When a horse snorts, he inhales quickly, then exhales by puffing his breath out of his nostrils. It usually indicates excitement and anticipation, like when you're about to let him out to pasture, when he sees his friends nearby, or when you reach that place on the trail where you usually take a good gallop.
If they encounter an aggressive or fearful situation, their “fight or flight” response includes a bump in adrenaline, which dries their mouth and nose. Once the situation resolves and adrenaline levels drop, secretions like saliva and mucus start flowing again, Dr. McDonnell said.
When horses actively blow air through their nose, they want to express that they are extremely comfortable and content. It is a sign of great affection when animals "blow" at each other, the same is true for humans.
When your horse inhales quickly, then puffs the breath out through his nostrils so they vibrate with a loud purring sound, he's excited and hoping that something will happen.
Horses that grunt or groan when they breathe are usually responding to pain. When the diaphragm and ribcage move with each breath, this stretches or moves an injured area, stimulating pain receptors.
Horses distressed by separation make drawn-out, higher pitched whinnies. When they regain contact with each other, whinnies are shorter and deeper in pitch. Nickers are low-pitched greetings between a mare and her foal, and also between stallions and mares during courtship.
Snorts appear as a possible reliable indicator of positive emotions which could help identify situations appreciated by horses."
Listen for a snort.
This causes a loud fluttering sound in the nostrils which lasts for about a second. Snorting indicates your horse has identified a potential danger, and is investigating it. If your horse shies away from something after snorting, this indicates fear.
Nickering. Of all horse sounds, a nicker is generally a joy to hear! A nicker is a sociable sound that your horse will make with their mouth closed, moving their nostrils with their ears pricked forward to attention. It is an affectionate sound that horses will use with their peers.
An Equest facilitator explained that the proper way to say hello to a horse is by gently extending your closed hand. The horse returns the greeting by touching your hand with its muzzle. Simple enough.
The ears laid flat against the neck, head raised and the horse may lunge at you, whites of the eyes showing, and their mouth open showing their teeth. You should avoid approaching a horse from behind. If you do, they may warn you if they're angry and want you to stay away or go away.
4- Many horses like to be rubbed on the neck, shoulder, hip, or on the chest. Some horses enjoy having their heads and ears rubbed. Horses often groom each other on the whither, so this would be a good place to try too.
This behavior is a way horses naturally groom each other. When your horse tries rubbing its head on your body, it may be attempting to “groom” you as a show of affection. Even though some horses rub their head on humans as a way to show affection, it's a behavior that should be discouraged due to the risk of injury.
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.
Horses aren't just for humans to show one another affection. Did you know that horses hug too? Just make sure that you're on the horse's good side before hugging them, and remember that if they start licking you or breathing on you it is often because they appreciate your company.
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.
Affection in Horse Terms
Kissing and hugging are human ideas of affection. Horses do “spar” (play fight) and bite at the lips, but that's even more of a reason not to kiss them there. Keep your horse's lips away from your lips. You don't want him to think you're playing and be bitten.
Horses not only remember people who have treated them well, they also understand words better than expected, research shows. Human friends may come and go, but a horse could be one of your most loyal, long-term buddies if you treat it right, suggests a new study.
Horses have excellent memories and can remember certain people after long periods. A recent study completed in 2021 proved horses could recognize and understand human facial expressions and emotional responses. Extensive research has shown horses can maintain memories of humans when they have positive interactions.
Calming signals in horses are somewhat similar and include looking away, having lateral ears, yawning, stretching down, licking lips or eating to calm themselves. Can you recognize them? Calming cues communicate stress, and at the same time, release stress.