The Pet Mentor

07/05/2025

Licking and chewing is probably the most misunderstood and ambiguous behavior in horses, being very often mistaken for the moment when horses relax or focus on what is being done, as if it was something good to aim at.
In reality, licking and chewing is a sort of involuntary reaction being activated by the attenuation of a stressful situation.
This process is well explained by Dr. Sue McDonnell, animal behaviorist and founder of the Equine Behavior Program at the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, who clarifies that the action of licking and chewing simply reflects the transition from a sympathetic nervous system response to a parasympathetic nervous system one.
In fact when horses are relaxed and engaged in normal activities such as eating or resting, their parasympathetic nervous system is the one being in control, with it being the part of the nervous system that is responsible for each activity occurring when the body is at rest, like sexual arousal, salivation, tear production, urination, digestion, defecation and so on.
But when instead horses feel threatened or severely stressed by something, then their nervous system switches to an alert or fight-or-flight mode with the sympathetic nervous system, that is the system being in charge of regulating and activating any reflexes and reactions about pain, fear or confusion.
So, when the stimuli that had activated the sympathetic system is finally resolved because the stressful moment is over, then the parasympathetic system comes back in control again and the relaxation returns.
Well, horses show some observable behavioral signs of this shift just by licking and chewing, sometimes swallowing too: this happens precisely when the shift from the sympathetic to the parasympathetic system occurs, because when the sympathetic system is activated salivation stops and consequently the mouth and lips dry quickly, while when the unpleasant moment subsides and calm returns, then salivation comes back too.
Consequently licking and chewing is precisely that simple involuntary response to deal with the resumption of salivation after a period of dryness of the mouth and lips.
So whenever we see horses doing it we should ask ourselves why they are doing this, being aware of the fact that they have just been put in a difficult concerning situation, as their licking and chewing is just the sign of them going from a high level of stress to a slightly lower one, as a sort of relief: not something to aim at, but just something to possibly avoid by trying as much as possible not to make them experience any highly stressful situation.

06/26/2024

We need to be way more appreciative of horses being willing to get into trailers for us.

Have you been in the back of a trailer while it’s moving?

It’s loud.

It’s rattly.

Cars come flying by.

It’s warm in the summer, even with windows open, plus the open windows make everything louder.

You constantly have to balance.

Even as a human with the context of why trailers are used, an understanding of their purpose and the capacity to realize we aren’t being trapped with the intent to cause harm, it is unpleasant.

Trailering is one of those regular skills that many humans just expect of horses.

It’s all too common to “teach” horses to load through really coercive and harsh methods instead of a rewards based mindset.

Horses who don’t want to load in a trailer possess an intelligent level of self preservation because it is that unpleasant, scary and dangerous feeling.

Going into a small, dark, hot, rattly box that teleports them to somewhere new and scary isn’t something any flight animal should want to willingly do.

Their choice to fight going into it and attempt to advocate for themselves is a normal one that should be expected from a flight animal.

So, us humans need to be gentler.

More appreciative.

More understanding of the absolute trust and sacrifice the horse is offering us by getting into that trailer.

Just because we view it as a necessary skill doesn’t mean that the horse understands it.

Nor does it justify anger, frustration or roughness in the event the horse doesn’t want to load.

So be patient.

Be more rewarding.

We are asking them of something that goes against ever fibre of their being and deliberately asks them to do something that makes them feel unsafe.

We need to be more grateful of what horses are willing to do for us and more understanding of why they say no when they do.

09/07/2023

10/25/2022

Great photo comparison. Important to understand and just one of many consent issues.
Also thanks for the share from Safe Dogs By The River!

THE BELLY RUB! This is probably one of the most misinterpreted signals in all of canine body language! The two dogs pictured below are saying completely different things with a fairly similar posture. Getting to know body language and understanding what your dog is saying to you is the most vital piece of advice I can give to anyone whose life involves dogs in anyway. What do you think of the difference in the 2 postures?

09/29/2022

Great idea, even in less serious weather challenges!

06/04/2022

Also thanks to Safe Dogs By The River

05/07/2022