vet.

Consider the context. When does this occur? Under the saddle, while feeding or just resting.

When horses twitch their lips or flap their lips under saddle, it can indicate stress. Consider the factors that might be causing anxiety or irritability and adjust your approach accordingly.

If the lip movements occur when the horse is fed, determine whether or not the horse can eat properly. Assess your horse’s overall health with the Whole Horse Exam (WHE). Pay special attention to how the horse moves at the walk, posture and appetite, heart rate and rectal temperature. Assess the mouth (wear gloves) and look at the inside and outside of the lips and nostrils. Offer food and water and determine if they are interested in food and can chew and swallow. Watch carefully for tremors in other parts of the body. Contact your veterinarian with your findings and concerns.