What does it mean when horses yawn?

by Elaine Polny
(Ontario, Canada)

The University of Guelph conducted a study a few years back to determine if horses yawn for the same reason as people, turns out the answer is No! And in a majority of cases horses will yawn three consecutive times when they do it too.

When people yawn it is usually because we are bored or tired. But when horses yawn there is much more to the equation and the surrounding events need to be considered.

If a horse was basking in the sun, starting to take a nap, they may yawn less than 3 times in a row. However under training conditions when the horse is wide awake the reason is much different.

Under any situation that the horse feels stress, like when learning something new in a training session, he would yawn to release endorphins for the calming effect on the nervous system (once there is a break offered). And this is when you will always see 3 or more. I have witnessed up to 15 yawns in a row! What I once thought (and was told) was that the horse is processing and possibly understanding the lesson. This has now been proven false. The more the horse yawns tells us the more anxiety and stress the horse was under and feeling.

Licking and chewing have also been placed under this same false premise. Believing that this means a horse is digesting or understanding the information offered. But what it really means is the horse is processing information he found unsettling and needs a moment to relax in order to comprehend and would like to release the excess energy created.

So the next time you see a horse yawn, take notice how many times and under what conditions. You will learn a great deal about the horse, their language and how to grow a positive relationship with them.

Elaine Polny
Training Horses Naturally

Comments for
What does it mean when horses yawn?

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Massage & The Yawning Horse
by: Lorraine Piercy

I have enjoyed reading this discussion. My observation of my own horse and others I have had contact with 3 yawns after a massage where the horse has been extremly relaxed, head way down, top lip trembling,fully stretched out lapping it all up. Then when done a look of "Is that all I get" followed by the yawns.Compared to learning some new ground work"think" chew it over.Thanks for your interesting articles.

Lorraine
Licking and chewing
by: Cathy

This subject was touched on under the "Yawning" discussion, so I thought I would add my two-cents' worth. I believe that the phenomenon we often see after a horse has learned something -- often called "licking and chewing" is nothing more than swallowing excess saliva. When horses are stressed during a learning session, especially when learning something completely foreign to them, they do not swallow -- sort of like holding our breath when we're a little anxious. The saliva builds up in the back of the throat. When there is a "release" by the trainer and the horse can let down a little, they relax and swallow the excess saliva, which looks like licking and chewing.
Regardless of the reason for the behavior, it is always a good sign that the horse is feeling less stress.
Yawning Horses
by: Elaine

Thanks Michelle for your sharing your valuable experiences!

I discovered the same things when I learned Natural Horsemanship.

Like everything, the surrounding circumstances need to be added to the equation. After I do energy work they would yawn and release endorphins and excess energies. But in training, I see it now as being indicative of something different.

Please let me know if you have counted how many under these different times. That shows another key. If it's under 3, it's usually about rest and revitalization (like when we stretch) but if it's more than 3 in a row, it could be something different.

Either way, we are just scratching the surface on the subject, but it has added another valuable tool of awareness to my approach with horses. Particularly moving more to positive reinforcement methods and further away from negative reinforcement.

Here's to further discoveries!
Yawning horses
by: Michelle Dennis

I never noticed horses yawning to any great extent until I started learning about Natural Horsemanship and different types of energy healing work. I was told it is them processing the experience. If what the university study found is true then it would indicate that NH is more stressful than normal horsemanship. I have seen them yawn extensively after energy healing work was done on them by a vet friend of mine. After I did a course with him I have noticed that other people's horses start yawning when I'm around, not even doing anything with them. I can be sitting quietly at home enjoying the sunset or whatever and my horses will come and stand quietly, usually directly out in front looking at me, and invariably after a while they will start yawning as though releasing something then off they go. They also do it after learning something new or even watching another horse learning something new. I think there is more to it than people have realized yet.

Michelle Dennis

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