Yawning or Opening the Mouth Wide
Look at the signal, then look at the whole horse and the situation around it.
NOTICE
The horse opens the mouth widely in a yawn.
You may notice:
- the jaw stretching open
- the lips pulling back
- the tongue moving
- the head lowering before or after
- one yawn or several close together
Notice what was happening before the yawning began.
WHAT IT MAY TELL YOU
Yawning can appear when a horse is sleepy, resting, stretching the jaw and facial muscles, settling after greater tension or arousal, or responding during or after bodywork or gentle handling.
It can also appear with discomfort or another physical problem, so the surrounding picture matters.
DON'T ASSUME
Yawning doesn’t automatically mean the horse is tired, completely relaxed, uncomfortable, or “releasing” stress or trauma.
Instead, ask: “What was the horse like before the yawn, and what changed afterward?”
LOOK AGAIN
Watch the before-and-after picture.
Did the head or neck lower? Did the eyes soften? Did the jaw and muzzle loosen? Did breathing become quieter? Did the body become less braced? Did licking and chewing happen too?
The overall change matters more than the yawn by itself.
About “Emotional Release”
As with licking and chewing, a yawn may appear during a broader shift from greater tension toward calm.
If you also see a long exhale, head lowering, softer eyes, less muscle tension, licking and chewing, and a quieter body afterward, it is reasonable to notice that the horse's state appears to be changing.
What we cannot know from a yawn alone is exactly what was “released.” The Decoder does not claim that a yawn proves release of trauma, fear, memories, or a specific stored emotion.
Research / Learn More
What research shows
Yawning has been observed alongside relaxation-related behaviors during massage and manual-therapy studies, making it reasonable to consider it as one possible part of a broader relaxation response.
What it does not tell us
Yawning alone does not establish emotional release, and the current intervention studies are not strong enough to assign one specific meaning to every yawn.
Sources
- Behavioral Assessment of Equine Relaxation Following Manual Therapy — recorded yawning with head lowering, licking/chewing and other relaxation-related behaviors after manual therapy.
- Effect of Massage on Stress Indicators in Recreational Horses — discusses yawning among behavioral indicators considered in massage and relaxation research.