Does anyone else play 'tongues' with their horse...?

kaylouise67 said:
I tried recently to teach my boy to 'kiss' me using treats.... He got far to excited and I subsequently got a bust lip :o
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oh dearr, Bob did at first, but he was always one for shoving his face in yours so I had a quick duck reflex!! I did it by put the treat under his nose a lifting it to my face, then started holding it by my face for him to reach untill I eventually I could just point! Saying that, he managed to split my lip when I went to visit him last...I'd forgotton how much he liked that game lol :rolleyes: :)
 
My friend's ex-racer used to do it ... I might have a photo ...

Here he is!
Casperanddibs.jpg

Caspertongue.jpg


Dylan doesn't do it though, he gets very offended if you try to catch his tongue :p
 
My friends stallion would also do the tongue thing too. And one mare I looked after would stand and blow raspberries when people walked past her stable!

I play a rather risky game with Axey which involves me gently thumping him on the nose while he tries to bite me! He does know when to stop and I don't do it that much!
 
Sorry to be a spoilsport and all grown up and all that, but can I just ask for you to all heed a word of caution.

Playing with the horses' tongue is all well and good, but please do not pull the tongue hard, and don't pull it right round to the side either. The tongue is attached to the hyoid bone which can be very easily broken if the tongue is pulled too roughly.

Handle the tongue by all means, but please do it gently and don't exert any force.

Okay, lecture over.
 
Faro said:
Sorry to be a spoilsport and all grown up and all that, but can I just ask for you to all heed a word of caution.

Playing with the horses' tongue is all well and good, but please do not pull the tongue hard, and don't pull it right round to the side either. The tongue is attached to the hyoid bone which can be very easily broken if the tongue is pulled too roughly.

Handle the tongue by all means, but please do it gently and don't exert any force.

Okay, lecture over.
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Yes, exactly this. Sorry, but it's true.

I have a private theory that some headshakers may have fractured hyoid bones.
fwiw the only horse i've had who played the tongue game, became a serious headshaker...
please don't pull your horses' tongues, either in a game or when worming.
 
Faro said:
Sorry to be a spoilsport and all grown up and all that, but can I just ask for you to all heed a word of caution.

Playing with the horses' tongue is all well and good, but please do not pull the tongue hard, and don't pull it right round to the side either. The tongue is attached to the hyoid bone which can be very easily broken if the tongue is pulled too roughly.

Handle the tongue by all means, but please do it gently and don't exert any force.

Okay, lecture over.
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It makes me cringe that at one yard I worked at I was told to worm all the horses by grabbing their tongues, I really hope none of them suffered from it but I didn't know any different then :(
 
My colt likes his tongue scratches. Also likes you to pull it out to the side and shake it - he lives his tongue being played with. He also likes what can only be described as ear w*nks lol
 
Faro said:
Sorry to be a spoilsport and all grown up and all that, but can I just ask for you to all heed a word of caution.

Playing with the horses' tongue is all well and good, but please do not pull the tongue hard, and don't pull it right round to the side either. The tongue is attached to the hyoid bone which can be very easily broken if the tongue is pulled too roughly.

Handle the tongue by all means, but please do it gently and don't exert any force.

Okay, lecture over.
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Thanks for this.... lecture noted.
As you are a vet, what sort of pressure would be needed to damage the tongue as in dis attach from the hyoid bone, (Have never done the sideways thing), as it is going to be difficult to say no to my boy!!!!!
regards
Bryndu
 
Bryndu,

Firstly I am not a vet, nor have I ever claimed to be one.

I have however been aware of the potential danger to the hyoid apparatus for a long, long time now.

I will freely admit, I cannot make any claim to knowing the sort of pressure which would cause damage. So I tend to err on the side of caution and use as little as possible.

Just do a Google search using the words "horse, hyoid and tongue" and you'll find simply tons of information on the subject!
 
Faro said:
Sorry to be a spoilsport and all grown up and all that, but can I just ask for you to all heed a word of caution.

Playing with the horses' tongue is all well and good, but please do not pull the tongue hard, and don't pull it right round to the side either. The tongue is attached to the hyoid bone which can be very easily broken if the tongue is pulled too roughly.

Handle the tongue by all means, but please do it gently and don't exert any force.

Okay, lecture over.
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As someone has also already asked -

I'd be interested to know what is deemed as too much pressure

Horses do this to each other in the field all the time and I'm sure they can pull a damn sight harder that we can! :D
 
All our stallions like to play tongues! And they love to start at your forehead and drag their tongues up over the top of your head if you've just washed your hair or put "product" on (wow, that makes me sound very posh "product"!! - mean gel, spray or mousse)

We have a mare who likes to play frogs as well - she puts her face forward and sideways so that one side is facing the floor and she likes us to blow raspberries at the corner of her mouth. Then she turns her face over so we can do the other side. If we stop, she stamps her feet and snorts!!!
 
and to think i was worried when people see me talking to my boys and kissing them on their noses - actually feeling perfectly normal now! was trying to teach my new forest to kiss for a treat but got bit worried when anyone else gave him a carrot they'd wonder what the hell was happening when these big horsey lips closed in for a kiss so stopped trying!
 
My boy lets you play with his tongue, he sort of yawns and puts his nose in your face, so I grab his tongue and he stands there wiggling it!! He also likes it if I pat his nose either side in rhythm, if that makes sense? Most horse I know would think you were beating them up but he loves it!!
 
One of my TBs turns to jelly if you rub his teeth - a bit like if you were brushing them with your fingers. He is yours forever if you do it with a bit of sheepskin! It calms him in the most stressful of situations. Silly boy!
 
Faro said:
Bryndu,

Firstly I am not a vet, nor have I ever claimed to be one.

I have however been aware of the potential danger to the hyoid apparatus for a long, long time now.

I will freely admit, I cannot make any claim to knowing the sort of pressure which would cause damage. So I tend to err on the side of caution and use as little as possible.

Just do a Google search using the words "horse, hyoid and tongue" and you'll find simply tons of information on the subject!
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Thanks for this Faro, hope I didn't upset you...you just sounded like a vet so I assumed:)You also sound like you have had some bad experiences so thanks for the advice I shall have a bit of a google.:)
Bryndy
 
that sounds really cute, however yes i would take care when pulling tongues just incase! Me and my mare play a game when im grooming her, when im grooming her body she always turns round and watches me so now when she looks at me i tickle her lips and she grabs my fingers and nibbles them really gently! then when i stop she looks away then i groom her again and it starts all over!

Also, when i rub the side of her face she goes all jelly like and wiggles her jaw about - such funny creatures arent they!?!
 
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