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Why do horses snort? Snorting vs blowing
A snort is one of the loudest things a horse does without opening its mouth. It happens for a few different reasons, and research has changed how people think about it.
What a snort is
A snort is a hard breath out through the nostrils. What makes it a snort is the flutter: the nostrils vibrate and you can hear a rolling, buzzing pulse in the sound, and often see it too.
A blow is the softer cousin. It is a strong breath out through the nose with no flutter, and you hear it often when a horse stretches its head and neck down.
When horses snort
- When something new or sudden appears: a plastic bag, a pushchair, a jump that was not there yesterday.
- To clear the nose, after dust, hay or a dusty arena.
- During work. Riders hear a lot of snorting and blowing in the warm-up, especially as the horse lengthens and stretches.
- Out at pasture with other horses, while grazing and moving around.
What the research found
For a long time the snort was read mainly as an alarm sound. A 2018 study by researchers at the University of Rennes, published in PLOS ONE, counted snorts in horses in different settings. Horses snorted far more out at pasture than in their stables, and horses with better welfare scores snorted more often than horses with poorer ones.
Both things can be true. A single loud snort at a strange object, with the head up and the body tense, is the classic startle. Steady snorting while grazing in a group is part of ordinary pasture life. The setting tells you which one you are hearing.
When to call the vet
Snorting on its own is normal. Call your vet if snorting comes with nasal discharge, a cough, noisy or difficult breathing at rest, nosebleeds, or a change in how your horse eats.
Film a snort
Snorts are short, so keep the camera rolling. Turnout and the start of a ride are good moments. In Live mode, Neigh, the horse translator for iPhone, translates each call seconds after it happens and writes the line onto your video.
Questions
Is snorting a good sign in horses?
Snorting is normal. A 2018 study found horses snorted more out at pasture than in stables, and more when their welfare scores were better. A snort at a strange object is normal too. Snorting with discharge, coughing or hard breathing is a reason to call your vet.
What is the difference between a snort and a blow?
A snort has a flutter: the nostrils vibrate and the sound pulses. A blow is a strong breath out through the nose without the flutter.
Why do horses snort when you ride them?
Snorting and blowing are common during work, especially in the warm-up as a horse stretches and lengthens its stride. Horses also snort to clear dust from the nose in the arena.
Why do horses snort at things?
A sudden snort, with the head up and eyes on something, is the classic reaction to an object that is new or unexpected, such as a bag or a moved jump.