“Why Is My Horse Yawning?” — It’s Not Always What You Think

Understanding yawning in horses: what it means, when it matters, and how to decode the message behind the behavior

If you’ve ever spent time quietly observing your horse, you’ve probably seen them let out a deep yawn. Maybe even a few in a row. You might have smiled, assuming they were relaxed. Or maybe you paused, wondering if something was off.

The truth is: a yawn is never “just” a yawn.It’s a physiological, emotional, and energetic signal. And while it’s often viewed as a sign of relaxation, that’s only onepossible meaning. Like any form of communication—especially from a being that doesn’t speak our language—it’s important not to isolate the behavior from the context.

This is where the real art of horsemanship begins: not in reacting to what your horse does, but in interpreting why they do it.

What Is Yawning, Really?

From a biological standpoint, yawning is defined as a reflex involving the simultaneous inhalation of air and stretching of the eardrums, followed by an exhalation. In humans, it’s associated with everything from fatigue to boredom to empathy. But in animals—especially horses—it’s far more nuanced.

Horses may yawn with a wide-open mouth, neck stretch, and head roll—or they may perform subtle jaw movements that mimic the beginning of a yawn but never fully commit to it. These expressions range from soft to intense, and each variation can hint at different states of being.

But what’s really happening when a horse yawns?

Let’s break it down through four primary lenses: physiology, emotion, environment, and communication.

1. Neurological Reset: The Body Downshifting from Stress

One of the most studied explanations for yawning in both humans and animals is its role in resetting the nervous system.

When a horse yawns, especially after a period of focus, tension, or interaction, it’s often a sign that their nervous system is transitioning from sympathetic arousal (fight-flight-freeze) to parasympathetic regulation (rest-digest-connect).

This is supported by Polyvagal Theory, which explains how mammals, including horses, unconsciously monitor their environment for cues of safety and danger through a process called neuroception (Porges, 2004). Once safety is felt, the body begins to release stored tension—and yawning is one of the ways this process is expressed.

Example: You finish a liberty session with your horse. There’s a moment of stillness. Your horse licks and chews, blinks slowly, and then—yawns. This likely means they’re downshifting, integrating the experience, and returning to homeostasis.

💧 2. Emotional Release and Somatic Integration

Horses, like people, carry emotions in their bodies. Trauma, anxiety, grief, confusion—these aren’t just mental or behavioral patterns. They are physiological events stored in muscle tension, breathing patterns, and fascia.

Yawning can be a sign of emotional processing, similar to how humans sigh or cry when emotions move through us. In equine-assisted therapy or conscious connection work, yawning is often observed as part of a somatic release. It may happen when a horse feels safe enough to “let go” of held emotion or tension.

This is why yawning is commonly seen in modalities like craniosacral therapy, acupuncture, myofascial release, and trauma-informed training. It’s the body’s way of completing a cycle—of exhaling what’s been held.

Reference: Dr. Peter Levine’s work in Somatic Experiencing outlines how trauma is stored and discharged in the nervous system. While focused on humans, the principles apply to all mammals and are increasingly used in equine-facilitated trauma recovery.

Example: During a healing session, a horse begins pawing, then stops, lowers its head, and yawns repeatedly. This may signal that a long-held pattern of tension or emotional pain is beginning to unravel.

3. Displacement, Confusion, or Environmental Stress

Not all yawning is positive. Sometimes, it’s a form of displacement behavior—an action that emerges when a horse is experiencing internal conflict or mild distress and doesn’t know how to respond.

In these moments, the yawn may be a self-soothing mechanism. It may indicate that the horse feels pressure, uncertainty, or even confusion in the environment—but is trying to regulate without reacting explosively.

This type of yawn is often paired with:

Lip licking
Head turning
Avoidance of eye contact
Blinking or checking out

These are known as appeasement signals—a horse’s way of saying, “I’m uncomfortable, but I’m trying to stay safe.”

Reference: Sue McDonnell’s Equid Ethogram documents that horses may yawn in response to ambiguous social situations, separation, or pre-conflict moments.

Example: A horse being asked to perform a new task starts yawning, even though they’re not relaxed. Their tail is clamped and ears are on high alert. In this case, the yawn may not be about relaxation—but stress management.

