Nostrils Moving With Sniffing or Investigation
Look at the signal, then look at the whole horse and the situation around it.
NOTICE
The horse actively sniffs, moves the nostrils, or brings the nose toward a person, object, surface, or scent.
WHAT IT MAY TELL YOU
The horse may simply be gathering information through smell. Horses use their sense of smell to investigate their surroundings, other horses, people, objects, and unfamiliar scents.
DON'T ASSUME
Sniffing does not automatically mean the horse likes, dislikes, trusts, or fears whatever is being investigated.
LOOK AGAIN
Notice what the horse is sniffing and what happens next.
Does the horse approach, pause, withdraw, return, or show a flehmen response? Does the rest of the body stay loose, or does tension begin to appear?
Research / Learn More
What research suggests
Horses use sniffing and odor exploration as part of investigating their environment. Studies of equine olfaction measure sniffing duration and related exploratory behavior directly.
What that does not mean
Sniffing by itself does not tell us a specific emotion or preference.
Sources
- Horse odor exploration behavior is influenced by pregnancy and age — measures horses' sniffing and odor-investigation behavior.
- Human emotional odours influence horses’ behaviour and physiology — demonstrates that olfactory information can influence horse behavior while emphasizing the broader context.