Why does he do this?

[bumper]

My 7YO appy x has always done this when eating hard feed (I've owned him from age 4), and I've always wondered why? Friends say that their horses do something similar. Any ideas?

And a short vid so you can see fully what I mean!

 

[*sprinkles*]

Sorry not much help but my youngster does that too! Don't know why though ....

 

[teabiscuit]

I've always assumed it is an expression of enjoyment. Along the lines of.. Oo yummy

 

[StarcatcherWilliam]

Um... don't all horses do this?

I was told that it is frustration as it is not really natural for a horse to stand still to eat as normally they would be grazing and moving as they eat...??

When I was little and saw a horse doing this I asked my Mum and she said it was the horse's way of saying "thank you!" Awww...!

 

[Ginger Bear]

My mum's mare does this until she knocks her feed over & eats it off the floor.. I always thought t was like an impatient thing..

 

[Tiarella]

Many horses do it, just being impatient and can't eat it quick enough! Mine doesn't do this but does roll whilst eating even on concrete! - obviously feed him in stable now.

 

[Champion1969]

I though it was clearing the dust off the grass from back in time

 

[Ginger Bear]

Just to add my horse has just been changed to a sugar free diet.. He has always shuffled between front legs impatiently whilst eating & would kick the wall as you put his bowl down.. I always thought he was being impatient but.. 2 weeks sugar free and he just stands normally eating, no shuffling, no kicking just stands like he's grazing..

 

[bumper]

A host of opinions! I don't know about that Ginger Bear: he's on molasses free chaff, and fastfibre only (SI).
No, starcatcherwilliam, none of my previous horses have done this

 

[Amy567]

My mare does it when she's stressed, my gelding does it when he's stressed too, but also when he wants his feed on the floor. I just tip the geldings food on the floor and this stops. I also tie the two horses up so they can't bug each other, then the mare isn't stressed that her food is going to be taken. Another thing, is feed in the stable, then the others really can't get to it and she's fine

 

[Cortez]

I have one that does this when he wants to come in; I think it is impatience/begging.

 

[bumper]

Nope, he's certainly not stressed!

 

[teabiscuit]

Does he shovel it down? My mare did this pawing when she was fed inside , outside, alone, in company, all her life and she was greedy so impatience sounds right but not stress, unless stress caused by impatience . My gelding does it rarely when he's hungry.

 

[Flicker51]

I was told years ago that it was a hangover from the days when they had to paw the snow off the grass to eat it
could just be rubbish tho !!

 

[teabiscuit]

I guess we'll never know for sure but it reminded me of my lovely greedy mare who almost went into a trance when eating she enjoyed her food so much

 

[tankgirl1]

I always figured it was in impatience thing as in they can't eat it quick enough

 

[scots]

I was always told it was frustration about not moving whilst eating

 

[Elsbells]

Mine does it so I have a hanging bucket.

I don't think its anything to do with moving while eating because they dont do it when eating their hay, I think it's more likely to be excitement like a kiddy jumping up and down. It's like saying to everyone, it's MINE!

 

[HBM1]

One of my mares always has a foot up and runs it back and forth in the air..no stress involved, just always done it. So do both of her sons.

 

[Aarrghimpossiblepony]

I was always told it was frustration about not moving whilst eating

That sounds a plausible reason to me.

My mare does it. She moves the feed bowl round the stable but when it's shoved up against something and she can't push it, that's when she paws.

 

[Ginger Bear]

Won't be that then.. Lol.. I just changed mine to what your horse is already fed..

 

[risky business]

My gelding many years ago used to do this..

While his ears where pinned back to his head.. I always assumed it was a 'warning' for me to stay away?! He was very food aggressive when I got him he used to kick out and snake his head at people walking by while eating too, I can only assume he had a hard time getting feed before I had him.. Certainly looked it the condition he was in poor lad .

 

[LovesCobs]

My lad does this, just thought he lived his food so much he couldn't get it down quick enough, he licks his bowl for ages too lol if it was to do with not moving whilst eating then surely he would do it with a haynet as well? He doesn't just for hard feed??

 

[Aarrghimpossiblepony]

Mine has hay loose in the field on the floor.

If you watch her eat, she picks over the whole pile, moving her head around a lot, a bit from here, a bit from there. Rather than making a small "hole" then always returning to that bit and eating the way through methodically.

That might explain why, if it's linked to moving while eating, it doesn't affect hay eating.

Going to try an experiment and spread her hard feed over the floor, see what happens.
It's interesting, I didn't realise so many horses did it although it's a common sight.

 

[Enfys]

Out of interest, do the horses that paw when eating also do it at other times?

Turned out on fresh grass?

When they are tied up?

Or when they are made to stand still when ridden?

Or in a trailer/lorry?

Is pawing (either when eating or restrained) prevalent through all ages/temperaments/types? Hotter/laidback/greedy/nervous/young/old ?

Logically, pawing when movement is restricted (tied, or made to stand), would indicate impatience/temper/stress (are those three one and the same in reality ) at not being able to move as they wish, or be with others.

 

[bumper]

Out of interest, do the horses that paw when eating also do it at other times?

Turned out on fresh grass?

When they are tied up?

Or when they are made to stand still when ridden?

Or in a trailer/lorry?

Is pawing (either when eating or restrained) prevalent through all ages/temperaments/types? Hotter/laidback/greedy/nervous/young/old ?

Logically, pawing when movement is restricted (tied, or made to stand), would indicate impatience/temper/stress (are those three one and the same in reality ) at not being able to move as they wish, or be with others.

I have to say that he never does it at any other time other than being fed hard feed. I've never seen him do it when turned out, he never does it when ridden...and he is incredibly laid back

 

[Suzie G]

My connie does it when eating his feed in his stable.

When he eats his hay off the ground he has to sift through it all using his front feet so it ends up being strewn all over his stable. But he still eats it all.

Out in the field he doesn't do it at all. I've always just put it down to impatience at not being able to eat quick enough. He is never aggressive with his feed but is greedy.

 

[teabiscuit]

Good point enfys. Pawing due to impatience is different. The food bucket usually gets knocked over and the food spilled. My old girl never wasted a speck of food with her pawing, she was so careful.

 

[OldNag]

Mine just lifts his left leg up while earing his hard feed. No pawing, just a dangling leg.

 

[PolarSkye]

Mine just lifts his left leg up while earing his hard feed. No pawing, just a dangling leg.

Kal does this . . . lifts up his off fore and just lets it hang there . . . also alternates with his left hind, which he sort of waves about - not exactly kicking out (I can walk/stand right behind him) . . . looks quite comical b/c he is essentially "dancing."

He also paws the ground and fidgets if tied up on the yard for longer than about 15/20 minutes but that's most definitely impatience and either means "do something with me . . . ride me, turn me out, take me for a pick of grass . . . I'm bored now" or "I need a wee" .

He NEVER paws in his stable or on the lorry.

P