Horses' Distinctive Whinny Revealed by New Study

Researchers discover horses' ability to whistle through their voice boxes while vocalizing.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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A new study has uncovered the secret behind horses' distinctive whinny sound. Researchers used cameras and scans to reveal that horses produce the high-pitched part of their whinny through a whistling mechanism in their voice box, in addition to the low-pitched vocalization. This makes horses the only known large mammals capable of this dual-toned vocalization.

Why it matters

Understanding how horses produce their signature whinny sound provides insight into the complex communication abilities of these animals. The finding that horses can essentially "whistle" while vocalizing adds to our knowledge of animal acoustics and the evolution of vocal mechanisms in different species.

The details

The study involved filming the inside of horses' nasal passages and voice boxes, as well as conducting scans and airflow tests on isolated horse voice boxes. The researchers discovered that the high-pitched portion of a horse's whinny is created by air vibrating tissues in the voice box while an area above contracts, allowing the whistle-like sound to escape. This is different from human whistling, which is done with the mouth.

  • The study was published on February 24, 2026.

The players

Elodie Mandel-Briefer

The lead author of the study, affiliated with the University of Copenhagen.

Jenifer Nadeau

A researcher who studies horses at the University of Connecticut, but was not involved in this particular study.

Alisa Herbst

A researcher at Rutgers University's Equine Science Center, who commented on the significance of the study's findings.

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What they’re saying

“Knowing that a 'whinny' is not just a 'whinny' but that it is actually composed of two different fundamental frequencies that are created by two different mechanisms is exciting.”

— Alisa Herbst, Researcher, Rutgers University Equine Science Center (Email)

“I'd never imagined that there was a whistling component. It's really interesting, and I can hear that now.”

— Jenifer Nadeau, Researcher, University of Connecticut (PBS NewsHour)

What’s next

Researchers plan to further investigate how horses' dual-toned whinny evolved and what purpose it serves in their communication and social behaviors.

The takeaway

This study's findings reveal the remarkable vocal abilities of horses, which can essentially "whistle" while vocalizing. Understanding the mechanisms behind the horse's distinctive whinny provides new insights into animal acoustics and the evolution of complex communication in different species.