Horse tilting it's head down and baring teeth, It looks kind of like she's grimacing.?

I have no idea what this could mean! My mare does it sometimes when I groom her. Could it be that she's annoyed? Should I punish her for doing it?

Horse tilting it's head down and baring teeth, It looks kind of like she's grimacing.?
It's probably a sign of relaxation. Notice where you're grooming when she does it--chomping her teeth is a sign of relaxation and contentment, as is lowering the head (ever notice how a nervous horse puts it's head straight up in the air?). On the other hand, if her ears are pinning and/or she's acting like she wants to bite or kick, she may have some soreness. If it's happening when you groom near her flanks, she may have tender ovaries--if she's showing signs of discomfort, you should have your vet look at her. But it sounds like she's expressing her appreciation to me.
Reply:Heck no!





My gelding does this when he smells the mares in season across the way. He does this when he smells something else he can not recognize. Our filly does this as well when something new is introduced, like when she was first given a cut up apple.





I bet you found her "spot". All horses have these and my gelding I can just about make him lay on the ground scratching his "spot" (if one can make a horse go down and submit this much to a human this is true trust). The filly doesn't go down to the ground like he does but she stretches out and shows those teeth like saying "OMG don't stop" lol!





I had a horse when younger that I taught to do this when I would tickle his whiskers. It is cute lol!
Reply:Two excellent answers already.
Reply:Might be colic
Reply:It is her way of releasing tension.


I have been told by some who claim to know that my horse was cribbing when she did that.





That means that my horse was sucking in air and holding her breath to get a sort of high. The vet explained this to me.





I'm not sure if I beleive it or not. But my gal did it when I was grooming her too.





I wouldn't punish my horse unless they were doing something hurtful to them or me.
Reply:time to go to the dentist i work with horse stuff like that usually means the dentist
Reply:I agree with the first 2! My mare loves to have her 'special spot' rubbed right under her belly. Depending where you groom her when you do it, she may be sore, let her rest for about 2 weeks if you think it is because of pain, then get a vet in to just check her over. If she isn't aiming towards you when she does this,(doesn't act like she's gonna bite ya for it) then don't punish it. It would be a shame to punish her if she is just enjoying it, and even more of a shame if she was in pain already and she was trying to tell you something. if you punish her when she is in pain she won't tell you when there is a slight problem she will wait till it is really bothering her then explode on you or the closest living thing that she thinks is 'causeing' it.
Reply:It sounds like she really doesn't like it, and she is stretching her neck out and grinding her teeth as an evasion. My mare stretches her neck out and turns her head to the side when she does not want to do or doesn't like something. I know it may sound weird, a horse that doesn't like to be groomed, but maybe she has had bad experiences with it in the past. I would not punish her for acting this way, it might just make it worse. I would just verbally discourage it.