Ride Like a Viking

What does it mean when horses yawn?

According to studies it means switching from one state to another. Usually with the net result of transitioning from the sympathetic nervous system (flight, freeze or fight) to the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and restore) ✨

What I find somewhat surprising is that yawns are by many equestrians considered bad and a sign the horse feels threatened or is stressed 🙈

As if we can change life and should aim for never ever feeling any kind of stress 🤷‍♀️

Life is stressful, especially if you are a flight animal 🐎

So instead of trying to change the environment to make horses feel calm at all times it might be a better idea to give them tools that help them calm themselves down💡

In my observations horses yawn more when together in a herd than with their human. Which could be a sign that when with us they wait for the next command, treat or something to happen and aren’t comfortable enough to release tension

And that waiting out a yawn has significant benefits to our relationship and training progress with the horse ✨

What’s your take on yawning?

Let me know in the comments below 👇

Let me know your best wound healing tips👇

Have you tried it with your horse yet?

Horses are flight animals with the need of a way out…. So it’s better to offer them to stand still than to make them stand still

Yet making horses stand still by preventing them from moving, sometimes even on both sides with cross ties, is common practice among equestrians

Horses don’t necessarily protest but tension can build up and lead to resistance, spooking, saddling issues and other unwanted behaviours

If you want to teach your horse to stand without being tied and get results like 👉

“This completely changed my perspective on horsetraining and improved my relationship with horses” - Samantha Parrish

“Within minutes our horses learned it. Now they are calm, confident and engaged when tacked up” - Kristine Bols

“My anxious mare turned into a confident horse with a lovely working attitude” - Sofia Hansrod

Comment YES and get instant access to free training that teaches your horse to stand without being tied so quickly and effortlessly that your friends will wonder how you did it 🤠

Have you tried it with your horse yet?

Lifestyle diseases among horses is a growing problem, especially among cold blooded horses who easily gain weight

One of my horses got it too, my vet told me to slim him down and he regained his health

After which I started to systematically “starve” my horses

No more lush pastures and free access to grass

My riding horses are in the paddock eating straw at night which fills them up without the calories

Then there’s diet pasture. Our sheep eat the majority of the grass before the horses get to graze what’s left

Making the horses slim and fit from roaming in a herd and searching for food

What do you do to keep your horses from gaining weight in summer?

If you have a warmblood scroll on 😆

Sometimes the herd runs just because it’s fun 🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎✨

If you’re tired of your horse stepping on your toes, pulling for grass or not following your pace when led, try this 👉

Create a resting place outside your space. If a horse isn’t comfortable outside our space he or she is unlikely to want to be there

Don’t step backwards to create space between you and the horse. Stepping backwards means come closer, if we want distance and step backwards horses are going to have a hard time understanding what we mean 🐴

Get a longer lead rope 😆 When we stop relying on a short lead for control and start using our body language for communication instead, horses follow because we lead the way, not because we make them stay. This creates a dynamic that makes it possible to lead without

It also solves problems like horses stepping on our toes, pulling for grass and not following our pace

Are you gonna try this with your horse?

You don’t need lungelines, tieins or sidereins to get a horse straight on the circle.

These gadgets tend to make horses feel trapped which results in anxiety or lack of motivation⛓️

You don’t need treats either 🥕

Treats will often make the horse overbent on the circle as the horse will move the neck and front part towards us to get treats🙈

All you need to make horses circle around you at even speed is body language💡

Have you tried it with your horse yet?