Where the horse evades the riders aids by raising the head above the level of the rider's hands. This reduces the amount of control the rider has over the horse.

The movement of the horse's legs.

A horse of 15 years of age or older, known as a "veteran". Prior to this age, experienced horsemen can estimate the age of a horse by examining the teeth.

The process of estimating the age of a horse by examining the appearance and development of the teeth.

Signals or cues by which the rider communicates his wishes to the horse. The "natural" aids include the voice, the legs, the hands and the weight. "Artificial" aids include the whip and spurs.

High school movements performed by highly trained horses, where either the front legs or all four legs are off the ground. Airs above the ground include the levade and the capriole.

The slower form of the lateral pacing gait. 

A horse registered in the Appendix of the American Quarter Horse Registry. Quarter Horse/Thoroughbred cross.

Inflammation of a joint. An increase in the amount of synovial fluid in the joint is a result of this inflammation. Accumulation of synovial fluid in the fetlock joint is called a "wind puff" or "wind gall." In young horses, a swelling in the fetlock joint, particularly on the front of the joint where the cannon and long pastern bones meet, is called a "green osselet." This swelling is a result of inflammation and reactive changes of the front edges of these two bones and adjacent cartilage. If the green osselet does not heal, a "chronic osselet" might develop with a permanent build-up of synovial fluid in the joint and inflammation and thickening of the joint capsule over the damaged area with secondary bone changes following the initial inflammation.

A horse that has been turned out in a paddock or field.

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A conformational fault where the upper leg is set back in comparison to the lower leg. This fault is more serious than over at the knee because it places additional strain on the tendons running down the back of the lower leg.

The practise of breeding back to a certain stallion to preserve a particular desirable trait.

US term used to describe a horse with a predominantly white face.

Where the hocks turn outward. Opposite of cow-hocks.

A tail which has been trimmed level at the bottom, seen in dressage horses and hunters, but not in Arabians and western pleasure horses.

Horse that objects to being ridden away from the barn. Also herd bound horses that object to leaving their pasture mates.

A timed event in Western Riding where horse and rider complete a cloverleaf pattern around three barrels.

The area of the horse's body between the forelegs and the loins.

In the horse's mouth, the fleshy area between the front and back teeth, where the bit rests.

Term used to describe the arc a horse makes as it jumps a fence.

Coat colour - deep reddish brown with black mane and tail.

An evasion where the horse holds his head behind the vertical, thereby decreasing the rider's control. See also Over-bent.

Straps by which the girth is attached to the saddle.

Mouthpiece, often made of metal but may be made of rubber or other man-made material and held in place by the bridle, by which the rider conveys instructions to the horse.

Elongated white marking down the front of the horse's face. (Also called a stripe)

A permanent mark or scar made by either an injury of disease. Examples of blemishes include curbs and girth galls.

A Thoroughbred horse.

Thoroughbred horses bred for racing.

Equestrian facility where horse owners may keep their horse for a monthly fee. See also Livery Stable.

A soft swelling of the true hock joint (tibiotarsal or tarsocrural joint).

Bone is the measurement around the leg, just below the knee or hock. This measurement determines the horse's ability to carry weight, therefore a light-boned will be limited in weight carrying capacity. A hunter with “good bone” should measure 21.75cm or more. Where the measurement falls short of requirements the horse is said to be “light of bone”, indicating that his limbs are not up to the weight that his body should carry.

Bone is living tissue that has a highly dynamic structure, and both its composition and shape is continuously being remodelled, Approximately 30% of bone is made up of a protein called collagen, which provides flexibility and the rest comprises minerals, primarily calcium and phosphorus, which give strength.

A braided noseband used in western equitation. Western bitless bridle.

Bandy-legged, where the hocks turn outwards. The opposite of cow-hocks.

Narrow, upright hooves with a small frog and closed heel. Also called club foot.

The early education of the young horse, where it is taught the skills it will need for it's future life as a riding or driving horse.

An equine group bred selectively for consistent characteristics over a long period of time.

The hand which holds the bridle in riding; the left hand.

Snaffle bit used in conjunction with a curb bit in a double bridle.

Horse that has been accustomed to the tack and the rider and has begun initial training. (Also called greenbroke).

A mare used for breeding purposes.

Where the hoof or shoe hits the inside of the opposite leg, at or near the fetlock. Usually caused by poor conformation or action.

A leap in the air with the head lowered and the back arched.

Bursae are sacs of synovial membrane containing synovial fluid. They are found around bony areas to ease movement of tendons and muscles.

Index

The bone of the lower foreleg between the knee and the fetlock. Also called the "shin bone". In the hindleg, the corresponding bone is called the shank.

Three beat gait of the horse in which one hind leg strides first (the leading leg), followed by the opposite diagonal pair and finally the opposite foreleg. Called the lope in Western riding.

Back ridge of an English saddle.

Swelling or puffiness on the point of the hock. Can be cause by a blow or injury, or may be caused by a horse lying down repeatedly in a stable with insufficient bedding. A capped hock results from a false bursae filled with synovial fluid forming, following a trauma. Capped hocks rarely cause lameness, and are only a cosmetic problem.

One of the Airs Above the Ground in which the horse leaps with all four legs and strikes out with the hind legs in mid-leap.

An relatively light and elegant horse used for carriage driving.

A coldblood draft horse.

Adjustable low wooden jumps used in the schooling of horse and rider.

(a) Simple noseband fitted to a bridle. 

(b) Leather or nylon headgear, with attachments for side reins and lunge line, worn by the horse when it is being lunged.

(a) The small rubbery protrusion on the inside of all four legs. 

(b) Reddish-brown coat colour.

The groove above the lower lip in which the curb chain of a curb bit lies.

