Thorncroft Therapeutic Horseback Riding, Inc.
|
Above the bit: When a horse raises its head and stretches forward so that its mouth and the bit are above the rider's hand. Acceptance of the Bit (Dressage) : The horse accepts contact and commands from the bit without fighting. Aids (Dressage) : The ongoing non-verbal communication of the rider to the horse using the legs, seat, and reins. May also include use of riding crop and spurs. Airs/Airs above the ground (Dressage) : Classical high school dressage. Includes pasade/levade and school jumps, courbette and capriole, which are only performed with specially suitable and trained horses. Amateur Owner Show: divisions which are restricted to non-professional adult riders who ride horses owned by themselves or members of their immediate family. American Horse Shows Association (AHSA): The former national equestrian federation of the United States. Now USA Equestrian. Ass: The correct term for the donkey, burrow, or jack stock.
Back at the knee: A conformational fault in which the foreleg is bowed backwards at the knee. Balance (Dressage) : The horse is carrying the rider's and its own weight in the most efficient way. The weight is on the hind legs (the quarters) not on the front legs (the forehand). Bascule: The arc the horse forms with its head neck, and back while clearing an obstacle. Bay: A color of horse. Black mane and tail, black lower legs, and reddish brown over the rest of the body. Bedding: Wood shavings, shredded newspaper, straw, sand or other materials used to line the floor of a stall. Bell boots: Protective boots that cover the hooves. Bend of neck - Neck bend (Dressage): The horse's neck is bent but the body is straight. A common fault when first attempting to shoulder-in. Bit: Metal bar on a bridle that goes in the horses mouth and is used to control the horse while riding. Blaze: A broad white stripe down the face. Bowed hocks: A conformational fault in which the hocks on the hind legs are turned too far outwards. See also "Cow Hocks". Bowed tendon: A permanently swollen tendon. Does not result in lameness but tendon will not be as strong. Box (Dressage): Stall. Breed: A distinct genetic entity. Recognized members of a breed are entered in an official stud book. Brown: A color of horse, with a mixture of black and brown hairs on the body and black points. Bucking: A vice in which the horse kicks out his back legs, both at the same time, usually to unsettle the rider or rid himself of irritating tack. Burro: Spanish for common donkey.
Canter: One of the four natural gaits of a horse. Slower than a gallop, this is a three beat gait. Cavesson: An item used in training a young horse. Similar to a strong leather headcollar in appearance, it has a padded noseband with three swiveling metal rings, to which the lunge or side reins are attached. Chestnut: A color of horse, reddish brown with a similar colored mane and tail, or the bony protrusion on the inside of forearm of each foreleg. Clean round: The completion of a prescribed course of jumps without time faults or jumping faults. When more than one horse has a "clean round," a jump-off occurs. Cob: A small, strong horse descended from draft horses. About 15 hands high. Coggins Test: A blood test used to detect Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA). For more information: Equine Infectious Anemia Colt: A young stallion aged 3 years or younger. Combination: Two or three obstacles to be jumped in quick succession, separated by one or two strides. A combination is considered to be a single obstacle. Combined Training: Also called "Three Day Eventing", an English style of riding competition which includes dressage, stadium jumping and a cross-country course. Conformation: The build of a horse, the way he is put together. A horse with good conformation will look proportional. Each breed has its own conformation, for example a Thouroughbred is dishfaced, and an Oldenburg is heavily muscled. Congenital: Any condition acquired during development in the uterus and not through heredity. Coronet: Surface of the hoof. Cow hocks: A conformational fault in which the hocks on the hind legs are turned inward towards each other. Cribbing: A vice in which the horse grabs onto a horizontal object, stretches his esophagus and sucks wind. This behavior is learned and can range from occasional to obsessive. Crop: A stick, sometimes with a leather loop at the end, used by hunter/jumper riders. Cross-firing (Dressage): Cantering on opposing leads in the front and rear legs. Results in and/or is the result of loss of balance in the canter. Cryptorchid: A stallion with one or both testicles retained in the abdomen. For more information: Cryptorchidism in the Horse Curb: Thickening of the ligament on the back of the hind leg. May or may not result in lameness. Curb bit: A single-bar mouthpiece that is attached at each end to upright bars (as compared to rings on a snaffle bit). These bits give more control but are not as gentle on a horse's mouth as a snaffle bit. They are usually used in Polo and Western riding disciplines. Curry comb: A plastic or rubber comb with several rows of short flexible bristles. Used for removing loose hair and dirt.
