Groaning is heard most often when horses are lying down but are uncomfortable or, alternatively, when they’re on their way to lying down for a nap or roll.īlows are alarm signals, heard most frequently when horses are startled.ĭon’t miss the latest issue of Your Horse Magazine, jam-packed with training and veterinary advice, horse-care tips and the latest equestrian products available on shop shelves, on sale now.

Rather than a way to calm themselves down, a sigh is more a sign that the tension has disappeared or is disappearing – for example, upon calming down after a canter on a good hack out, or receiving a nice brush from their human. Much like humans, horses sigh as a means of releasing tension. Squeals often occur when unfamiliar horses meet, or when one violates the space of another, especially when there’s an important resource at stake, such as food. Mares and geldings also squeal – and for similar reasons. This can escalate to screaming, allowing stallions to work out fighting potential before actually engaging further. The stallion most capable of winning has a squeal that is higher pitched and outlasts his challengers. Squeals are used in displays of fighting capability, particularly in stallions. Horses also nicker gently to their people in anticipation of something they like and want, such as food, and some will nicker when their people arrive at the yard – usually because they associate ‘their person’ with something good about to happen.

Nickers are low-pitched greetings between a mare and her foal, and also between stallions and mares during courtship. When they regain contact with each other, whinnies are shorter and deeper in pitch. Horses distressed by separation make drawn-out, higher pitched whinnies. They’re the longest and loudest noise a horse makes because they need to be heard over long distances. Try it for free No registration required.

Whinnies are contact calls heard on separation and reunion. Practice pronunciation of horse and other English words with our Pronunciation Trainer. But just what do these sounds mean? Animal behaviourist Jenni Nellist explains. Horses can make a number of different sounds to communicate different things – they can whinny, nicker, squeal, blow, snort, grunt and groan.

Horse sounds in words