Neigh

A neigh is the sound made by horses, horse hybrids such as the hinny, and other equines, such as the zebra. It consists of a succession of jerky sounds, initially high-pitched and gradually lower. Produced on exhalation by the larynx and modulated, it enables the animal to express its emotions (such as fear or satisfaction) and to inform other animals through the sound produced. The main function of neighing is to alert other equines to its presence in the absence of visual communication.

Buffon established a classification of neighs into five categories, according to the emotion expressed by the horse, which has been widely used in subsequent works.