neighing

Neighing is a vocalization produced by horses and other equids. It is typically a loud, high-pitched, resonant call produced by vibration of the vocal cords as air from the lungs is expelled and modulated by the mouth and nasal passages. The sound often varies in duration, pitch, and intensity according to the animal’s emotional state and social context.

Common usage distinguishes neighing from nickers and from whinnying. A neigh is often described as a stronger, more urgent call used to locate or alert other horses, whereas a whinny is a lighter, more musical greeting. Nickers are softer, low-volume sounds used in bonding, especially by mares toward foals or during friendly social interaction.

Contexts and function: Neighing serves herd communication and location, greeting others after separation, signaling presence to humans, and warning of danger or soliciting attention. It can indicate arousal, anticipation (such as feeding), or distress.

Variation and social learning: Noise varies with age, breed, and individual temperament. Domesticated horses may learn productive ways to respond to neighing from humans and conspecifics. Some horses will neigh more in the presence of familiar people or during training sessions.

Research and welfare: In ethology and veterinary behavior, neighing is used as an indicator of arousal, social bonding, and welfare. Acoustic analyses measure duration, fundamental frequency, and harmonic content to assess emotional state.