# Should the horse be foaming at the mouth?



## Amba1027 (Jun 26, 2009)

I think it depends on the horse. I've come across a few that foam a lot more than others.


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## BarrelracingArabian (Mar 31, 2010)

suppose it depends my horse doesn't tend to foam but one of our lesson horses foams a tooon


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## bubba13 (Jan 6, 2007)

Foam? No. Drool a little? Sure. But more with "soft" metal bits like sweet iron.


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## Shasta1981 (Nov 12, 2010)

I've always been told that foam is good. Means they are soft and playing with bit. 

I would think the answer is yes, they should have foam and preferably more than less. But I'm not sure. 

Subbing, I'm interested in what answers you get.


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## Prinella (Jul 12, 2011)

No idea but curious to hear
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

In my experience a truly soft and responsive horse will have a small amount of foam on its lips. Monty foams enough for it to fleck his shoulders at canter every 4-5 strides. Heavy, dripping foam the likes of which you see on horses ridden with "bad dressage" is far too much. I have seen it tinged pink with blood before, but that was in a very extreme case.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

I'm curious, because my qh foams quite a bit (not nearly dripping but you can really tell she does when I get off her and look at her mouth). Which means (and in fact feels when I ride her) that she's relaxed and accepting the bit (BTW, it took her long time before she started moving correctly and relaxed, and that's when foaming came in too). However my paint foams just very little (she does, you can tell too, but not nearly as much). She does feel relaxed though.


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

Some horses do foam more than others. I owned a pony that did not foam no matter what, but he had the best stop and turn on him, and beautiful head carriage. His mouth was always moist on the lips at the end of a ride but never foamy/white. Monty, on the other hand, foams enough that it does fleck his shoulders, but only at canter. Flecks are ok. Big drips that fall on the knees and chest not so much.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

blue eyed pony said:


> Some horses do foam more than others. I owned a pony that did not foam no matter what, but he had the best stop and turn on him, and beautiful head carriage. His mouth was always moist on the lips at the end of a ride but never foamy/white. Monty, on the other hand, foams enough that it does fleck his shoulders, but only at canter. Flecks are ok. Big drips that fall on the knees and chest not so much.


Interesting... I guess it depends on horse a lot then. 

Thanks, All!


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## Royal Pine Buck (May 28, 2011)

it does depend on the horse. but buckets and buckets shouldn't be appearing. 

usually a little bit of foam that is more "watery/thin foam" in consistancy is a sign of a relaxed soft mouth.


a lot of FOAMY/bubbles and lather are counterproductive and can indicate a Busy mouth/tongue or a bit that is uncomfortable for the horse or hard hands and an unrelaxed mouth.

so my opinion is: there should be some saliva foam but not to the point where you're saying. ummm did my horse get into some dishwashing soap?

:lol:

edited to add: i was also told that saliva should run from lips towards the chin (it just slight drips). if it runs along the lips it could be a sign of riding your horse too deep/behind the verticle.

i was very happy when the other day Dillon had saliva running towards his chin (again only little driplet lines). he can get too light in the bridle at times and easily come behind the bit especially when not having enough forward energy. i was very pleased!


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

That is exactly what I was trying to say! ^

Guess you just put it a lot better than I did.


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## Scoutrider (Jun 4, 2009)

The amount/degree of foaming really does depend on the individual horse, but I've always read/heard/been told that something in the range of saliva moisture to a "white lipstick" of foam is an indicator of relaxation and a soft, listening, learning mouth. The slobber-slinging rabid-looking frothy mouth is not good, and generally indicates tension in the mouth, head, poll, throatlatch, and neck (at least).


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## secretquincy (Sep 12, 2011)

I've heard with riding, if you work a horse hard and properly, or perhaps using different muscles (different work) then they foam at the mouth alot, i ride horses which foam a huge amount of none at all. I've always believed it was due to work, not playing with bit or just normal - always through work


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

I know a horse who foams at the mouth when she is just being lunged. It all depends on the horse


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## MangoRoX87 (Oct 19, 2009)

My horse got a hold of some hay while I had my back turned with her bit in...I looked at her and she looked like she had rabies! No clue what happened there!


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## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

kitten_Val said:


> I'm curious, because my qh foams quite a bit


I am wondering if someone had their rabies shot???:rofl::rofl:


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Spyder said:


> I am wondering if someone had their rabies shot???:rofl::rofl:


Actually from what I know you may have rabies and still don't foam. :wink: And if you eat a piece of soap, Spyder, you'll foam A LOT! :rofl: Also the "fear of water" with one is a total BS. Lol!


