Recent research conducted by a team of scientists, including Elodie Briefer from the University of Copenhagen, discovered that when horses neigh, they are simultaneously whistling and singing. This finding was published in the journal Current Biology on the 23rd of last month. The study emphasizes that despite horses being domesticated for over 4,000 years, their vocalization mechanisms had not been fully understood until now.

The vocal apparatus of horses, or larynx, is a muscular tube that houses tissues capable of producing sound when air passes through them. Typically, larger animals possess larger vocal apparatuses and vocal folds that vibrate at a slower pace to produce deep sounds. However, the higher pitch of horses' neighs seemed to defy this generalization, suggesting a unique adaptation in their vocal characteristics that allows for a more complex sound output.

The study revitalizes interest in the vocalization of horses and could pave the way for further research into how domesticated animals communicate. These insights not only enrich the understanding of equine behavior but could also have implications for the way owners and trainers engage with horses, enhancing the human-animal bond through improved communication and empathy.