Cowboyway Home Page

Cowboyway Home Page

DISCLOSURE: This page might contain affiliate links. / Photo Of The Day


What Is The Flehmen Response?

The flehmen response (also called the flehmen posture, the flehmen position, and other similar names) is a behavior sometimes exhibited by horses when they encounter an interesting or stimulating scent.

In horses, the flehmen response is characterized by:

The mouth remains closed, or close to it, but the raised upper lip typically exposes some upper teeth.

Below: A horse exhibiting the behavior known as the flehmen response.

A sorrel horse exhibiting the flehmen response

 

In addition to horses, the flehmen response has also been observed in a variety of other animals. While it may look a bit different, the flehmen response has been observed in cats (small and big), cattle, deer, elk, moose, rhinos, giraffes, goats, and more.


The Flehmen Response: What It Is

While most scientists aren't entirely sure why horses or other animals perform the flehmen response, most of them agree that it seems to be a way for the animal to transfer interesting or stimulating smells into the vomeronasal organ (VNO), also called Jacobson's organ.

This specialized organ processes these scents, which then go to the brain. As a result, the brain might trigger certain behaviors in response.

For example, stallions commonly flehmen when smelling the urine of a mare. This seems to be at least one of the ways a stallion detects the mare might be in estrus and receptive to breeding.

Below: Another horse exhibiting the flehmen response.

A horse with extended head and neck, and the stiff neck and lip, known as the flehmen resonse

 

However, using the flehmen response to analyze scents isn't only about breeding. Stallions, mares, and geldings have all been observed performing the flehmen when encountering a variety of different scents. These scents might include urine or manure, new feed or feed supplements, an unknown scent floating on the wind, and more.

Below is the same mare shown at the top of the page exhibiting the flehmen response. When this photo was taken she had come to the feed truck along with a large herd of other mares.

Whether her flehmen response was due to the smells from the feed truck, the people in it, her herd mates, or some other stimuli isn't known.

Below: A mare showing the flehmen.

A mare showing the flehmen in response to unknow stimuli


What The Flehmen Response Isn't

In a word, the flehmen response isn't a yawn. Some folks get them confused.

In horses, a yawn is recognized by:

The exact reason horses and other animals yawn isn't always agreed upon among researchers. In general, though, it is thought to be a way to oxygenate the body, relax jaw muscles, or to help cool down after exertion.

Below: A yawning horse. Notice the level (not raised) head and neck, and that the jaws are open wide.

A gray horse yawns with wide open jaws

 

Here is another yawning horse. It also shows the wide-open jaws typical of a yawn, but not a flehmen response.

A chestnut horse helps show the difference between a yawn and the flehmen response

 

What Is / Are...

What Are 5 Of The Biggest Wild West Robberies?

What Are 5 Reasons Horse Trailer Lighting Matters?

What Are 8 Dumb Things To Say To A Horse Lover?

What Are 9 Proven Ways To Keep Flies Off Horses?

What Are Chestnuts and Ergots?

What Are Cowboy Chinks?

What Are Ermine Spots?

What Are Horns?

What Are Horse Blood Marks?

What Are Horse Vaccines and How Do They Work?

What Are Horse Whiskers?

What Are Leads?

What Are The Parts Of A Western Saddle?

What Are Saddle Rigging Positions?

What Are Some Fencing Options?

What Are Some Foods Both Horses And Dogs Can Eat?

What Are Some Horse Fencing Basics?

What Are Some Interesting Horse Facts?

What Are Some Interesting Charts and Graphs With Horse Information?

What Are Some Options For Temporary Horse Fencing?

What Are Slobber Straps?

What Are Synthetic Saddles Made Of?

What Are The Rodeo Catch Pens?

What Are The 10 Best 3-Horse Trailers With Living Quarters In The USA And Canada?

What Are The X's In A Cowboy Hat?

What Are The Three Legal Head Catches?

What Are Wolf Teeth?

What Is The Angle System For Branding?

What Is The Barrel Racing Pattern?

What Is A Bosal?

What Is A Brand?

What Is A Bull Riding Vest Made Of?

What Is A Crow Hop?

What Is Deworming Your Horse?

What Is A Domain Name?
Why would I need one for my farm or ranch even if I don't have or want a website?

What Is A Fifth Wheel Trailer Hitch?

What Is Flag and National Anthem Etiquette At A Rodeo?

What Is A Slant Load Horse Trailer?

What Is Floating A Horse's Teeth?

What Is Freeze Branding?

What Do Horse Freeze Brands Look Like?

What Is A Galvayne's Groove?

What Is A Gooseneck Trailer Hitch?

What Is A Hack Rein?

What Is A Headstall?

What Is Some History About The First National Finals Rodeo?

What Is The History Of The Modern, Hornless, Bronc Riding Saddle?

What Is The History Of The Modern Rodeo Bucking Chute?

What Is The History Of The One-Hand Bareback Rigging?

What Is The Nasolacrimal Duct In Horses?

What Is A Pony Express Mochila?

What Is Hermann Oak Leather?

What Is Larvicidal De-Worming?

What Is The Flehmen Response?

What Is The Flying Gallop?

What Is The Mark Out Rule?

What Is A Nord Fork?

What Is The Rodeo Return Gate?

What Is Rotational Grazing?

What Is A Safety Tip For Posting The Colors?

What Is A Slick Fork Saddle?

What Is A Spur Ledge?

What Is A Swell Fork Saddle?

You Might Also Like

How To

Horse Tips

Who Was

 




Molly's Custom Silver

CowboyWay.com uses and recommends Molly's Custom Silver!






FREE Newsletter!
Receive tips, how-to's, and other good stuff. Subscribe now!


CowboyWay.com

Some images and/or other content on this website are copyright © their respective owners.
All other material copyright © 1999 - 2024 by CowboyWay.com - All Rights Reserved

Menu    About / Contact    Newsletter

Disclosures    Privacy Policy