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Do you have a horse that likes to lick?

11K views 36 replies 30 participants last post by  equus717 
#1 ·
I have known 2 appaloosas that are pretty constant lickers. Is that a trait of the breed? One will lick everything and anything: fences, metal gates (even in the middle of winter), my hands, and clothes, even another horse.

Does anyone else have an OCD horse with the problem of licking? What breed is your horse?
 
#2 ·
Mine is a trotteur (racehorse but he wasn't fast enough so didn't take part in any race), probably separated from his mother too early, he licks many things too. Actually he used to, but as years go by he licks less and less things, but he still loves to gently lick my clothes, arms, even my cheeks, and he also used to take everything in his mouth... As he was young, I let him discover things this way, but now when he's supposed to work or focus on me he knows he can't and I just have to say "no" once and that's all. But he has another "habit", that is to suck his own tongue. I explained and showed it to 2 vets who said it had no health consequence, was probably due to a premature weaning, and he does that when he feels comfortable, after being fed, after a long massage, when he's been really afraid and I came to reassure him, after a treat... That won't disappear, contrary to the licking habit which decreases.


The licking habit decreases but I didn't really act to make it disappear, I only said "no" and had him back up when it was bothering me, otherwise I just ignored him. I think it all got better when he took his place in a group of horses, became their leader, and acknowledged me as a leader and someone next to whom it is comfortable to be (safe, strokes, games...).
Oh and he pretty often licks other horses too!
 
#5 ·
Daughter's trainer has an arabian gelding that was hand raised. He seems to think he's a dog, and runs up and licks you all over. Daughters QH mare does the same thing.

My Dancer's filly, Rain, also licks you - but watch out, because it's often a preface to her starting to chew on your clothes, your hair, your fingers... She's being weaned and feeling sorry for herself!
 
#7 ·
I have a Morgan that licks everything. I've never seen him lick another horse (prefers to chase them around) but he's licked practically everything else.

I found my trainer spraying the metal bars of his stall with no-chew, he was ripping off the textured grip that's on the bar that slides to open his stall so he could lick the metal.

When I pick out his right front leg, he snuffles up under my shirt and licks my back. Only the right front and it doesn't matter what order I pick his feet in or how many times I've picked them that day.

If he's nervous/upset, I can calm him down in seconds by offering him my hands to lick.

It's a playful/nervous habit of my horse I think, the nervous portion of it seems to be decreasing as he matures.
 
#8 ·
My guy licks anything. He cleans between his stall bars, licks my clothes, hands, etc....just a very oral kinda guy. I would agree it is personal, not a breed trait, but would question being related to maybe weaning too early? Mine is a TWH/QH, but he is a PMU, also.

**OCD is obsessive-compulsive disorder. Easiest for you to look it up than me try to explain
 
#11 ·
I know that horses will lick where there is rust. Some just like the taste of it and I've heard that they will lick rust because they are lacking a mineral. I can understand them licking us for the salt when we sweat.

Our Ghost licks the hay manger after eating, the metal gate when we take him back out to pasture, your hands, arms, clothes, even your face if he can. He never bites. He likes to play with his bowl after eating too. He'll hand you his bowl if you're standing there or he'll throw it on the ground to let you know he's done and wants more, lol!

I know he wasn't weaned early. It was at 6 months old. Our TWH was weaned around 6 or 8 weeks old but she doesn't lick at all. They have a salt/mineral block in their pasture. It must just be his 'thing'.

The other horse I knew that did it, I had only seen a few times, but she would lick everything too. Both are Appys and they both are about 5 yo. Maybe it will go away as they get older. It doesn't really bother me. I just think it's amusing.
 
#15 ·
Starlite loooves to lick your hand, up your arm & clothing. Sometimes in mid-lick she'll yawn and her tongue will just hang out on your hand for a minute, so funny! LOL. She wasn't always like that, maybe just the past 2 years I've really noticed it. She is a Standardbred/QH. She also started chewing on crossties in the last year...not too often, but she never did before so it was something I noticed.
 
#16 ·
My Hano is an obsessive licker. Skin, clothing, your hair, his stall, crossties, the wall, whatever is in front of him. I've had to curb his licking with people a bit. He likes to lick, lick, nip!
 
#17 ·
Dude loves to lick hands/arms/clothing. I don't mind it since it doest bother me as long as he doesn't shove his nose into me, so I don't normally correct him. If someone else at the barn puts their hand in his stall, that's on them, they can get licked to death, lol. We all know each other and are pretty tight-nit, so it's never been an issue. Horses so horse things. :p
He hasn't bit as far as I know, so it's cool with me. :p It calms him down and it's adorable, that's cool with me.:)
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#19 ·
My tb Apache will lick just about anything. What he licks the most is his own lips, I've noticed he does it more the more he relaxes. I've seen him stand there licking his lips for a good couple of minutes straight. If you offer it he'll lick your hand.

My qh Sammy licks things occassionally. The most he has done it was one morning when I was eating my cereal out in the paddock (a bit random) sitting on the fence. He came up wanting attention and a share in the food. I gave him a bit of the dry stuff and he seemed to like it. For ages after that and after I had finished eating he stood there licking my hands and my pants and shirt it was weird hehe. Normally though he bites not people just random stuff. He doesn't suck on it or anything just holds it in his mouth. I've seen him bite a tree branch (just hold it then let go), he often bites the leadrope when tied up (sometimes resulting in untieing himself) and just holds it in his mouth. Offer anything to him and he'll eat it if edible or just hold it in his mouth for awhile before dropping it.
 
#21 ·
my horse likes to lick to.. i wouldnt say its ocd but she does it pretty often.. How i got it under control tho is i turn the licking into a positive.. So every time she would go to do it i would say kiss. She eventually learned to only lick when i say that. Might want to give that a try.
She is a quarter horse... and a halter horse which are known to me really mouthy..
 
#22 ·
We have a Morgan Stallion at the farm where my horse is kept that is a licker. It all started about 3.5 months ago when he was put on stall rest for an injury. He only licks the two of us who clean his stall and take care of him. But he will lick our clothes, shoes, hair, faces, arms and hands. He doesn't lick anything else though. I think it is a nervous, bored action on his part, can't blame him for being bored poor guy :cry:
 
#32 ·
do you have salt blocks in their stalls? Cheyenne licks everything because she doesn't have her salt block anymore so we have to get her another one. When she licks me she's trying to get the salt off my hands or the fence or my tack or whatever.
All of our horses are outside 24/7. They have a salt lick, which they do use. Ghost still likes to like everything and anything.
 
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