Tongue sucking?

[ThoroughbredFancy]

My 5 year old TB gelding does this odd thing sometimes. He sticks out a little bit of his tongue and sucks on it. It looks like he is sticking his tongue out at you. (Well the tip of it anyways. He only sticks a few centimeters of it out) And I only ever see him do it in the winter. Usually when I am grooming him or he is standing while being tied.

Any of you have an idea as to what this is and why he does it?

It's only every now and again and he just does it...doesn't seem happy, sad or mad. But I only notice it in the winter. This one and last one. Don't think he did it all summer or spring. And no, he does not have any health issues or teeth issues.

[Mia412]

We have a 10 year old gelding who does the same thing year round. For him, it seems to be something he does when he's a little nervous or impatient. We decided several years ago that it's a self-soothing behavior, like a child sucking his thumb. I don't think I'd worry too much about your horse doing it unless other things seem NQR with him. It may just be a quirk!

[grayarabpony]

Many orphans will suck on their tongue when they're happy.

[Mallard]

My big guy does this, especially after he's eaten an apple or a mint. It's like he's savouring every last little bit of it.
He is also a hand-licker...hold out your hand and he'll lick it and lick it it, just like a dog would.
He is 15 now and was an orphaned when he was 11 weeks old....

[cleozowner]

My first mare had been orphaned...her previous owners said she did it after she'd finish a bottle. She still does it when she gets peppermints or something sweet.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=32749878&l=0742f&id=12713088

[Never Let Me Go]

cleozowner, your mare is gorgeous!

I had a mare who did this also. Funny, I've never heard of it being an orphan thing... I'm pretty sure my mare is not an orphan. She would always suck her tongue after getting a treat, and sometimes after eating. Before her, I'd never encountered a horse who did such a thing before - but it's actually quite common.

I'm not sure why it happens... does it trigger an endorphin release?

[Tha Ridge]

I'm not sure why it happens... does it trigger an endorphin release?

I read in an old issue of Horse & Rider that the sucking contorts the palate, maximizing flavor receptors

My now 12-year-old Thoroughbred has done it for as long as I've had him (since he was 4).

[vickienme]

I have a gelding 1/2 Arab 1/2 QTR H that we bred, his dam was with him
till after he was 1 yr old when she died of heart attack. He started making
those faces afterwards I think. Can't remember for sure. He will stand
and make faces for anyone who will watch including the other horses.
Just a real character! Very goofy looking.
http://www.myfineequine.com/amerose3.htm
Here is a page I did up for him.
I have a TB gelding, an Arab Gelding and our Arab stallion who will all
make faces, I think they were watching Cimmaronn and learning. Actually
the stallion has always made funny goofy faces with his muzzle from side to side, but the Quarab is the only
one to actually stick his tongue all the way out.
When it's feeding time is usually when they start it. The stallion will do it
if he has to stand still for very long.
I love it! I find it very entertaining and call them my little "funny faces". I
have yet to see any mares doing this. I'd love to see photos!

[grayarabpony]

My horse (a gelding): http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii155/sweetbay103/digital%20photos/Horses/IMGP3131.jpg.

He will suck after getting a treat and also in greeting. Here he is sucking in response to attention (getting his picture taken, as an illustration for how pollen gets everywhere in spring).

[Dalemma]

Our appendix sticks out his tongue a couple of inches.......he does it for attention.....which stared by accident.......one day he came up and stuck out his tongue right in front of me and I grabbed....it soon became a game.....if he wants attention and I ignore him he would walk up to me put his face right in front of mine and stick out his tongue until I grabbed it.........this guy is a big goof and love to wonder around with things hanging out of his mouth. I can even lead him around his paddock by his tongue.

Dalemma

[Jingo-ace]

I have a 5-yr old gelding that sucks his tounge, and I've had him since
he was 6 months old. I truely believe he started sticking his tounge out
between his front teeth because he was TEETHING! He would come to me
& I would tell him "NO BITES", and he would stick his tounge out at me
instead. So I started massageing his upper gums when he'd stick out his
tounge, and he would not bite me, and would stand there very happy to
let me massage his gums or play with the tip of his tounge. Now that he
is older, he will still walk up to me & stick his tounge out - it is a learned habit
now I am sure & not due to TEETHING. He does not do this with a bit in
his mouth, only when free in his corral or cross-tied. I have also seen him
walk up to other horses & stick his tounge out, kinda like he is asking to be
played with, & the other horses ignore him or snark at him, and he drops the
tounge habit instantly. Just my experiences with a tounge sucker here,
hope it helps you understand yours...

