strangle holes in my horses nasal passage - what are they?!

[ThePony]

Hi,
Got a question I hope you can help with as I am totally stumped. At the end of our hack today my mare had a bit of a runny nose (seems to be a bit RAO, managing with careful stable routine, vet coming out to check if there is anything else we can do) so I though I'd have a bit of a poke around to see if she might have anything up there that was irritating her. What I did find was in the bottom of both of her nostrels, about an inch back, was a small hole - just like someone had been at her with a hole punch! Nothing irritating in the area and no hole behind there with any sort of discharge or anything, and nothing going through to her mouth.
Am I being totaly stupid and is this how horses noses are made (how stupid will I feel!) or is it the result of some work she has had done?
Hope you can help!!
Glass of wine this eve for all those who get this far!

 

[comeon]

Dont worry dont know what they are but my horses have them too

 

[Black_Horse_White]

All horses have them. My vet will be putting a small tube up into my horses tomorrow to flush out his tear ducts.

 

[Stinkbomb]

They are tear ducts, quite normal!

 

[milliepops]

Funny things, aren't they! They are really obvious on my mare as she has white hair on her nose, and the tear ducts are bright pink

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

If ever your horse needs the bright green fluoroscene (sp) dye put in her eye to test for scratches or ulcers on the cornea, it will trickle out of her nose after a moment! It is washed down the tear duct that opens into the nose, so is also a helpful way of testing that the tear duct is patent.

 

[ThePony]

ah, thank you!! Now feel rather dumb! I wonder if they show up more as she has a pink nose? Had a poke around my bay mare's nose and couldn't see them at all!
Do you guys just know this stuff, or do you have a fab vet/anatomy book that tells you? Would like to improve my knowledge but am stuck as to how!