My horse did the weirdest thing this evening...

[j1ffy]

***Disclaimer: I am very tough on my horse for biting or nipping but curiousity got the better of me!***

My boy has always been very soft and loves cuddles, he did get nippy briefly last year but we quickly nipped it in the bud (pardon the pun ).

This evening he was fascinated with the fleshy bit of my hand under the thumb. He kept nuzzling it and I thought I'd see what he'd do, as he knows better than to bite me... Well, he wrapped his lips over it, then took a gentle hold with his lips over his teeth, then sucked!! After 10 seconds or so his lips slipped off his teeth so he was basically holding on with his teeth and sucking, at which point it hurt and I told him so - he looked very apologetic! My hand was sore for a few minutes afterwards but it's fine now.

So, any ideas as to why he would do this? Or is my horse just very weird??

 

[meesha]

I am probably talking rubbish but could it be he was after the salt in your skin ? it may be worth putting a salt or mineral lick in the field just in case he is deficient - I have seen my 2 lick metal and other weird things and apparently I was told this is because they are after the trace minerals !!

or ..... he could just be odd !!! they mostly are !!

 

[juliette]

Not sure about your horses behaviour, but mine was trying to groom me today when i went to see him in the field, i didn't fancy it much as i only had shorts and a strappy vest top on! He goes in with lips first, but if you accept that he then tries to do little nibbles, in a very friendly grooming his buddy way!! Ok in winter when wearing a thick coat - not that i encourage it then!!

 

[j1ffy]

He's got a mineral lick, it's getting a bit small but it's still there! And he'd usually lick if he was after the salt, but maybe it was just really tasty salt that was hard to get to...?

juliette - he used to try to groom me but he was a bit keen to get his teeth out so I put a stop to it. I did wonder if this was a cheeky new way of doing it...the sucking part was odd though!

 

[Snowysadude]

How old is he?

 

[ridersince2002]

we had a youngster (18 months old) at the yard for a while who would do this, we suspected she may have been weaned too young, but that was just a guess!

 

[j1ffy]

He's 6 - I've known him for 15 months now (he's been with me for a year) and he's never done it before. It was a bit like he was suckling TBH.

 

[j1ffy]

or ..... he could just be odd !!! they mostly are !!

And LOL at this - very true!!

 

[Jesstickle]

I had a 5yo section B who did something similar. He'd take your whole hand in his mouth, not bite but hold it between his teeth, and suck it.

Very odd. He also had a salt lick. I think he was just odd!

 

[j1ffy]

Maybe it's just the equine equivalent of thumb-sucking!!

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

I read about a horse that liked to suck the wing mirrors of parked cars he passed on hacks!

 

[Mince Pie]

Years and years ago we had a horse in the riding school I was at who used to take the side of your hand in his teeth and then massage it! It was in a very gentle side to side motion, very odd but very sweet - he was such a dude!

 

[Toffee44]

Welcome to hand sucking anonymous

 

[POLLDARK]

A gesture of trust I think, sucking your hand. I had a Welsh Sec D who after he had a bucket feed or a polo (or anything tasty) would stick his tongue out about an inch & suck, a look of bliss on his chops really relishing the taste. Would keep it up for a couple of minutes, totally content. Always thought if he was stolen I could recognise him in an instant.

 

[j1ffy]

Thanks for all the replies and stories, good to hear that my boy isn't alone in his weird fetish Hand Suckers Anonymous it is!!!

 

[Janah]

I have a mental picure of horses sucking dummies!

Jane