| COAT COLORS: note - white
markings on head and legs do not change coat color |
| ALBINO or WHITE: |
Solid white with pink skin and light blue or pink eyes. |
| BAY: |
Any shade of brown with black mane,tail and legs to the
knees. |
| BLACK: |
Solid black with no brown highlights;can have white head
and leg markings. |
| BLANKET APPALOOSA: |
Body is a solid color with a white rump and spots on the
white. |
| BLUE ROAN: |
A mix of white and black hairs giving the coat a blue
appearance. |
| BROWN or SORREL: |
Solid brown any shade including mane and tail (can be
called sorrel or brown) and black with brown on muzzle (only called brown). |
| BUCKSKIN: |
Light tan or cream color with a black mane, tail and on
legs to the knees. |
| CHESTNUT: |
Light gold to dark brown with a coppery hue;generally
mane and tail are the same color but occasionally blond or brown is mixed with the color
of the coat on the mane and tail. A LIVER CHESTNUT is the darkest possible brown. |
| CLAYBANK: |
Reddish yellow with a slightly darker mane and tail. |
| DAPPLED: |
Generally found on GREYS; splotchy appearance caused by
lightening of parts of the coat as the horse ages; gives the appearance of circles in the
coat. |
| DUN: |
Same as a buckskin except there is a dark stripe which
runs down the middle of the back from the mane to the tail. |
| FLEABITTEN: |
White coat with very small dark spots. |
| GREY: |
Mix of white and dark hairs with dark skin underneath
giving a grey appearance to the coat. |
| LEOPARD APPALOOSA: |
Spots all over the coat. |
| OVERO: |
A coat color found on Paints;gives the appearance of a
white horse that has had black or brown paint poured over it. |
| PALOMINO: |
Cream or tan coat with white mane and tail. |
| PINTO: |
White with large patches of brown or black. |
| RED or STRAWBERRY ROAN: |
Mix of white and brown hairs. |
| TOBIANO: |
A coat color found on Paints;gives the appearance of a
brown or black horse that has had white paint poured over it. |
|
From Karen F: This site has
pictures of many horse coat colors |
| EQUINE TERMINOLOGY: |
| BARNSOUR: |
Refers to a horse which will rub a rider against the
side of a building/fence or occasionally bolt for the barn; very dangerous. |
| BUCKED OUT: |
Term used for method of breaking a horse to carry a
rider simply by getting on and letting the animal buck until broken. |
| CALF KNEES: |
From a side view the knees are bent back and towards
each other; also called BACK ON THE KNEES or COWHOCKED. |
| CANTER: |
A 3 beat natural gait in horses; if animal is in right
lead the right back and front legs hit the ground separately and the left back and front
legs hit the ground together(vice versa for left lead); rider feels legs hitting the
ground 3 times. |
| COLT: |
An ungelded male under 4 years of age. |
| DALLY: |
Roping term where the rope is wrapped around or circles
the saddlehorn and is looped on itself to tie; hard to describe the looping; it has to be
taught by showing the method to someone. |
| FARRIER: |
Person who shoes horses. |
| FETLOCK: |
The ankle joints. |
| FILLY: |
A female under 4 years of age. |
| FOAL: |
Male or female under 1 year of age. |
| FOUNDER: |
Life threatening condition of twisting or packing of the
intestines caused by overeating. |
| GAIT: |
4 ways that a horse moves naturally: walk, trot, canter
and gallop. |
| GALLOP: |
A 4 beat natural gait in horses; each leg hits the
ground separately; fastest gait; rider feels the legs hitting the ground 4 times. |
| GASKINS: |
The muscling on the inside of the back legs. |
| GELDING: |
A castrated male of any age. |
| GENTLE BROKE: |
Method of breaking a horse to carry a rider where the
horse is gradually accustomed to humans and allowed to become dependent on humans before
being mounted; each trainer has his or her own techniques for doing this. |
| GREEN BROKE: |
A horse that will carry a rider but is in the early
stages of training. |
| HACKAMORE: |
A bitless bridle used as reins; pressure is applied to
nose and jaw to control the horse. |
| HALTER: |
A reinless and bitless harness which fits over the head;
used to lead a horse. |
| HAND: |
4 inches;used to measure height; measurement is made
from ground to withers. |
| HOCK: |
The knee joint. |
| JACK: |
A male donkey. |
| JENNY: |
A female donkey. |
| JOG: |
A slow trot. |
| KNEE SPRUNG: |
From a side view the knees bend forward;also called BENCH-KNEED or OVER AT THE KNEE. |
| LOP EARED: |
Ears do not stand erect but droop instead. |
| LOPE: |
