Horse Terms(Glossary)
A-
Arena-large outdoor or indoor riding area with sand footing.
Aids-Anything used to communicate with the horse while riding or driving such as voice, hands, legs, whips or spurs.
Artificial Aids-Any article such as whip, spurs, bits, used to communicate with the horse or pony while riding.
B-
Broodmare-A broodmare is a female horse used for producing babies(foals).
Buck-When a horse jumps upward and arches his back and legs upward.
Barn Sour-A horse that doesn’t like to leave the barn or stable.
Balk-When a horse disobey’s a riders aids(signals)to move a certain way.
Bareback-Riding a horse without a saddle.
C-
Canter-English riding term for a three beat mode of forward movement. It is the only gait at which there is a moment that all four feet are off the ground.
Cinch-A broad strap most often made of leather, string or webbing, that goes around the underside of the horse to secure the saddle.
Colic-a potentially fatal condition experienced by horses, caused by intestinal displacement or blockage.
Colt- a young male horse, under the age of two.
Coldblood-Any large boned heavily muscled horse breed developed to pull or carry large loads. They often have calm temperaments.Draft Horses.
Cribbing-is when a horse grabs a solid object with its teeth while gulping air into its stomach.Alo reffered to as windsucking.
Conformation-physical structure of a horse’s or pony’s body.
Cooling Out-Restoring a horse to normal temperature, usually by walking, after it has become overheated from exercise.
Chestnut-The horny growths on the inside of the legs(all 4) of a horse.
D-
E-
Equestrian-a horseback rider.
Equitation-Word used for art of horseback riding.
Easy Keeper-A horse that easily keeps weight on.
F-
Filly-A female horse up to four years of age.
Farrier-tradesperson trained in hoof care and horse shoeing.
Foal-Horse under one year of age.
Float-filing the teeth to remove any sharp ‘hooks’ or overgrown teeth.
G-
Groom-act of cleaning/brushing a horse.
Green-A horse that has just started in training, usually one that is young and inexperienced.
Gelding-a castrated male horse.
Grade-horse of unknown breeding or mix bred.
Gymkhana-Western gaming, such as barrel racing or pole bending.
H-
Hard Keeper-A horse whose weight is hard to maintain.
Hand-common way to measure horses, One hand = 4 inches
Halter-type of headgear used to lead a horse.
I-
Irons-English sturrups.
In Season-When a mare is in heat.
J-
Jog-Western term for a slow trot.
K-
L-
Lope-Western term for a three-beat gait, the same as canter.
M-
Mule-offspring of a male donkey and a female horse.
Mare-A female horse over 4 years old.
N-
O-
P-
Points-a horse’s legs, mane, and tail.
Pony-Breeds of small horses, under 14.2 hands tall.
Paddock-A large enclosure to hold a horse.
Q-
R-
S-
Stall-an indoor box(usually 12′x12′ or larger) where a horse is kept at times during the day or night.
Stallion-A male horse over 4 years old that has not been castrated.
Sound-term to describe a healthy horse.
T-
Turn Out-When a horse is let out of its stall into a pasture or paddock.
Trot-A two-beat gait.
U-
V-
W-
Weanling-A horse under one years old that has been weaned from his mother.
X-
Y-
Yearling-A horse just approaching or just turning one years old.
Z-