Lately, when I take off Reilly’s halter and start to get the bridle on him he starts yawning about 5-6 times.
He’s due for teeth floating in about 2 months. Do you think it’s something? Or is he just playing games with me and trying to delay “work time”?
Thanks for the ideas. Yes he is actually yawning, not just opening and shutting his mouth. I think perhaps the noseband might be too restrictive. I’ll switch to his other halter and see what happens.
Chrissy, can you explain a little as to why yawning is a sign of liver damage? I am curious
I use an electromagnetic blanket on my mare after we work (on a Low setting, which is supposed to be relaxing), and now she often begins to yawn as I am putting the blanket on her.
Rye, you may also want to consider soreness, misalignment in the TMJ joint (almost sounds silly saying it, doesn’t it?) Horses get a a lot of stress on their jaws, through various headsetting rigs, bits, and of course teeth that need floating…
Yawning can be stimulated by massaging or grooming, beacause you are releasing toxins in the muscles, and therefore, they can get rid of them by yawning… It’s usually a good thing =)
Has he been taken from his food?
My horse will act similarly. But it seems he is wallering his tongue at the same time. Almost as if trying to clear some piece of food or something from the very rear of his mouth/teeth. Like when you get that popcorn piece stuck way in the back of your throat.
[This message has been edited by Cactuskate (edited 10-18-2000).]
I have seen this at almost every barn I have been to and my own horses do this too. It seems to happen whenever they are in a mellow mood and are content. My one pony will do this when you go up to her in the pasture and start scratching her ears and petting on her. My sister’s old pony would do this sometimes when you took the bridle off.
<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Rye:
[B]Thanks for the ideas. Yes he is actually yawning, not just opening and shutting his mouth. I think perhaps the noseband might be too restrictive. I’ll switch to his other halter and see what happens.
Chrissy, can you explain a little as to why yawning is a sign of liver damage? I am curious[/B]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
It’s one of the neurological signs of liver damage along with circling, wandering, headpressing, etc., etc., etc.
The liver is little more than a glorified filter. If the liver is damaged toxins, in particular ammonia, can build up in the bloodstream. As the ammonia builds up in the blood it crosses the barrier to the brain which results in neurological symptoms one of which is yawning.
This is vastly simplified of course 
.
From your description of Reilly’s behavior I doubt that his problem stems from a liver disorder. However, if changing the halter doesn’t help you might want to get your vet out for a physical exam.
Let us know how you make out!
Nina
I have a 9 year old who has done that almost since the first time I put the bridle on (loose halter all his life, no noseband for the first year). I am convinced it has evolved into a learned form of procrastination. Who doesn’t wait a few extra minutes to bridle an adorable yawning horse?
Lately, when I take off Reilly’s halter and start to get the bridle on him he starts yawning about 5-6 times.
He’s due for teeth floating in about 2 months. Do you think it’s something? Or is he just playing games with me and trying to delay “work time”?
Haha…Reilly took care of the problem. While out with the herd today, he decided to loose his halter. He’s a notorious professional player of halter tag!
So I put the larger leather halter on and proceeded with grooming, he was happily yawning away. I think it’s a reaction to grooming which he loves.
My gelding does that sometimes to prepare his mouth for the bit, I think. But, yes, get his teeth checked by a good equine dentist, as it could be that the bit is really bothering his mouth or jaw. I’ve had the dentist check my boy, just to make sure, and she did find some stuff we had no idea was there.
I don’t know if this will help, but a few years ago in Equus or PH I read that horses don’t usually yawn out of sleepiness or stretching, but to help clear dust from their airways. (Or not to clear the dust, but to stop the tickle…?) That may be completely untrue also, but thoguht I’d toss it in and maybe it’ll help or I’ll learn something
kelly
How tight is your halter and how tight is the noseband? A lot of horses yawn because the halter and noseband are restrictive and they feel a need to stretch their jaw muscles before another restriction is placed on them. If you have an adjustable halter, see what happens when you loosen the noseband section. Also, it seems you realize there’s nothing wrong with it…and there isn’t, just bridle him up and go! He’ll get another chance to stretch his jaw later.
(I would have suggested the teeth issue because sharp points digging into his mouth can also create this response, but since you’re having his teeth floated I thought I’d jump on the other reasons. )
Well Kellybird, that might allow for an interesting correlation between the yawns and the “first trot snorts” that my horse always has to do before we can really get to work.
Is Reilly actually yawning or is he merely opening and shutting his mouth?
If he is actually yawning and you haven’t already done so call your vet. Although it seems most likely to me that the problem may be his teeth or a too tight halter yawning in horses is also one of the symptoms of liver damage.
Nina
My horse yawns when I crosstie him about an hour after he gets his anti-histimines, which make him drowsy. He is also very easy to ride at that time because he doesn’t challange me when I ask him to do something he normally does not want to do.
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