Why does he do this?

[Birker2020]

When I get to the yard after work my horse has his head over the door nearly every time waiting for me to arrive eagerly scanning the yard for my footsteps.

When I approach his stable he always turns his head away from me to the left before turning it back when I'm about 6ft away from him and sticking out his tongue for a treat or scratch.

I'm curious as to why he turns his head away on my approach. None of my other horses have ever done this.

 

[cobgoblin]

Might be something to do with equine vision, by turning his head he can see you better.
https://horse-canada.com/magazine/miscellaneous/10-amazing-facts-equine-vision/amp/

At least yours doesn't open his stable and meet you as you get out of the car like mine did when I was on livery.

 

[Horseysheepy]

Could be something he was taught?

I trained my horses to 'look away' for a treat. Stops them mugging you for treats!

 

[Pippity]

I've trained mine that she has to look away in order to get a treat. (It was supposed to avoid me getting mugged but all that happens is she shoves me with her nose to get my attention, and then ostentatiously looks away.) Any chance he's been trained that at some point in the past?

 

[staffylover]

My mare often turns her head away if people approach as if to stroke her nose. With her, I think it means she prefers not to have her head touched - just her nature, she's not head shy at all. Her way of saying politely ' Please could you stroke me on the neck, not on my face, if that's ok by you.' So that's what we do.

 

[Birker2020]

You could be right.

My friend has taught her two to look away when given a treat as some horse trainer promotes this as part of his training. So I watched what she was dong and I tried it with Lari and was surprised how quickly he picked it up which made me suspicious that he'd been taught this before.

But he does it when I'm about 100 ft away from him walking up the aisle and as soon as I get within a few feet he turns his head back towards me so I couldn't quite equate the timing of it with me being in his space, if that makes sense.

That's hilarious CobGoblin!

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

When I get to the yard after work my horse has his head over the door nearly every time waiting for me to arrive eagerly scanning the yard for my footsteps.

When I approach his stable he always turns his head away from me to the left before turning it back when I'm about 6ft away from him and sticking out his tongue for a treat or scratch.

I'm curious as to why he turns his head away on my approach. None of my other horses have ever done this.

I recently lost my boy and he did this and also put his head down in a snakey positions ears back when i went in with feed.

 

[DizzyDoughnut]

I've trained mine that she has to look away in order to get a treat. (It was supposed to avoid me getting mugged but all that happens is she shoves me with her nose to get my attention, and then ostentatiously looks away.) Any chance he's been trained that at some point in the past?

Mine does this as well! If you don't have a treat he just keeps nudging you and then over enthusiastically looking away, it makes me giggle so gets away with it!

 

[smiggy]

My gelding does similar. If in stable and you have a head collar, he always turns his head to the left . I wait , he turns back, lift head collar up and he swings left again. Until we have done this dance a few times !
always wonder why.
he loves people and being fussed
doesn’t do it if no head collar in your hand
but he wants to go out, so it’s a weird avoidance technique, like he can’t help himself.

 

[awelshandawarmblood]

See mine does this when I can him in the field, he clocks me but then every time without fail, before he takes a step he looks away then back. I've never taught him anything like that!

 

[Caol Ila]

Fin does this, often while whickering. I assume low whicker = happy, and he turns his head for a clearer look at me, since horses see better from the sides than straight on. Neither Hermosa nor Gypsum turn(ed) their heads, but maybe they just don't - and didn't - feel such a need to closely assess what I'm doing.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

You could be right.

My friend has taught her two to look away when given a treat as some horse trainer promotes this as part of his training. So I watched what she was dong and I tried it with Lari and was surprised how quickly he picked it up which made me suspicious that he'd been taught this before.

But he does it when I'm about 100 ft away from him walking up the aisle and as soon as I get within a few feet he turns his head back towards me so I couldn't quite equate the timing of it with me being in his space, if that makes sense.

That's hilarious CobGoblin!

Hard to say if he's been taught it or not because I taught a greedy Connemara this in about 30 seconds and she'd never learnt it before. My own horse picked it up quickly as well.