She could make a soft nicker that was indistinguishable from the sound Whinney made.

The black horse lifted its head, and the Barb, behind Petronilla, gave a soft nicker.

The gelding greeted her with a soft nicker as he thrust his head over the stall door.

There's a soft nicker of recognition.

Then she felt something warm and wet on her face, and heard the soft nicker of a horse.

Her way of saying the mare's name had always been an imitation of the soft nicker of a horse.

Whinney leaned against the woman, making soft nickers of distress, her forelegs spraddled, breathing hard and quivering.