It feels good to yawn, doesn’t it? That sensation probably means you’re a little sleepy, but with horses that’s not necessarily the case. They could be tired, and it could also mean something else.
You’ve probably seen them yawn while sitting happily in their stalls. You might have seen them yawn while you’re removing the bridle, or while waiting to be fed. There seems to be no definite answer as to why horses yawn, and that’s presumably the consensus of most experts. There’s just no simple answer.
Some professionals insist that a yawn originates due to some sort of pain or discomfort, so they’ll only yawn when uncomfortable. That yawn could come from colic pain, oral pain, or inner ear pain, so this is plausible. Yet as mentioned, with so many other triggers it’s hard to imagine they’re only doing it when in pain.
Experts seem fairly certain that the trigger is not the same as in humans. We’re yawning in response to drops in blood oxygen levels, but horses do not appear to be inhaling while they yawn.
A recent study that compared wild and domestic horses determined that aggressive males tend to yawn more, which linked the behavior to changes in social situations such as excitement or stress. Domestic horses yawned more when engaging with other horses, which supports the theory that animals yawn due to social behavior. The study also found a correlation between yawning frequency and gender; stallions in both groups yawned more than females, but geldings did not. This too supports the notion that yawning helps horses to lower stress during intense situations.
Some horses actually yawn while being ridden, which can mean they’re using a calming or appeasement signal. A calming signal means some sort of stress is taking place, and they’re trying to release tension and calm down. Stress is a natural part of life and impossible to eradicate, but knowing this can assist in dealing with him.
So if your horse is yawning, it could mean a variety of things. A yawn may seem harmless and innocent, but the more you understand the why and how will help to make better decisions on how to handle them. In most situations, he’s probably fine and only doing what we tend to do throughout the day.