:) J

[ThoroughbredFancy]

Thanks for all the input from those of you who own tongue suckers! :lol:

I was just curious about it since I have never seen a horse do it.
Sometimes he does it after I give him a treat or after he came from eating hay in his stall. Mostly just in the winter I notice it. It is also more boring in the winter since the barn doors are closed and there is not as much going on.

As far as him being an Orphan...I have no clue since I bought him as a 4 year old and he is now 5.

Maybe next time I will ask the animal communicator when she talks for him. Just for kicks.

[MaresNest]

My big guy does this, especially after he's eaten an apple or a mint. It's like he's savouring every last little bit of it.
He is also a hand-licker...hold out your hand and he'll lick it and lick it it, just like a dog would.

My three year old filly is exactly like this.

I read in an old issue of Horse & Rider that the sucking contorts the palate, maximizing flavor receptors


I believe this - that filly is a chow hound of epic proportions.

[Tackpud]

We've got an older TB who does it every time he eats something. Treats, dinner, whatever. I just figure he's getting his money's worth on the last few drops of flavor! (the funniest part is that he's missing a front tooth, so he kind of looks a little rednecky when he does it...)

[Cashela]

One of my mares does something with her lips, she makes this sucking raspberry noise. She does it when she is bored. It cracks me up. She is also a lip flapper and can be quite loud!

[ThoroughbredFancy]

My TB is actually missing three front teeth so it is kind of comical when he does something with his mouth.

However, he used to suck his tongue before that.

I have never noticed if it was after a treat though. Usually he doesn't get one before we ride...

[cherham]

I also have an orphan filly who will purse her lips and make a cute little sucking sound when she is given a treat (jelly beans are her favourite). She does not stick her tongue out but she sure can create quite a vaccum in that mouth :) Both my Vet and equine dentist (also a Vet) say not to worry....she is not causing any damage and it certainly seems to be a happy thing for her. Kinda cute actually!

[Bravestrom]

I have a little different spin on this - years ago I had a Tamarack Gelding - he would take a piece of crunch, suck on it and make a paste - then put this on his front leg - when he laid down at night he would suck on that - pretty strange - and a real mess when you had a show the next day - we had to learn not to give him crunch the day before a show.

He was such a baby but when I first got him as a 3 year old new gelding he grabbed me by the shoulder and threw me across the stall - we came so far in the 6 yrs I owned him - At the end I could ride this guy tackless and he would do anything for me.

[paulosey]

My Appy gelding Rum does this after having something very satisfying to eat. He's always done it...I've had him since he was a yearling and he's 22 now. He doesn't stick his tongue out very far if at all when he's making his 'sucky' noises. I've only ever encountered one other horse over the years that did this as well. Her owner and I were very surprised, as we both thought we had the only horses that did this tongue sucking thing. Rum was not orphaned, but I did hear that he was taken off his dam early (who knows whether that is true or not).

[kipster]

My 20 year old Appendix gelding sucks his tongue. He has since the day I got him when he was 10 years old. He is a goof ball and likes his tongue and teeth scratched....

[didgery]

My new Friesian/paint X does this when he's bored, antsy, or tasting something sweet. I find it endearing, but it gives our BO/trainer the willies!

[ms raven]

My mare has never done if before but today she stuck out her tonque (about 2 inches) twisted it sideways and pulled it back through her teeth two or three times. Is this sucking? Coincidently I've happened upon a saddle that I think she really likes so I'd be curious to know if it were somehow related and what exactly they are expressing when they are doing it. :)

I do know of a mare that cleans or teeth at feed time and a gelding that sticks out his tonque and makes farting noises. :lol: Both very amusing!

[IzzyRae]

I just got my Quarter horse colt. And the other day I could not believe it. My mom and I were teaching him to lead(he's only 6 months) and we wanted him to stand there without getting figgity. So instead of moving around he stuck his tongue out and started sucking on it. I couldn't believe it. I've only known one other horse to do that.

I can't believe little Sammy is going to be a tongue sucker.
How weird.

[cdalt]

My 8 year old mustang gelding sucks his tongue after meals (he only gets a handful of alfalfa pellets and some supplements since he is IR) - it's like he is trying to get every last yummy bit of flavor out of it! I do think it may release some endorphins (like cribbing)- he gets a dreamy eyed look while he is doing it - but so far, he has only done it after meals and not just for the heck of it. I adopted him from a "rescue" group that insisted on weaning him at 3 months even over my objections (if I didn't take him they were going to wean him then anyway). He came to live with my mare who had lost her foal that year, and she was thrilled to "mother" him although her milk had dried up long before we got him. After a while, she allowed him to suck on her teats like a pacifier so I don't know if his tongue sucking had to do with early weaning or not. I used to worry that this was going to lead to cribbing but (KOW) so far so good.