Why Is My Horse Yawning All the Time? Is This Normal?
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Q: I’m taking horseback riding lessons and my horse yawns during my lesson. My trainer says it’s just his personality, but I’m not so sure. Is it normal for a horse to yawn all the time, or is he trying to tell me that I’m boring him?
A: Frequent yawning is uncommon in horses, but it’s probably not a negative review of your riding. Studies show that equine yawning might be at least partly a social behavior showing affinity, and some experts say it’s a way for horses to release physical and emotional tension.
In rare cases, excessive yawning can be a symptom of a medical condition. However, sleep-deprived horses don’t yawn more than well-rested ones, so it’s unlikely that your lesson horse is tired—or bored with you.
To learn more about why horses yawn, we spoke to Katherine Houpt, VMD, professor emeritus of behavior medicine at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York; Natalie Lord, DVM, a large and small animal veterinarian at Four Paws – Cuatro Patas in Austin, Texas; and Camie Heleski, PhD, a senior lecturer at the University of Kentucky’s Equine Science and Management Program in Lexington.
Key Takeaways
- Horses can’t inhale through their mouths, even when they yawn—it’s just a slow, wide opening of the mouth.
- Horses sometimes experience contagious yawning, just like humans.
- Horses yawn more often in the presence of familiar, friendly horses than when they’re around unfamiliar or antagonistic horses.
- Some horses yawn as part of a relaxation response, often called a “release.”
- Frequent yawning in horses may be related to internal pain, but this is usually accompanied by other symptoms.
Do Horses Yawn?
Yes, horses yawn, but it’s not the same as yawning in humans.
“The function in horses as opposed to people is just stretching,” Dr. Houpt says. “Horses can’t breathe through their mouths. So unlike people, they are not inhaling while yawning.”
That’s because horses are obligate nasal breathers. The shape of their soft palates prevents them from breathing through their mouths. So, you’ll never see a horse panting to cool off or taking a deep breath through the mouth while yawning.
Why Do Horses Yawn?
Scientists don’t know exactly why horses yawn. That’s partly because most horses don’t yawn very often, so they’re not easy to observe. The research that’s been done so far suggests a few possible explanations, but you’ll have to observe your own individual horse to see which fits best.
A Friend Yawned First
In a 2024 study of free-roaming horses in Italy, horses were more likely to yawn after seeing an equine friend yawn. You’ve probably experienced something similar yourself with a human friend.
It’s called “contagious yawning,” and horses experience this, too. So, if you yawn and your horse yawns back, that could mean they like you, since horses in the study were more likely to yawn alongside other horses if they were friends with them.
Horses in the study were also more likely to respond to the yawns of horses who groomed them. So scratching your horse’s itches—try the Happy Horse Pet Grooming Gloves—might make them more prone to yawn. Either way, they’ll appreciate the pets.
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They’re Entertaining Themselves
Yawning doesn’t indicate tiredness in horses. In her research, Dr. Houpt has observed horses so severely sleep-deprived that they are prone to collapse, and they yawned no more often than horses who are well-rested.
However, it might mean they’re sick of standing still.
“Most of our reasons are fuzzy still,” Dr. Heleski says. “But, in the past, I can remember seeing horses standing in the middle of the ring for half an hour during a showmanship class, yawning and yawning. It seemed like they were bored and tired of standing out there.”
It’s all the more reason to make sure they have regular enrichment to keep themselves busy, like the LeMieux Horse Toy Sausage Dog or the Horsemen’s Pride Jolly Stall Snack Combo Horse Toy.
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They’re Becoming Relaxed
Many horse experts put yawning on a list of behaviors described as “releases,” which are thought to diminish physical or emotional stress and shift a horse’s mood toward a more relaxed state.
Dr. Lord says, “When horses respond with a yawn to certain forms of bodywork or acupuncture points, they are possibly experiencing a release of endorphins [hormones that boost mood], but we haven’t measured it concretely in horses.”
If you want to see your horse’s release behaviors, Dr. Lord suggests asking your horse for a complex in-hand behavior like side passing while unmounted. This involves asking the horse to move sideways off pressure you apply to the girth areawith your hand. Then you can release the lead rope and calmly observe your horse as they relax for a few minutes.
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See what behaviors you notice, particularly around the face—you might observe blinking, ear flicking, licking and chewing, nostril sounds, or even a yawn.
They’re Managing Stress
One study found that horses displaying behavior issues such as cribbing (grasping something with their teeth, arching their neck, and aspirating air) or weaving (swaying from side to side while standing in place) yawn more often than other horses.
Behavior problems like these are often associated with stress, so it’s possible that yawning could be a stress response, too. Unlike cribbing, yawning isn’t likely to hurt either your horse or your fences, so if your horse manages stress by yawning, let them.
Should I Worry About My Horse Yawning?
Persistent yawning can be a symptom of a medical condition in your horse, including chronic pain, colic, jaw injuries, and severe liver disease. However, Dr. Lord says that if yawning is the only symptom you’re seeing, you probably shouldn’t worry.
A horse who needs to see the vet is likely to experience other symptoms alongside excess yawning. These symptoms warrant an immediate call to your equine veterinarian:
- Poor appetite or refusing food entirely
- Inability to open the mouth or to chew
- Not passing manure or passing small, dry hard balls of manure
- Lying down and rising repeatedly without shaking
- Biting or kicking at the belly when there are no flies around
- Sweating when it’s not unusually hot out
- Compulsive circling
- Head-pressing without rubbing or scratching, as if trying to relieve a headache
- Temperature of 103 F or higher
- Dry, pale, or dark gums
- Straining as if trying to urinate without urination (particularly in geldings and stallions)
- Inability to bear weight on one or more limbs
- Sudden loss of vision
- Sudden lack of coordination (ataxia)
Yawning usually isn’t a cause for concern. But if you’re worried, listen to your gut and give your vet a call.
FAQs About Horse Yawning
Why does my horse keep opening his mouth?
Horses may open their mouths because their bit is uncomfortable or incorrectly placed or adjusted, their rider is pulling too hard on the reins, they’re dealing with a dental or mouth issue, they’re performing a social behavior, or they’re trying to get rid of tension.
Is yawning a symptom of colic in horses?
Persistent, excessive yawning can be a sign of pain in horses, including belly pain due to colic. However, many horses experiencing colic don’t yawn.
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