Equine Care Glossary of Terms

a horse that is seven years old or older.

whips, reins, spurs, and other items that help a rider convey instructions to the horse.

any movement performed with either the forelegs or the fore and hind legs off the ground.

any unplaced horse in a race.

a youth who is being trained as a jockey.

part of an oval racetrack furthest from the spectators.

a group of horses

riding a horse without a saddle or blanket on its back.

the part of the bridle that fits in the horse's mouth.

any scar left by an injury.

the application of a hot iron to the horse's lower leg in an attempt to treat an unsoundness problem. The procedure is not well-accepted in the industry because it is considered cruel and its effectiveness has not been proven.

Thoroughbred horses, especially those used for racing and breeding.

1) to buck. 2) a term used to describe the behavior of a dressage or show horse that performs poorly.

an individual who accepts bets on horses.

the back of the fetlock dropping to ground, caused by a lacerated suspensory ligament or a fractured sesamoid bone.

the owner of a mare at the time of breeding.

1) to win a race easily. 2) a training sprint over a short distance.

the headgear used to control the horse.

any unbroken horse.

sired by.

a series of small wooden jumps used in training to improve a horse's strength, stride, and balance.

a type of noseband used to keep the horse's mouth closed.

a show-jumping or cross-country round that is completed without faults.

any large, heavy horse whose ancestors originated in the cold regions of the world, particularly the draft breeds.

shortening a horse's pace by light contact from the rider's hands and steady pressure from the legs, which make the horse flex its neck, relax its jaw, and bring its hocks under.

an ungelded male horse less than four years old.

the connection between the rider's hands and the horse's mouth through the reins.

a bruise in the area of the sole between the heel and the wall of the hoof.

1) a racehorse. 2) in show-jumping and cross-country competition, a circuit including a series of obstacles which are jumped in a designated order, sometimes within a specified time limit.

to geld (castrate) a colt or stallion

straight part of a racetrack behind the barrier of the starting gate.

the mother of a foal.

a horse whose racing record is relatively unknown.

in racing, a tie for first, second or third place.

to drug a horse, either to improve or impair its performance in a competitive event.

a horse used to pull heavy loads.

a horse that requires less feed than others. The opposite of a hard keeper.

an award for understanding achievement in the Thoroughbred business, equivalent to the motion picture industry's Academy Award.

intestinal inflammation caused by bacteria, poison or moldy feed which contains fungi.

1) pertaining to horsemen or horsemanship. 2) a rider on horseback.

pertaining to horses.

the science of equine athletic conditioning and related factors. Still in its infancy, the science began by adapting human athletic conditioning principles to performance horses. It utilizes scientific technology in an attempt to improve the athletic performance of horses. Equine Sports Medicine includes the study of all areas that can impact performance, such as body function mechanisms (nutrition/digestion, cardiovascular and respiratory functions, bone density, blood composition, bone/muscle function, etc.), gait and motion analysis, and training/conditioning techniques. At this time, the science primarily impacts racing, but is expected to expand to other performance activities in the near future.

a horse that competes in the Three-Day Event.

synonym for the Three-Day Event.

a type of bet in which the wagerer must choose the first and second place winners and the order in which they finish in order to win.

an individual who makes horseshoes and shoes horses.

in jumping, a scoring unit that penalizes a competitor for knockdowns, refusals, falls, touches (touching the obstacle) or other mistakes.

the main race of the race event.

the Federation Equestre International (International Equestrian Federation), the world's governing body of international equestrian sport. Founded in 1921, the F.E.I. is headquartered in Brussels. It makes the rules and regulations for international equestrian competitive events, including the Olympic games, the Pan American Games, and the World Championships. All national equestrian federations are required to comply with the F.E.I.'s regulations in international competition.

any obstacle that must be jumped in hunting, show-jumping, cross-country, or steeplechase competition.

a female horse less than four years old.

see Blistering.

putting mares on an increasing plane of nutrition prior to breeding to increase ovulation and fertility.

a male or female horse less than one year old.

the part of the horse which is in front of the rider; the head, neck, shoulders, withers and forelegs.

the elastic, horny center of the sole of a horse's hoof.

1/8 of a mile or 220 yards.

any forward movement of the horse, such as walking or galloping.

a sore on the horse's skin, usually occurring under the saddle or girth.

to castrate a male horse.

a male horse that has been castrated.

pregnancy; the period between conception and foaling, normally about eleven months.

the offspring of a sire.

1) the circumference of a horse measured around the deepest part of the body behind the withers. 2) a strap around the horse's girth that holds the saddle in place.

the condition of race track or other ground over which a horse travels, such as "good going", "muddy going", etc.

1) a horse that is broken but not yet trained. 2) a trotter or pacer that has not been raced against the clock.

1) an individual who is responsible for looking after a horse. 2) to clean the coat, mane, tail and feet of a horse.