When a horse puts in a short, additional stride in front of a fence.

US term used by auctioneers and in sales ads to describe the white markings of a horse.

Means by which a Western saddle is secured to the horse, which attaches to the saddle on one side, running under the barrel just behind the legs to the other side. Called a girth in English Riding.

Without feathering on the lower legs.

A powerfully built horse, capable of drawing a heavy coach.

A type of horse, rather than a breed, a cob is a horse of stocky appearance, well-adapted to carrying heavyweight riders in all circumstances.

A blood test for Equine Infectious Anaemia (EIA). Horses which test positive may be required by the state of occupancy to be destroyed or permanently quarantined.

Cold-back behaviour refers to the horse which tenses abnormally or sinks (Bowers) the back either when tacked up, when the girth is tightened or when the rider mounts. Some horses arch the back and buck repeatedly. A few horses throw themselves to the ground, which can be very alarming and is potentially dangerous.

The name used to describe the heavy European breeds of horse descended from the prehistoric Forest Horse.

General term describing abdominal pain in the horse. Ranges in severity from mild to life-threatening. A veterinarian should always be consulted in case of suspected colic.

Where the rider, by means of carefully balanced driving and restraining aids, causes the horse's frame to become compacted and the horse light and supple in the hand. The baseline is shortened, the croup is lowered, the shoulder is raised and the head is held on the vertical.

A male horse up to four years of age that has not been castrated. Male foals are called "colt foals".

Term used in the US to describe a horses age. For example, a horse approaching the age of four is said to be "coming four". In the UK the term rising is used.

The overall way in which a horse is put together and also the relationship of specific parts of the horse in regards to its proportions.

School movement in which the horse canter in a circle with the outside leg leading, instead of the more usual inside leg.

One of the Airs Above the Ground. After performing the levade, the horse bounds or hops forward on bent hind legs.

Hocks turned in, like those of a cow. Opposite of bowed hocks. In a person cow hocks would be described as knock-kneed.

Inflammation of the heels, resulting in cracked skin and discharge of pus.

A stable vice in which the horse hooks his teeth onto something solid, such as the door of his stable, and sucks air through his open mouth. Said to be addictive behaviour, cribbing straps and collars have varying degrees of effectiveness at discouraging the behaviour. Horses which suck air, without latching their teeth on to something are said to be wind sucking.

The mating of horses of different breeds or types.

A method of tethering a horse using two ropes or ties, one on each side, connected to a solid post or wall.

The top of the hind quarters, from the point of the hip to the tail.

Bit fitted with cheeks and a curb chain which lies in the chin groove. Operates on the leverage principle acting on the lower jaw. In a double bridle, the curb bit is used in conjunction with a bridoon, or snaffle bit.

Chain used with a curb bit.

Thickening of the tendon or ligament below the point of the hock, resulting from a strain.

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A horse's female parent.

Term used to describe ground that is wet or soft, into which the hooves sink.

Bedding system that cuts down on the amount of straw or shavings required, but it needs to be managed carefully.  You remove all droppings at least once a day, but leave a layer of wet bedding at the base of the bed and simply top up with clean shavings or straw.

The measurement from the withers to the elbow. A horse with a generous measurement between these points is said to have a "good depth of girth".

Term used to describe horses bred in dry, desert conditions, or horses descended from such horses. Examples are Arabian and Akhal Teke.

The horses legs move in pairs at the trot, called diagonals. The left diagonal is when the left foreleg and right hindleg move, the right diagonal is when the right foreleg and the left hindleg move. When on a circle, the rider rises as the outside foreleg moves forward.

An usually hollow back between the withers and the croup. Often occurs in old age.

The concave head profile seen in breeds such as the Arabian.

A faulty action, where the toe of the foreleg is thrown outward in a circular movement with each stride.

Canter in which the horse's legs are out of sequence.

The bony part of the tail, from which the hair grows.

Amputation of the dock for the sake of appearance. This practice is illegal in the UK.

A continuous stripe of black or brown hair from neck to tail. Seen in horses of "primitive" breeding, such as the Exmoor and the Norwegian Fjord and is often seen in dun-coloured horses.  The Dorsal Stripe is also called an Eel Stripe.

Traditional English bridle with two bits, a snaffle and a curb,  giving the rider a greater degree of control than a single bit.

A term applied to any horse used for hauling vehicles or loads, but most usually associated with the heavy breeds.

A rein which attaches to the girth at one end, passes through the rings of the bit and back to the rider's hands. Used to increase control and give a better head position, but is difficult to use correctly and is very easy to abuse.

(a) The art of training the horse so that he is totally obedient and responsive to the rider, as well as supple and agile in his performance. 

(b) Competitive sport which, by a series of set tests, seeks to judge the horse's natural movement and level of training against an ideal.

Noseband which buckles beneath the bit to prevent the horse from opening its mouth or to "take hold of" the bit and ignore the riders rein aids.

Coat colour. Yellow or sandy coloured body with black points. Often has a dorsal strip.

Index

A continuous stripe of black or brown hair from neck to tail. Seen in horses of "primitive" breeding, such as the Exmoor and the Norwegian Fjord and is often seen in dun-coloured horses.  An Eel Stripe is also called a Dorsal Stripe.

The hindlegs are engaged when they are brought well under the body.

A male horse that has not been castrated. Also called a Stallion.

The art of horse riding.

Horny growth at the back of the fetlock joint.

Equestrian competition held over one or three days and including the disciplines of dressage, cross country and show jumping.

Conformation fault in which the neck appears to be "upside down", concave along it's upper edge with a consequent bulging of muscles along the lower edge.

The extension of the paces is the lengthening of the frame and stride. The opposite of collection.

High knee and hock action such as that seen in the Hackney and the Saddlebred.