Whinnying while…

[RileysMom]

Okay this is a weird one. Horse is at new farm, has been stressed by the change (no more so than the average bear who takes a bit to settle in). Horse has head down on ground in stall, appearing to contentedly munch hay. Zero distress. But he’s making whinnying sounds—not the full out whinnying when they call to others, but the long clear squeak sounds. Very clear it was a whinny and not say, abnormal breathing or something stuck in his throat. Horse was given a once-over and nothing else was abnormal. Behaved fine otherwise.

Is he: delighted with his hay?
Registering a complaint?
Talking to ghosts?

Seriously, never seen this behavior from horse before. He wasn’t asleep either—clearly nosing through hay and he never lifted head up while doing this.

[Bluey]

@RileysMom

Okay this is a weird one. Horse is at new farm, has been stressed by the change (no more so than the average bear who takes a bit to settle in). Horse has head down on ground in stall, appearing to contentedly munch hay. Zero distress. But he’s making whinnying sounds—not the full out whinnying when they call to others, but the long clear squeak sounds. Very clear it was a whinny and not say, abnormal breathing or something stuck in his throat. Horse was given a once-over and nothing else was abnormal. Behaved fine otherwise.

Is he: delighted with his hay?
Registering a complaint?
Talking to ghosts?

Seriously, never seen this behavior from horse before. He wasn’t asleep either—clearly nosing through hay and he never lifted head up while doing this.

One of my horses does that.
When feeding, he has to do one little walk around or three after the first bites, then gets to eating seriously and makes odd little snorty and low whiny noises, none very loud.
Seems to do it only for a bit when he starts eating, then no more?
I groom him some, clean feet pat him a bit and fly spray and he has quit by the time I am thru.

He has a low nicker and at times nickers when I come in to feed, but is clearly a real nicker then.

[Pennywell_Bay]

Sounds like a food motivated/loving boy who still had thoughts of the new place on his mind I had some similar and usually say "oh you’re so upset you barely eat… Oh there you go "