1) a riding horse for hire. 2) a pleasure ride.

a bridle that controls the horse by pressure on its nose.

wmeasurement used to determine the height of a horse. A hand equals four inches, the average width of a man's hand. A horse's height is measured from the highest part of the withers to the ground. The abbreviation for height is h.h. (hands high). Fractions of a hand are expressed in inches. For example, a horse 15.2 hands high is 15 hands, 2 inches tall.

a horse that requires more feed than others. The opposite of an easy keeper.

the hips and buttocks of a horse.

see Quarters.

part of an oval track closest to the spectators.

any light, fast horse whose ancestors originated in the hot, dry areas of the world, particularly the Arabian breed.

the mating of related horses, such as brother or sister or son and dam.

in gestation.

whips, reins, spurs, and other items that help a rider convey instructions to the horse.

professional rider of racehorses.

any horse trained to compete over jumps.

in show jumping, a round held to decide the winner among those competitors who tied for first place in the previous round.

the length of a horse's head and body, used to measure the distance by which a horse wins a race.

a long line, usually fifteen to twenty feet long, used in training. One end of the lunge is attached to one side of the bridle; the trainer holds the other end in his hands as the horse circles him.

a horse of either sex that has not won a race.

a mare that has not had a foal.

a female horse more than four years old.

an aid used to help keep a horse's head in the correct position. It usually includes a strap running between the forelegs that connects the girth and the front of the bridle.

a race between two horses, on terms agreed to by their owners.

the place where hunters, horse, hounds and followers gather before a hunt.

to remove manure and soiled bedding from the horse's stall.

a horse that races well on a muddy track.

any wild horse; particularly, the wild horse of the western plains of the U.S., which is descended from Spanish horses.

the horse's left-hand side, from which is it usually mounted.

the part of a bridle that lies across the horse's nose, above the bit.

the betting quotation on a horse in a race.

a horse's right-hand side.

refers to a horse that is eager to keep moving.

a horse that takes the lead and sets the speed for a race.

1) a grassy enclosure in which horses can be turned out. 2) the enclosure at a racetrack in which horses are prepared for a race.

a form of betting in which the total amount wagered, after a percentage is deducted for costs, is divided among the holders of winning tickets.

see Exacta.

to finish second in a horserace.

any horse less than 14.2 hands (58 inches) when fully grown.

1) either the starting or finishing post at a racetrack. 2) to rise up from the saddle while a horse is trotting.

preparing a horse for a sale, race, shows, etc.

the hindquarters: the area of a horse's body extending from the rear of the flank to the root of the tail and downwards to the tops of the hind legs.

a type of bet in which the wagerer must choose the first and second place winners but need not designate the order in which they need to finish in order to win.

a thin, lightweight horseshoe used for racing.

a piece of red ribbon tied around a horse's tail to indicate that it is known to kick.

the failure of a horse to try to jump an obstacle, either by stopping in front of it or by going around it.

to make a horse step backward while being ridden.

long, narrow leather strips used to control the horse. One end is attached to the bit; the rider holds the other end.

the act of refusing to go forward, stop, run back or rear.

a horse entered in race under the name of another, to win bets illegally by making betters and bookmakers believe they are betting on an inferior horse.

to avoid an obstacle that is to be jumped by running around it or to pass on the wrong side of the marker flag.

1) to train a horse for a specific purpose. 2) an enclosed area, either open or covered, in which a horse may be trained.

1) withdraw a horse from an equestrian event after it has officially entered. 2) to spur a horse vigorously.

the mating of a mare by a stallion.

metal plates that fit around the outer edges of hoofs to protect them from injury and wear.

to finish third in a horserace.

for a horse to swerve away suddenly because of a sound or obstacle.

the cap and blouse worn by racing jockeys, which carry the owner's colors.

the father of a foal.

the oldest type of bit, consisting of a straight or jointed bit with a ring at each end to which the reins are attached.

referring to a horse that is free from any illness, disease, blemish, imperfection or defect (particularly of the legs), which might make it unable to function properly.

a horse that is able to cover short distances at great speed. Sprinters are rarely able to maintain a fast pace over long distances.

an ungelded male horse more than four years old.

a horse that is able to cover long distances because of its strength, stamina and endurance power.

an official who sees that rules are obeyed at a race or show.

an infectious disease that is common among young horses. Symptoms include a high temperature, a thick nasal discharge, and swelling of lymph glands.

1) a place where breeding horses, especially stallions, are kept. 2) (slang) a stallion.

a foal that is nursing.

a webbing belt used to keep the saddle in position, which passes over the saddle and girth.

riding gear, such as the saddle and bridle.

a horse's normal temperature is 100.5º F (38º C)

inflammation of the frog of a horse's hoof, characterized by foul-smelling discharge.

a type of bet in which the wagerer must choose the first, second and third place winners and the order in which they finish in order to win.

a course over which a horse race is held, especially a grass course.

a movement in which the horse pivots on the forelegs while performing concentric circles with the hind legs.

a movement in which the horse pivots on the hind legs while performing concentric circles with the forelegs.

referring to a horse with a defect (especially of the legs), that makes it unable to function properly.

a horse whose ancestors include both "cold-bloods" and "hot-bloods."

a foal that has been weaned.

referring to a horse/rider team, which is, well-groomed, well-dressed, etc. in competitions in which appearance is considered in judging.

to finish first in a horserace.

the puffy swelling of a horse's knee or fetlock joints, caused by an over secretion of the fluid in the joints.

a harmful habit in which a horse sucks in and swallows air, causing indigestion.

a horse between one and two years old. All foals born in a given year turn yearlings on the 1st of January (the universal birth date) following the date they were foaled.