Dam: The mother of a horse. Dock: The area at the top of the tail. Docked: A tail in which part of the dock (the solid/bone portion of the tail) has been removed. Generally seen in draft horses which are shown or worked. For more information on tail docking. Donkey: English word meaning "a little dun animal". Dorsal stripe: A dark stripe along a horse's back. Common on early horses and seen today on some buck skin or other dark skinned horses. See horse colors. Dressage: French word that means training. A discipline of riding that is sometimes referred to as ballet on horseback. The best example during our Regency period would have been the Austrian Lippizaner horses. Involves subtle control and compulsory movements. The Grand Prix level is the Olympic level and is the highest level of dressage a horse and rider can achieve. Dun: A color of horse. Light to medium sand colored with dark skin. Usually has dark points (mane, tail and lower legs.)
EIA (Equine Infectious Anemia): Also known as 'swamp fever', EIA is a viral disease transmitted by horsesflies. There is no cure or vaccine. EIA is diagnosed with a Coggins Test. For more information: Equine Infectious Anemia English: A style of riding that includes many sports such as dressage, racing, jumping, combined training, saddle seat, trail, pleasure and more. Characterized by a saddle that is smaller and plainer than a Western saddle with no large pommel to test your hands. The rider holds a rein in each hand and steers the horse by gently pulling on the rein on the right rein to turn right, or the left to turn left. Eohippus: (Hyracotherium) Small (14"), earliest prehistoric ancestor of the modern day horse. EPM (Equine Protozoal Myelitis): A neurological disorder caused by a protozoa which invades the spinal cord, causing a variety of symptoms attributed to nerve damage - stumbling, loss of coordination, muscle atrophy, etc. For more information: EPM EPSM (Equine Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy): A muscle wasting condition seen in Draft horses and other breeds. For more information: EPSM Equitation: Classes in which the rider, not the horse, is judged. The rider must demonstrate good seat and hands, and sufficient management of the horse to perform the required tests, either over fences or on the flat, in a smooth, controlled, and accurate manner. Riders are classified according to their age and previous winnings in equitation classes. The grading sequence from easiest to most difficult is: Leadline, Short Stirrup, Maiden, Novice, Limit, Intermediate, and Open.
Far Side: The right side of the horse. Also called the "off side". Farrier: A professional who shoes horses. Farriery: The practice of shoeing horses. Fault Penalty: Assessed in jumper classes for mistakes such as knockdowns, refusals, and exceeding the time allowed. Feathers/Feathering: The long hair that grows from the knee and hocks down, typical of horse with Clyde/Shire breeding. Clydesdales have the thickest and most beautiful feathers. Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI): The international sanctioning body of equestrian sport, whose rules govern any official international competition; including the Olympic Games, the Pan American Games, the World Cup and qualifying events, and the World Equestrian Games (World Championships). Fetlock: The "ankle" joint of each leg. Filly: A young female horse aged 3 years or younger. Flying Lead Change (Dressage) : Change of canter lead without going through the trot. Change must occur in both front and rear, or cross-firing will result. Foal: A young, unweaned horse of either sex, a male or female under a year old. The female is a 'filly foal,' the male a 'colt foal.' In the West, all foals may be called 'colts,' so the female is a 'filly colt' and the male a 'horse colt.' Free walk (Dressage) : Relaxed walk in which the horse is allowed to lengthen and stretch to the bit. Frog: The fleshy triangular underside of the hoof. Full-pass (Dressage): The horse as in half-pass is bent into the direction of movement but does not move forwards at all, it moves sideways only.
