[heynow]

Hi there. I am new to this forum and I have a question. Not sure if it should be here or on teh training spot.

Here goes. I have a QH Gelding. recently he started this kinda head tossing but more like he is trying to flip his lip like a twiching thing. I know his older brother does this on the cross ties and his daddy does while standing still.

Just curious if this is a genetic thing or is there something up with him... ? Thanks..

 

[Abby]

It sounds like a learned behavior. His older brother probably learned it from the father. Your boy probably learned it from the either of the two of them. The father was probably twitched enough while being cross tied that he started flipping his lip like that, and the youngsters picked up on it.

 

[heynow]

Thanks Abby. Actually makes me feel better! Like I m not really crazy thinking he picked it up. Perhaps he is a slow learner.. Thats why he started it lately.. lol

 

[Abby]

Hah, no problem. My horse has picked up a few bad habits from his pasture mates. It can be a burden or a blessing. Most easily curable.

 

[horsecrazy29]

Does he look like hes smiling? Lips turned up and neck stretched out?
If so this is him smelling his environment.

 

[Deb]

That's called fleman or flehman (not sure of the spelling). A horse does that when it is trying smell something or "taste" the smell of something new, when the horse intakes air that way the smell goes up to a place in its mouth and the horse is able to tell more about the scent. aka; what it is, how old it is, is it male or female. Other animals such as deer and elk do the same thing.