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## Horsesdontlie (Mar 11, 2011)

kitten_Val said:


> Actually from what I know you may have rabies and still don't foam. :wink: And if you eat a piece of soap, Spyder, you'll foam A LOT! :rofl: Also the "fear of water" with one is a total BS. Lol!


With rabies you have a very hard time swallowing due to a spasming voicebox or something of the sort, which is where the 'fear of water' drooling and foaming comes from.  They can not swallow water or their own saliva.


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## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

kitten_Val said:


> And if you eat a piece of soap, Spyder, you'll foam A LOT! :rofl: Lol!


Ahhhh so you have been using the old soap trick eh ?


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Spyder said:


> Ahhhh so you have been using the old soap trick eh ?


Oh, I LOVE eating soap sometime. You know, just go out there in bar, eat some, and then scare men away! :mrgreen:


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Horsesdontlie said:


> With rabies you have a very hard time swallowing due to a spasming voicebox or something of the sort, which is where the 'fear of water' drooling and foaming comes from.  They can not swallow water or their own saliva.


Yep, you are right. I guess how much of foam also depends on stage they are at (and how much saliva they make). 

Have someone heard about the horses with rabies? I've read/heard about wild life and dogs, never about horses or cows.


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## Horsesdontlie (Mar 11, 2011)

kitten_Val said:


> Yep, you are right. I guess how much of foam also depends on stage they are at (and how much saliva they make).
> 
> Have someone heard about the horses with rabies? I've read/heard about wild life and dogs, never about horses or cows.


I have always found rabies fascinating and from my times working a veterinary clinic I have learned some things. I have never heard of a horse getting rabies, personally. BUT I know it has been reported in pretty much every warm blooded animal. Livestock, Dogs, Cats, Bats, Humans.....and so on. Though from what I understand the animals like Raccoons, bats and rats can carry the disease without getting the symptoms. There are some very extreme precautions that the Department of Health that got me interested. :shock:


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## bubba13 (Jan 6, 2007)

Horses can certainly get it....and pass it on to people. As for the symptoms they express, that I'm not too keen on. The vaccine is virtually 100% effective.

The Horse | Equine Rabies Fact Sheet


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## bubba13 (Jan 6, 2007)

"
Horses often become infected when
they explore an abnormally behaving wild
animal when on pasture and are accidently
bitten on the muzzle, head, or lower limbs.
Horses begin to show clinical signs of disease
usually between two to six weeks
post-exposure, but it can sometimes take
up to 12 weeks before the clinical signs are
obvious. Therefore there is ample time for
an unsuspecting owner to be exposed because
a horse isn’t acting "just right."
The clinical signs of rabies are widely
variable, making a definitive diagnosis
extremely challenging. The most common
clinical signs of rabies are characteristic
of profound disturbances of
the central nervous system, such as
behavior changes. Specifically, infected
horses are often dull and depressed, but
can become aggressive or fearful.
Depending on the severity of the
case, horses can be ataxic (incoordinated),
exhibit headpressing, circling, have
difficulty swallowing, exhibit muscle
tremors or convulsions, be unable to
rise (recumbent), or fall into a semicoma
or coma.
Additional, more subtle signs can
include a low-grade fever, lameness,
tenesmus (painful spasm of the anal
sphincter), dilated pupils and photophobia
(aversion to light), continual
chewing and biting, tenderness at the
site where the bite occurred, and hyperesthesia
(hypersensitivity to stimulus).
Due to the generality and range of the
clinical signs, rabies can be challenging
to diagnose. Other diseases that can be
mistaken for rabies are plentiful and include
tetanus, the neurologic form of equine
herpesvirus (EHV-1), other viral causes of
encephalomyelitis (e.g., Eastern, Western,
and Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis),
West Nile virus, equine protozoal myeloencpehalitis
(EPM), and botulism. Other
problems with clinical signs that rabies can
mimic include lead poisoning and trauma
to the head or spinal cord."

"
Once horses show clinical signs of rabies,
death generally occurs in two to four days.
In horses receiving supportive care (e.g.,
horses that are being tested to rule out other
neurological disease), it can take up to two
weeks before a horse succumbs.
Rabies is a reportable disease. All horses
with behavioral changes and central nervous
system disorders should be examined by a
veterinarian as soon as possible to minimize
human exposure to the rabies virus."​


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Thanks for posting that, bubba! Yeah, indeed scary!

My co-worker was bit by the dog couple months back. Couldn't find the dog/owner, so he had to go through all those endless shots because of fear of rabies.


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