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In English the sound is written as a neigh, and is called a whinny. The word “whinny” might be another attempt to write the sound a horse makes, or might be related to the word “whine,” which is a complaining sound (and in fact, can be used to talk about humans who are complaining a lot in a childish way).
“Horses generally neigh to attract attention of other horses or of people.” She adds that it can also be “a sign of separation anxiety or a sign of social isolation. … Of course, horses make more sounds than whinnies and neighs. Kay says: “A nicker is a low, soft sound used by mares as her foal comes to her.
Do Horses Cry, Show Emotion, or Miss You? Horses don’t cry as an emotional response, but they do shed tears when their tear ducts are blocked. Tears run from their eyes and down their faces.
Disregard a neigh or whinny.
A neigh is a very long sound that is the combination of a squeal and a nicker. A horse neighs when he is separated from other horses. A whinny or neigh does not indicate fear.
“You hear a lot of riders and instructors and trainers who will say they’re looking for horses to do that snorting behavior while they’re riding, because they believe the horses are relaxing and releasing adrenaline,” she said. … Brubaker said it was too early to conclude that snorting is a form of active communication.
Here are 8 Signs a Horse Likes and Trusts You
The sound that a horse makes is called a neigh. A horse’s happy neigh is sometimes a greeting to other horses. You can use neigh to talk about the noise your horse makes, also known as a whinny or a bray.
Itching can be a legitimate reason for a horse wanting to rub on something, but that something shouldn’t be you. That doesn’t mean that you can’t help out your itchy horse, though. If you’ve just come in from a long, hot ride and your horse is sweaty under the bridle, rubbing is just a way to scratch her itchy head.
Horses also understand words better than expected, according to the research, and possess “excellent memories,” allowing horses to not only recall their human friends after periods of separation, but also to remember complex, problem-solving strategies for ten years or more.
“What we’ve found is that horses can not only read human facial expressions but they can also remember a person’s previous emotional state when they meet them later that day – and, crucially, that they adapt their behaviour accordingly,” says psychologist Karen McComb. “Essentially horses have a memory for emotion.”
Missing an Emotional Connection
Your horse might not care that someone else is doing the everyday chores. But research suggests they will take notice if they miss out on the emotional connection they’re used to. Some horses come to rely on their owners for comfort, and that connection can’t easily be replaced.
According to results of a study conducted by researchers at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, horses do seem to read some signals to indicate whether a nearby person is stressed or afraid, at least in certain circumstances.
It may be a head shy horse raising their head, or a horse jumping to the side in a spook. Flight can be a horse constantly going too fast, or rushing towards jumps. Other signs of fear or tension include tail swishing, high head carriage, a hollow back, teeth grinding, or refusal to move – known as freezing.