04/01/2026
As a veterinary physiotherapist, one of the signs I quietly celebrate during a session is a yawn. Often followed by licking and chewing 🐴😌 the owner will often make a remark about the horse being tired or “are we keeping you up??”
During physiotherapy treatments, yawning and licking/chewing are commonly associated with release. As soft tissues begin to relax and restrictions reduce; particularly through the jaw, poll, neck and thoracolumbar region. The nervous system can shift from a guarded, sympathetic state into a calmer, parasympathetic one. That transition often shows itself through these behaviours.
I see this not only during hands-on treatment such as massage, mobilisations and stretching, but also during ridden work. When a horse begins to move more freely through their body, finds better balance, and no longer feels the need to brace or protect, you may notice yawning, licking and chewing during or after exercise.
These signs are often accompanied by:
• softening through the eye and jaw
• lowering of the head and neck
• deeper, slower breathing
Context always matters…yawning or licking and chewing in isolation doesn’t automatically mean “release.” But when they appear in response to physiotherapy or correct, sympathetic ridden work, they’re commonly a sign that both the body and nervous system are letting go.
Those moments are valuable feedback. They tell us the horse is responding, processing, and finding greater comfort in their movement…and that’s always the goal 💛
