Horse lingo, terminology

[Maxi'sMinis]

Wouldn't it be awesome to have a complete list of all the horse terminology out there, with the correct meaning or definition? I would find this extremely useful. I searched the forum and have some books with definitions but I'm also talking the show lingo, breeding, color, genetics, anatomy, registration, breed type, equipment. Current and traditional terms used in the miniature horse industry. Anyone one want to add theirs to the list?

I know these are basics but gota start somewhere.

Breeding

Sire: The father of a horse. In reference to the sire, XXX is by YYY.

Dam: The mother of a horse. In reference to the dam. AAA is out of BBB.

Get: The offspring of AAA X BBB.

Pedigree: The family tree, ancestry of a horse.

This is just a start. Anyone have better descriptions, please expand on my explanation of the above terms. Please if you have time add your terms and descriptions to the list. Thanks so much for your contributions.

 

[disneyhorse]

Shoot, there is just too much. The ones you listed are extremely basic. I would suggest you purchase one of the "Horse Encyclopedias" they are pretty good if you are needing the basic stuff. Otherwise if there's something complicated, you could just ask (Every now and then someone asks for clarification on what a "Futurity" is regarding the different registries, etc.)

Andrea

 

[Marsha Cassada]

How about the word "stud". There was a discussion here a year or so ago about what exactly a stud is. Do I remember correctly, it is not synonymous with "stallion"?

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

TRADITIONALLY "stud" is a verb or adjective, not a noun. So "stud farm" is correct, as horses are "studded out" there. But, studs are things in walls, not horses.

BUT, in common use stud IS synonomous with stallion.

But, according to Dictionary.com it can be used as a noun as well... but I wonder if that is due to the common use rather than tradition?

stud

–noun

1. a studhorse or stallion.

2. an establishment, as a farm, in which horses are kept for breeding.

3. a number of horses, usually for racing or hunting, bred or kept by one owner.

4. a male animal, as a bull or ram, kept for breeding.

5. a herd of animals kept for breeding.

6. Slang. a man, esp. one who is notably virile and sexually active.

7. Poker. stud poker.

–adjective 8. of, associated with, or pertaining to a studhorse or studhorses.

9. retained for breeding purposes.

—Idiom10. at or in stud, (of a male animal) offered for the purpose of breeding.

 

[Matt73]

Oh Oh. There are a couple of terms I see often misused:

"by": ie so and so is by a stallion (not a mare, as I chuckle to see sometimes)

"out of": ie. is out of a mare (not a stallion, as I've also seen)

 

[Michelle@wescofarms]

By and out of are two that I think are confusing and many are not in equine dictionaries/vocubularies.

Cover - stallion breeding a mare

Slip - losing the fetus (not sure if it's better to use at embroynic stage or when the cutoff is?)

Produce of Dam/Get of Sire

Certain Mini bloodlines - I remember my first introduction to minis standing in a field while Buckeroo and Orion (the way its pronounced!!!) being tossed about and totally hadn't a clue! Buck 'e' roo and Orion not like the star!

The tail line or distaff side of a pedigree (the mares side)

This is such a huge subject though. Probably better to ask about words you don't understand as we all have to keep learning together.

 

[Jill]

The show titles have the potential to be confusing.

In AMHR, you have Reserve Champions and Champions for the sex/age group (example, a champion jr. stallion and a champion sr. stallion). Then you have Reserve Grand and Grand Champions for the sex group which is chosen from the reserve and champion of the sex. So the reserve and champion junior stallions and the reserve and champion senior stallions compete for the Reserve Grand and Grand Champion stallion titles. The Grands compete for Supreme.

In AMHA, you do not compete the age groups. You have a Reserve Grand Champion Junior Stallion and a Grand Champion Junior stallion. The Grands of all age groups compete for Supreme.

You've got an extra "layer" of championships in AMHR, but often people will say my stallion was Grand Champion Junior Stallion at an AMHR show, which is not the case.

