Pony making burping noises!

shannonandtay

shannonandtay

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Ok so I know horses cant burp, but since our lad went out on to the summer fields a few weeks ago, I've noticed that when he comes in he maks what sounds like burping noises every so often. He seems healthy and very happy to be in the summer fields with his friends, but I noticed this noise almost as soon as he went out there. Any ideas what this is?
 
Thumps is a type of diaphragmatic flutter, a bit like hiccups in humans, sometimes heard in hard-working horses who are a bit dehydrated and have electrolyte imbalances. Sounds as though it comes from the side of the horse though, not out the mouth!

Wouldn't have thought it likely to be that in your case though, can't think what it could be, does he do it a lot or just occasionally?
 
It's just occasionally but does it most days when we bring him in from the field, sounds a bit like a rumble in the throat, sorry don't really know how best to describe it. It's not continuous but just like if we did a burp!
 
My old horse used to do this when i went to get him, only me! My friends horse also did it and i wondered whether it was a type of greeting? Nobody i asked knew...
 
Very strange, but pleased I'm not the only one whose horse has done this. Black horse white - thinking about it he comes in a bit bloated as well which goes down by morning maybe it is gas.
 
Black_Horse_White said:
Mine did it last summer when he broke into longer grass, build up of gas.
Click to expand...

Sounds plausible, but how does the gas escape?

I always thought that the reason that horses aren't supposed to be able to vomit or burp is that the spinctor muscle which closes the stomach off from the oesophogus is extremely strong, preventing anything from the stomach coming back up?

Or is the gas escaping when the horse swallows, as the spinctor is open then?
 
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My horse did this just once a few weeks ago when I put him onto longer grass he did one 'burp' I couldn't quite believe it!
 
My mare does this, generally only during springtime. She usually gives the odd couple when I bring her in at night after being out on the spring grass, however she got spasmodic colic on Monday, and was 'burping' to excess - long drawn out and extremely loud ones (I've never heard her doing it that much). It was, as the vet said when she listened to it, a build up of gas in the throat due to stuffing her face (she had escaped onto different pasture which was sprayed with Agritox too).

Three vets I know have said it's nothing to worry about (obviously when not connected with colic that is! :o )
 
both my horses 'burp' (if i hadnt read this thread i would have carried on thinking that they could do a sort of 'burp')
its definatly a burp sound....smell...and movement of air!
they do it when ever...after feed, work, out in the field....
where are their table manners!!!!
 
The first time it happened I thought t was my daughter who was grooming him at the time! I'm relieved that vets have said its nothing to worry about. He definately didn't do it in the winter field where there isn't much grass.
 
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