Glossary of Terms Tips
Read these 37 Glossary of Terms Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Horse tips and hundreds of other topics.
Gray or grey
Gray is a mixture of white and any other color of hair. A gray is born solid- or almost solid-colored and gets lighter or greyer with age and as more hair sheds out and grows.
Cold Hosing
The act of using cold water from a hose on the lower legs of a horse after exercise to prevent in injuries or to reduce inflammation.
Bringing Up/In
Refers to bringing a horse into a stable from previously living at large or pastured or randomly with a herd.
Banbury Action
Banbury action refers to the action of the shanks in a curb bit. Banbury action is on curb bits with moveable shanks, or when the cheek pieces move independently of one another and separate from the mouthpiece.
Bottom Line
Bottom Line refers to the underbelly line of the horse. The bottom line is lacking (meaning needs muscle development) or the bottom line is good (meaning that the muscle development is strong & well developed).
Cast (Veterinary/In Stall or Paddock)
A horse is said to be cast when he is in either his stall or a paddock and he is lying down, and is unable by himself to get back up again. Usually this is due to the fact that the horse has lain too close to the wall or fence or from a hoof or leg being caught up in something.
Palomino
The body color is a shade of yellow or gold . The mane and tail are white, yellow or gold.The legs are same as body color. Palominos do not have dorsal stripes like the similarly colored dun horse. Palominoes can be quite faded and light or quite vivid and dark with the dappling even being almost dark brown. This was the color of Roy Rogers Trigger, an American Quarter Horse, and Mr. Ed, an American Saddlebred Horse.
Concussion To The Rider
Concussion in the Rider refers to a head or brain injury. This is usually from a fall. Why helmets are a must~! Helmets should be manditory.
Cast (Farrier/as in a Shoe)
Cast is referring to the loosing of a shoe. The horse has cast a shoe. Meaning the shoe has come off by accident.
Gruella, Grulla, grullo
The body color is smoky or mouse-colored (not a mixture of black and white hairs, but each hair is mouse-colored). The mane and tail and legs will be black or darker than the body
A Double Bridle
A Double Bridle is a bridle with 2 bits, and two sets of reins. A double bridle must never use a connector strap whichs reduces two reins to the use of one rein.
Tobiano Paints
Tobiano (pronounced: tow be yah' no)
Is a paint or pinto horse color term referring to a horse with a solid base coast color with white, poured from above and not crossing the centerline of the belly
Generally, the spots are regular and distinct in large areas that extend down over the neck and chest and back .
Head markings are like those of a solid-colored horse--solid, or with a blaze, strip, star or snip.
A tobiano may be either predominantly dark or white.
The tail is often two colors.
Calkin
A Calkin is a raised & squared thickening of the metal of the hind shoe at the outer edge of the heel. This will increase the grip. A similar effect can be created on the inside of the heel by thickening the metal into a wedge shape (wedge heel) which is less likely to cause brushing than will a calkin.
Breaking Out
Refers to a horse breaking out into a sweat after he has been cooled out after exercise.
Circuit Breaker/Breaker Box
An Electrical Box or Devise fit into a wall or onto a wall where all the electrical connections meet. When too many wall outlets are in use, this box will internally flip a switch on the panel board. This is to prevent electrical shock from too many circuits in use.
Single or Snaffle Bridle
Uses one bit, and only one rein. Can use two reins when using a pelham, a Tom Thumb, or a Kimberwick with a shank. Often when using any one of these bits, a connector strap will be used so that only one set of reins is necessary.
Overo
Overo (pronounced: oh vair' oh) this term is a color of body where white does not cross the centerline of the back between the withers and the tail. Generally the white is irregular, and is rather scattered or splashy. An overo may be either predominantly white or the base coat color..
Clench or Clenches
Clench or Clenches is the nail end that is remaining after the farrier has twisted off the protruding point of the nail. The metal is then bent over and squeezed in order to secure the shoe to the hoof/sole.
Colors of Horses - Chestnut or Sorrel
The body color is dark red to a light reddish brown. The mane and tail are usually dark red or reddish brown, but in the sorrel will be flaxen ( pale yellow) or white.
Concussion To The Horse
Concussion in the horse is referred to as the jar that the hoof/legs receive when a horse is working on hard or solid ground.
Horse - Facial Markings
Facial Markings
Specific terms are used when identifying a horse's facial markings. The illustration depicts locations of face markings. True white markings are distinguished by pink or light-colored skin beneath the white hair. These white markings are evident at the time of foaling and do not change throughout the life of the horse. Be careful not to confuse roaned areas with white markings.
Star: A star is always found on the forehead and may be of any size or shape.
Stripe: A stripe is a vertical marking found below eye level and above the imaginary horizontal line connecting the top of the nostrils. Any mark in this area regardless of size is referred to as a stripe.
Snip: A snip is any mark found below the top of the nostrils, down to and including the lower lip. Snips can enter into one or both nostrils, or extend to the lip.
Blaze: A blaze is a large or wide marking which connects a star, stripe and snip. A blaze is always a combination of all three of these marks and therefore will never end above the nostrils. It extends close to the eyes, wide over the center of the face and bridge of the nose, and either extends almost the width of the nostrils or over part of all of each nostril.
Bald Face: A bald face refers to a very large blaze, which can extend outside of the eyes in the forehead and/or center of face. It will generally cover the width of the nose and the entire muzzle. A horse with a bald face will often have a large snip on the lower lip which can extend to the under lip area or chin.
Bone
Used in reference to conformation. Refers to the circumference of the bone below the horse's knee or hock joint. If the measurement is generous, the horse will be considered to be of "great or plenty of bone". If the measurement is smaller, the horse will be referred to as "lacking or short of bone".
Capped Elbow
A soft swelling under the skin on the point of the horse's elbow, usually caused by either lack of bedding, rubbing from the heel or shoe on the elbow when the horse is lying down.
Cheek Piece
On a bridle, this is the short piece that connects one side of the bit to the bridle. The adjustment piece that shortens or lengthens the bit to fit the horse's head.
