Vocalization

HORSE

in the

EXPRESSIONTHROUGH VOCALIZATION

STUDIES WORK TO DEFINE EQUINE

Equine vocalization has the potential to provideinformation on body size, individual identity,

motivation, or physiological states.

By: Amanda Greiner

AuditoryPERCEPTION

Range of 55 Hz-33.5 kHz and most sensitive at a range of 1 kHz-16 kHz.

Horses are more sensitive to LOW frequencies than highfrequencies.

Sensitivity

- Body and head size and structurebetween breeds have an impact.E.g.. Broader brain case creates lower frequency.

- Distance between individuals increases the frequency which can beheard at a shorter distance.

- Increase in signal duration increases detectability.( Browning, 2006)

( Yeon, 2012 )

( Browning, 2011 )

Dark bands indicate concentration ofsounds over a specific duration at aspecific frequency giving rise toexpressive components.

(A) Whinny, (B) whinny from socialseparation (C) Nicker produced when astallion encounters a mare in estrus. (D)squeal produced by a diestrus mare whena stallion approached. (E) Squealproduced by estrus mare when a stallionapproached. (F) Groan, (G) blow (alarm),(H) blow (after sniffing), (I) snore (dyspnea- imaired breathing), (J) snort. (A, F-J) are adapted from Waring (2003).

Praat spectrogram

EXPRESSIVE COMPONENT

Frequency­ varying

Acoustically different vocalizations can help horse ownersdifferentiate between distress and eustress calls to

strengthen the horse - handler bond.Cited:

David G. Browning. Equine vocalization: A comparison of Arabian and Morgan horse whinnies. The Journal of the Acoustical Society ofAmerica 129, 2671 (2011)

David G. Browning, Peter M. Scheifele. Equine acoustics: Further analysis of a whinny—The expressive componentThe Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 119, 3435 (2006)

Yeon, Seong C Acoustic communication in the domestic horse (Equus caballus). Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applicationsand Research, 2012, Vol.7(3), pp.179-185

(Yeon, 2012)