Palm Licking -- Is this a thing now?

[King_s_Ransom]

Okay, I saw this last week while at a clinic, with other people’s horses. I thought it was ewwww, but not my horse so I didn’t say anything. But yesterday, someone did this with MY horse and I wanted to slap them. Now I’m wondering if I’ve missed some horse training thing.

Is it a thing now to hold your palm in front of the horse’s nose and let him lick, lick, lick it? Is this supposed to help him calm down or something?

When I first saw this, I thought, “Man, that’s a good way to get a really mouthy horse, not to mention perhaps lose a finger.” But like I said, not my horse, not my barn – oh well.

But then yesterday, while I was at the barn with my very own horse, waiting for the wash stall, with him on a lead rope an standing perfectly fine, minding our own business – this lady comes up and puts her palm under his nose and encourages him to lick her palm. He sort of quizzically looks at me and licks her palm – looking, I am sure, for a peppermint or something. Finding no treats, he just stopped.

(Please don’t judge me, I was so gobsmacked and it happened so fast, I just sort of stood there with my jaw hanging open …)

So, this gal turns to me and says, “He’s got a loose lip.”

And I’m thinking she is some special kind of crazy.

But – now, I am asking. Is this a thing?

[myleetlepony]

It’s not uncommon…many horses are either looking for a treat and know better than to bite, or like the saltiness left by sweat or dirt. I don’t discourage it unless the horse had a problem with biting in the past.

My mare would lick palms for hours. My gelding does it a lot because he’s one of those horses that explores his world through his mouth. Neither had a biting problem.

[JoZ]

There are two things here. As habits go, even as habits with questionable animal-behavior reasoning go, this isn’t high on my list. I don’t generally find that it leads to nipping or even pushiness when a hand isn’t being offered.

The second thing is though, what’s up with doing anything with or to someone else’s horse? If I were greeting a horse not my own, the most I would do is a pat on the neck, and if the owner were right there, I would ask if it was OK first. Trying out your new tricks or ideas or concepts or whatever should be limited to your own animals. I don’t know when that boundary came down!

[Palm_Beach]

I saw my first name and was like wahhhh???

[ChunkyMonkey]

My guy would lick my palms for hours if I didn’t stop him. He isn’t nippy at all, and pretty regularly licks people. It’s actually pretty funny.

[mountainhorse]

My horses lick as well, and it’s not an issue for them (doesn’t create mouthiness, etc.)
If a horse is mouthy and nips, then no.

[2DogsFarm]

[QUOTE=Palm Beach;8922008]
I saw my first name and was like wahhhh???[/QUOTE]

Do horses,lick you?

KR:
I agree assuming this familiarity with someone else’s horse is weird.
“Loose lip”:

That said, my WB would lick as long as I let him & in the 6yrs I had him never escalated.
His Hackney pal observed & picked up the habit too. So much so that I considered showing him as Monkey See

[Beck]

I have two ponies who will lick right up the middle of my shirt as I halter them. One big slurp. I hate it - and I suspect that is why they always do it.

[DoodlesMom]

My older gelding licks EVERYONE. That’s just him. He likes the salt, food remnants, or cookie crumbs on people’s hands. He’s not mouthy in the slightest. Everyone at my barn knows they’re welcome to get a lick (or 100).

I am also guilty of letting other horses sniff/lick my hands. However, I only do that when they’re chilling in cross ties, not when their owner is holding them. But my barn is a close knit group, so it’s not abnormal in the slightest. From your OP, it sounds like you don’t really know this lady, and that, to me, is a little strange. But often, at my barn, we often know horses very well way before we meet their owners. So it’s weird, but not that weird.

[ChasPonyCat]

[QUOTE=ChunkyMonkey;8922047]
My guy would lick my palms for hours if I didn’t stop him. He isn’t nippy at all, and pretty regularly licks people. It’s actually pretty funny.[/QUOTE]

Yep, my guy is like that too. He will lick my palms, my arms, my legs, my husband’s back. We find it endearing, and anything my pony can do to win approval in my husband’s book is a win in my eyes.

[cayuse]

I’ve had some that like licking my palms, they never seemed to get mouthy. I’ve seen other people let their horses do it too. I don’t think it’s that uncommon, at least around here. My gelding had a loose lip. I always put it down to him being a layed back kinda guy.

[King_s_Ransom]

So, it looks like this is a thing. I had never seen it before – and I mean NEVER – before last week.

Having said that, it’s not a thing I want my horse to start. The next time someone offers, I think I’ll just say, “Careful! He bites!”

[Hunter_Mom]

Mine will both lick. Older mare will lick your palm for quite a while - we call them her Mare Kisses. She is not in the least bit mouthy or pushy about treats. Our WB mare will also lick hands and has on more than one occasion licked someone’s boots in a trance-like state. She does not get many treats because she gets rude with them, but is still not mouthy otherwise.

[BruBoy]

One out of our five licks palms - just palms - and he’d do it forever if you let him. I just thought it was a quirk of his since the others had no interest in the habit other than an occasional lick.

[Foxtrot_s]

While I don’t mind my horse doing it, I discourage it a bit - some people would not think it is nice, may be dressed up and clean, or just nervous of a large face so close. She likes the salt, or soap, I guess.

But I do love the feel of my dog licking my bare feet - perhaps I have a foot fetish?

[Wicky]

I had a horse that would stick his tongue out and want you to pull it. Maybe a version of palm licking, but he made me do the work.

[S1969]

Licking? Sure. Palms are sweaty & salty.

Letting a horse lick to calm it? No, I have never heard of that.

[Cabaret_SK]

My gelding loved to lick. Hands and jackets, especially. He would stand in front of you and lick your whole torso if you let him.

It never escalated to biting, and he was one who could get pushy with treats/food. The licking seemed to be a completely separate behaviour.

[Foxtrot_s]

The other thing I love is when I find her tickle spot and scratch it, and lean over in front of her…when she gives that lovely lip snuggle on my back.

I borned her so have a little licence with her.

[NoSuchPerson]

My mule licks. He is the first and only equine I’ve ever had that does it. I don’t encourage it, but if I give him a treat and he wants to take an extra lick or two, I usually let him.