Head Shaking Before Meals
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Our 20-year-old mare, a BLM Mustang, violently shakes her head up, down and sideways while she is waiting to be fed. Is she just impatient, or is it something else?
- Nancy
Great question, Nancy! Your horse’s head shaking might be what we in the behavior world call a superstitious behavior. It is possible that she has incorrectly “learned” that a head shake results in food. This occurs when an animal performs a behavior that is immediately followed by something she wants. With superstitious behaviors, it is simply a matter of coincidence that the behavior was followed by something that the horse wants, but the animal has nonetheless made the association that X behavior results in Y reward. Since, in your case, your horse is performing this behavior at dinner time, she is constantly reinforced for the behavior—thus strengthening her superstitious association.