Cowboy Home Horses

Dictionary of Horse Terms

last update
Jul 31, 2006

  • Breaking: more
    The process of training a horse to be ridden or for work.
  • Chestnut
    1. Small, horny excrescence on the inside of all four legs Photo
      • The chestnut is what remains of the third inner toe of hyracotherium, the ancestor of the modern horse. See the video Equus for more info.
    2. A rich red brown colored horse Photo
  • Coldblood:
    The generic name for heavy European horse breeds descended from the Forest Horse.
  • Dam:
    A horse's mother
  • Feathering:
    Long hair on the lower legs and fetlocks. More prominent on certin breeds like the Clydesdale than on others.
  • Foal:
    Colt, Gelding or filly up to a year old.
  • Frog: Photo
    A rubbery pad on the underside of the hoof.
  • Gelding:
    A castrated male horse.
  • Girth: Photo
    The Circumference of the body measured from behind the withers around the barrel or chest.
  • Hand:
    The standard measurement used to determine the height of a horse.
    One hand is equal to 4 inches (10.16 cm), measured from the ground to the top of the withers.
  • Hotblood:
    Term describing Arabians, Barbs, and Thoroughbreds.
  • Hybrid:
    Cross between a horse and an ass or zebra.
  • Loins:
    The area on either side of the spine just behind the saddle.
  • Lope:
    Slow western canter where the horse is allowed to hold it's head in a natural position.
  • Mare:
    A female horse age four or over.
  • On the bit:
    When a horse carries the head in a near-vertical plane, the mouth a little below the riders hand.
  • Overbent:
    The mouth held close to the chest to evade control.
  • Pinto:
    Body color of white with patches of any other color.
  • Roached Mane:
    A mane that has been shaven to a Mohawk ridge.
  • Stallion:
    An uncrasted male horse of four years old or more.
  • Stud:
    A breeding male horse, also a Stallion.
  • Tack:
    The gear used in equiping a horse, including saddle, bridle, etc.
  • Warmblood:
    Generally referring to breeds which are a cross between Hotbloods and other horses.
  • Withers: Photo
    The highest part of the back, at the base of the neck, of a horse, cow, sheep, etc.

Cowboy Home Horses