If you have noticed recently that your horse yawns remarkably often, this can have many reasons. Horses, like humans and other animal species, yawn more and more in the morning as the wide opening of the mouth awakes the body and draws the attention of the brain. But even in trusting, relaxed moments, horses yawn as a sign of relaxation and well-being.
On the other hand, the increased yawning is also a sign of pain and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and can indicate an ulcer in the horse. You have the feeling that the horse is always yawning - whether in the box, on the pasture, cleaning or under the saddle.
Why do horses suffering from gastric ulcers yawn particularly frequently?
Usually horses suffering from peptic ulcers, stressed horses - horses with a weak nerves costume or horses who are massively stressed by external factors. Stomach ulcers develop as a result of stress and the resulting increased production of gastric acid, which attacks the stomach lining of the horse. This causes severe pain in the horse. The frequent yawning of horses is often an expression of pain and/or stress. The horses try to relieve the stress of yawning and thus create relief for themselves.
My horse's ulcer has healed, but it's still yawning. What could be the reason?
It is possible that horses maintain yawning as a "bad habit", despite the fact that the stomach ulcer has healed. Sometimes, however, horses yawn out of frustration because they cannot follow certain instincts or are still exposed to stress factors that we have not yet recognized and eliminated. Then it is important to find out why the horse may still be stressed, otherwise the next stomach ulcer won't be long in coming.