When horses sigh what does it mean?

[Gorgeous George]

As above really, just curious. George sometimes sighs just as I go to get him out of the stable and when I'm riding. Are they thinking 'oh no work' or does it mean they are relaxed? I'm not too good on horse speak!

 

[miss_c]

Hehe Genie does this as well! When I take her in the school and go to get on her I take it to be her saying 'here we go again....'. However I guess she wouldn't do it if she wasn't relaxed... Will watch this post with interest!

 

[Nosey]

I thought usually a sigh was a sign of relaxation - a sort of letting go after a period when they may have been a bit tense. I find if mine gets a bit stressy when I start riding her she will sigh once she starts to settle down!

 

[DellaMoon]

Someone once told me it was "letting the butterflies out". I thought that was lovely!!!

 

[0ldmare]

My mare always yawns when I put her bridle on

(Like she works so hard..not).

She also sighs if you get her out of the stable and its raining. She loathes the rain/puddles of any size, mud, dampness under her feet and does horrified sharp intakes of breath

if led across across a muddy field.

It always makes me giggle, I think she would like to be carried really.

 

[ironhorse]

Mine does sigh as a sign of acceptance and willingness to get on with something, an easing of tension and relaxation of her breathing. Her main resistance is to stop going forward suddenly and then to violently reject all efforts to get her going forward with a kick out or a rear etc..when I get her going again I'm quite relieved to hear the sigh as it means she's given in!

 

[bhpride]

Tia used to sigh and stop now and then at the bottom of a hill I hated walking up lol like she knew how I felt

we're both lazy.

re. yawning whilst being tacked up, Tia always starts dozing..makes me feel very guilty lol

 

[Janah]

I think you must be boring him!

Jane

 

[tasel]

Mine does that, too... and I take it as her saying "Oh no!" or "Here we go again!" or "There goes my day off!"

 

[JoBo]

Badger does this, I always thought he was saying ‘oh goad not again’! No idea what it really means though.

 

[Lobelia_Overhill]

Don was sighing yesterday - I left the door of the school open to let the air in (rutting hot yesterday!) and he sighed a couple of times... Tuesday he was as tense as anything and very twitchy, but yesterday he was fine!