4. Physical Discomfort or Medical Red Flag

When yawning becomes excessive, repetitive, or tied to specific events like feeding, girthing, or posturing, it could signal a medical concern.

Some of the physical causes of yawning in horses include:

Gastric ulcers (especially if yawning appears after eating or during tacking)
TMJ dysfunction or jaw pain
Dental issues
Neck or poll misalignment
Liver stress or metabolic imbalance

Reference: A study published in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science (Andrews et al., 2009) found a correlation between increased yawning frequency and gastric ulcer presence in performance horses.

Example: If your horse yawns every time you saddle up and also shows signs of irritability, it’s worth investigating ulcers or chiropractic imbalances.

Interpreting the Yawn: Questions to Ask Yourself

Instead of asking, “What does a yawn mean?” ask:

What was happening just before the yawn?Was there pressure? Connection? Change?
What’s the emotional climate of the environment?Is it safe, quiet, chaotic, uncertain?
What other behaviors are showing up?Relaxed posture or subtle tension? Soft eyes or scanning alertness?
Is this an isolated behavior or part of a pattern?Does your horse yawn in specific scenarios or after certain interactions?

The Danger of Oversimplification

When we take any single behavior—like yawning—and label it as “good” or “bad,” we miss the opportunity to truly listen.

Horses don’t speak English. They speak energy, body, emotion, and pattern.Yawning is one part of a sentence in their larger language. If we want to decode it, we must zoom out and see the whole picture.

A relaxed yawn during massage? Probably integration.A compulsive yawn during tacking? Could be pain.A yawn during learning? Could be stress, confusion, or a somatic reboot.

It all depends on the story around it.

Final Thought: Stay Curious, Not Certain

One of the most powerful things we can do as horsemen and horsewomen is to let go of certainty and embrace curiosity.

Instead of asking, “Is this behavior normal?”, we can ask:“What might my horse be trying to tell me?”

Because behavior is never random. It’s communication.

And your horse’s yawn?It might just be the doorway to a deeper understanding—of their body, their mind, and their unspoken truth.

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Supporting Research

Porges, Stephen W. (2004).“Neuroception: A Subconscious System for Detecting Threats and Safety.”Zero to Three Journal.

This paper introduces Polyvagal Theory, explaining how mammals (including horses) assess safety in their environment without conscious awareness. It supports the idea that yawning may signal a shift into the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest), especially after stress or pressure.

Levine, Peter A. (1997).“Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma.”North Atlantic Books.

Although written for human trauma, Levine’s work lays the foundation for somatic experiencing, which describes how trauma is stored in the body and discharged through physical cues like yawning, trembling, or sighing. This supports the notion that horses may yawn during emotional or energetic release.

McDonnell, Sue M. (2003).“The Equid Ethogram: A Practical Field Guide to Horse Behavior.”The Blood-Horse, Inc.

This comprehensive catalog of equine behaviors documents yawning across various contexts—including relaxation, boredom, frustration, and pre-conflict situations—emphasizing the importance of evaluating environment and emotional tone when interpreting yawns.

Andrews, Frank M. et al. (2009).“Gastric Ulcers in Horses.”Proceedings of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP).

This research highlights yawning as a potential indicator of discomfort in horses with equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS), particularly when linked to feeding or tacking. It reinforces the medical considerations behind excessive yawning.

Broom, Donald M. (2011).“Affective states and motivational control systems in animals.”Applied Animal Behaviour Science, Volume 132, Issues 3–4.

This study discusses how animal behaviors, including yawning, can reflect shifts in affective (emotional) state, motivation, and internal stress regulation. It supports interpreting yawning as a sign of shifting emotional state, not just a reflex.

Kiley-Worthington, Marthe. (1990).“The Behaviour of Horses: In Relation to Management and Training.”J.A. Allen.

This book examines horse behavior through ethological and psychological lenses and includes discussion on displacement behaviors—like yawning—as signs of confusion, internal conflict, or coping strategies in unclear situations.

Beerda, B., et al. (1997).“Manifestations of chronic and acute stress in dogs.”Applied Animal Behaviour Science.

Though focused on canines, this widely-cited paper outlines how stress-related behaviors—such as yawning—serve as displacement activities in mammals under conflict or social pressure. Many of these principles carry over to equine behavior interpretation.