A slow canter. |
| MARE: |
A female above 4 years of age; also called DAM if she has produced offspring. |
| MARTINGALE: |
A leather strap running from the saddle girth to the underside of the bridle; prevents
a horse from throwing it's head. |
| MULE: |
A sterile hybrid born of a mare and a jack. |
| NECK REIN: |
Method of moving a horse by placing the rein against the neck causing the horse to
move in the opposite direction. |
| PARROT MOUTH: |
The upper teeth extend past the lower teeth; an OVERSHOT. |
| PIGEON TOED: |
Hoofs point inward toward each other; also called TOES IN. |
| PLOW REIN: |
Method of moving a horse by pulling the horse's head around in the direction the rider
wants to go; used with GREEN BROKE horses. |
| POMMEL: |
The saddlehorn. |
| PONY: |
A full grown horse which measures at or under 14.2 hands. |
| POST LEGGED: |
Legs are literally straight as a post; no angle or slope between ankle and hoof. |
| RAFTER HIPPED: |
The hips are wider that the stifles; indication of poor, weak muscling in the hind
end. |
| ROACH: |
A shaved mane. |
| ROMAN NOSED: |
A convex between the eyes and the muzzle. |
| ROUGH BROKEN: |
A method of breaking a horse to carry a rider by forcing the animal into submission
using brutality and intimidation. This method will break a horse to ride but causes the
horse to fear and mistrust humans; worst possible way to break a horse and good horsemen
who care about their animals never use this method. |
| SNUBBING: |
Similar to dally but the end of the rope around the saddlehorn is eft loose and not
looped to tie so if the animal being lead bolts the rope or lead will just pull loose;
used when leading another animal. |
| SPLAY FOOTED: |
The hoofs point out and away from each other; also called TOES OUT. |
| STALLION: |
Male above 4 years of age; also called SIRE or STUD if he has sired offspring. |
| STIFLES: |
Basically the horses butt; area of muscling below the hips. |
| SWAYBACKED: |
An exaggerated concavity between the withers and the rump. |
| TACK: |
The equipment worn by a horse. |
| TROT: |
A natural gait in horses where the foreleg and hind leg on opposite sides hit the
ground together while the other legs propel the horse forward separately; 3 beat gait. |
| WALLEYED: |
A horse with light blue or pink irises; found mostly in Albinos. |
| WITHERS: |
Highest point on a horses back; located where the mane begins. |
| HORSE BREED TRAITS: note-it is difficult to distinguish many breeds due to
similarities in breed conformation, while other breeds stand out due to specific coat
patterns or body types. Below are listed traits attributed to each breed but many are
similar to other breeds. I have chosen to list only those breeds most popular in the U.S. |
| APPALOOSA: |
Distinguishing traits include striped hooves, spotted
skin/coat and white sclera; these are for the original Appaloosa horses; the breed has
become so mixed with other breeds that many Apps no longer carryall of these traits. |
| ARABIAN: |
Traits include small refined heads, fine boned, arched
necks and tails are trained to carry high. |
| MORGAN: |
Traits include large eyes, small tipped ears, broad
forehead, tapered muzzle, arched neck, dense bone, compact body. |
| PAINT: |
Distinguishing traits include coat/color pattern, strong
boned, versatile, muscular; other than coat very similar to the Quarter Horse. |
| PALOMINO: |
Originally developed by breeding a chestnut to an
albino; they are distinguished by a cream/tan coat with white mane and tail; Palominos are
not considered a true breed by many horseman because breeding two Palominos will result in
a foal that is a chestnut, albino or palomino; they do not breed true. |
| QUARTER HORSE: |
Traits include strong thick bones, compact muscular
body, calm disposition, cow sense(ability to out-maneuver cattle), versatility, white is
limited to the face and legs below the knees; this breed is widely known for it's
incredible burst of speed in a sprint; called a Quarter Horse because of their incredible
speed in a quarter mile race. |
| STANDARDBRED: |
Traits are similar to the Thoroughbred; very powerful;
used mainly in harness racing. |
| TENNESSEE WALKERS: |
Traits include tails trained to be carried high, trained
to high step, have a thicker neck and fuller head than an Arabian, kind natured and very
alert. |
| THOROUGHBRED: |
Traits include lean muscling, courageousness, high
strung; widely known for their stamina and speed in long distance racing. |
|