 

[Maxi'sMinis]

Hey thanks everyone

I thought no one was going to post. Awesome!!!!

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

One thing I always wondered is which comes first, the stallion or the mare? I was always taught to put the mare first... so a pedigree would read "mare x stallion" rather than "stallion x mare". Is one more "correct" than the other?

 

[chandab]

One thing I always wondered is which comes first, the stallion or the mare? I was always taught to put the mare first... so a pedigree would read "mare x stallion" rather than "stallion x mare". Is one more "correct" than the other?

I've always thought it was stallion x mare. I guess partially because when you read a pedigree the stallion line is on top and the mare line is on bottom.

 

[Jill]

Yes, the stallion is listed first. Also, if someone talks about the breeding "on the top side" they mean the sire's side, and "on the bottom side" they mean the dam's side

 

[SandyWI]

I grew up with big horses, and the term "stud" was almost always used when referring to a stallion that had been used at least once for breeding. In the miniature world, they are always called stallions, and not studs. I had to learn that, LOL!

A term I am not sure about it "an own son of" such and such a stallion. If the colt (or filly) is out of a certain stallion, why call it an "own son"? I don't understand that terminology.

 

[djskid]

I have a couple of

too!

At a local show, what does the class BROODMARE mean to you?

--> To me, it is a mare that has foaled, otherwise I would think the class would be called MARES

What are the "different" trots, when driving? Ie. WORKING, PLEASURE, EXTENDED etc....

SOLID COLOUR--> would a dappled horse still fit in this class? What about a roan?

-->I've seen a roan horse win both the solid and multi-coloured classes (not at the same place) and wondered which is the proper class for them?

 

[Jill]

At AMHR shows, the Broodmare class is for wet / nursing mares.

For Multi Color / Solid color classes, I think, if the horse has body white or white on the legs above the knees, it goes in Multi Color. If not, then solid color (including roans).

 

[maestoso]

Multi Color is ONLY for appys, pintos, and pintaloosas.

 

[Candice]

Barbara Naviaux has a wonderful section on this very topic in her book Miniature Horses. Its not only incorrect to use the word "stud" when referring to a stallion, I personally think it sounds unprofessional. I think it may perhaps be a regional thing. People hear it and then use it as they've heard it. I spent too many years with strict, well disciplined riding instructors and proper terminoligy was a huge part of our lessons. Incorrect use of any equine terminology resulted in major embarrassement.

When referring to a horses "conformation", not "confirmation", I have yet to find a horse with a pole. They do however have a poll.

Those are a couple that I see missused quite frequently.

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

In some "old school" groups a mare isn't a mare until she's had a foal... until then she's a filly.

I often refer to my males as studs...

 

[joylee123]

[SIZE=12pt]I was always taught a "Stud" is a place, not a male horse. But a male horse can be offered at stud. [/SIZE]

Foal, baby horse (nursing). Weanling (taken off the mare).

Colt, male baby horse (under 3yrs) Gelding, Stallion

Filly, female baby horse( Under 3 yrs) Mare, Maiden, Dam, Matron

I was also taught "Chestnut" is a red horse of about any hue who's mane and tail are the same shade red as the body. Sorrel is a red horse with a lighter mane and tail than the body. Too funny how everyone learns things differently, and it gets you to thinking

My original instructor was a 90 year old man and his 68 year old son who ran a large Riding Academy in Michigan. Tom and Zelma Outlands. Mr. Outlands trained and sold horses to the Calvary in WW1 and Zelma trained kids for the junior Olympics. Outlands is a place (not there anymore) that I sometimes travel back to in my dreams. Sometimes the dreams are so real I can smell the arena and barns

I guess that 4-5 years were the happiest in my childhood

The grooms would make you recite the different parts of the bridle and would stand and teach you to bridle and saddle correctly. We were also taught the parts of the saddle and the proper names for the parts of the horse. And yes, it's "Conform"ation

Anyhow, I know there's a bunch more but .....

Joy