Gait ('Paces' in England): The different ways a horse can move. The standard natural gaits are: walk, trot, canter and gallop. There are also bred or trained additional gaits: pacing, ambling, running walk---describe precise and different ways in which a horse moves its legs. A horse can only do one pace at a time! Gait is the repetitive limb coordination pattern used in locomotion. Rack - fastest 4 beat gait performed by the American Saddlebred. Very smooth gait to ride. Gallop: The fastest of the four natural gaits of a horse. This is a four beat gait. Gee: The teamster's term signaling a turn to the right. Gelding: A male horse that has been castrated. Girth: The strap around the horse's belly which secures the saddle to the horses back. Grade Horse: A horse with a mixture of breeds in his ancestry. Gray: A color of horse that ranges from white to dark gray. Includes dapple. All grays have black skin. Green: Used to describe a horse that has had a rider but is in the early stages of training. Can also describe a beginning rider. Grooming: Maintenance of a horse's coat, including clipping, brushing, washing, trimming mane and tail, and any preparation of the coat for showing such as braiding mane and tail.
Hackamore: A bitless bridle used as reins. Pressure on the nose and jaw are used to control the horse. Half-pass (Dressage) : Lateral movement in which the horse is bent in the direction of the motion. The horse moves equally forwards and sideways. In walk, trot or canter. Halter: A harness of leather or rope that fits over a horse's head. This is much like a bridle without the bit or reins. It is used for leading a horse. Hand: A hand is 4 inches. Height is measured at the withers, the highest point on a horse's back just before his mane starts. Hand Gallop: Brisk Canter. Haw: The teamster's term signaling a turn to the left. Height: Horses are measured from the ground to the top of the withers in 'hands.' One hand is four inches. The average horse is 15 to 16 hands. 17 hands is very tall and only unusual specimens reach 18 hands. Some horses, especially in the West, are smaller. Ponies are usually less than 14 hands, two inches, though the words 'horse' and 'pony' can be used in variable ways in different contexts. Heterozygous: Having dissimilar Alleles for a specific trait. For more information: Coat Color Genetics Hinny: The hybrid animal produced when a female ass (jennet) is crossed to an older smaller stallion. Hock: The "knee" of the hind legs. Homozygous: Having identical Alleles for a specific trait. For more information: Coat Color Genetics Hoof pick: A metal or strong plastic tool with a pointed end for picking debris out of the underside of hooves. Horn: The surface of the hoof. Horns can be pale, dark or mixed, and all colors are similar in hardness. Hunter: Horses, usually Thoroughbreds or part Thoroughbreds, that are judged on the style in which they negotiate obstacles as well as on their ability to do so. (Jumpers are only judged on ability.) Both "working" and "conformation" hunters are judged on their ability and performance. However, the conformation hunter is also judged on its physical attributes and beauty. HYPP (Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis): A genetic muscular disorder causing muscle weakness and tremors, sweating and difficulty in breathing. Can be traced back to the Quarter Horse stallion, "Impressive".
Impulsion (Dressage) : Horse's desire to move forward, including elasticity of steps and roundness. Inbreeding: Breeding together two animals who are closely related to one another. Compare to Linebreeding and Outcrossing. For more information: Inbreeding vs. Linebreeding.
Jack: Male of the ass species. JEB (Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa): A genetic mutation that is carried in Belgian breeding that results in the defective production of a skin protein that holds the skin to the body. For more information: JEB Jennet: Female of the ass species. Jog: A slow trot, mostly in Western disciplines. Jumper: A horse judged solely on ability to jump obstacles. Beauty, manner and style are not considered in judging, rather, jumper classes are purely athletic tests of speed and strength. Jumping order: The start order or "order of go." The order is usually created by draw so that each competitor has an equal chance of attaining a favorable position. Riders near the end of the starting order have the advantage of seeing how the earlier riders complete the course. Jump-off: Competitors tied for first place after the first round of a jumper class "jump off" in a timed round on a shortened course. The winner has the fewest faults and the fastest time. Junior: Rider under the age of 18.
Knockdown: When a horse or rider, by contact, lowers any element which establishes the height of an obstacle. If the horse dislodges an element of a jump but does not lower the height of the jump, no jumping faults are incurred.
Lame: A condition in which a horse does not carry weight equally on all four legs, due to disease or injury. Laminitis: Inflammation of the laminae (the inside lining of the hoof). Lateral movement (Dressage) : Any movement which involves motion in a sideways direction. Lead change : The "lead" is the foreleg of the horse that is farthest in front during a canter. A good rider can signal the horse to change his lead. Lead Team/Leaders: The head team in a four, six or eight horse hitch. Length-bend (Dressage): The horse is uniformly bent round your inside leg. The inside surface area of the horse is the same shape as the circumference of the corner or circle. Lethal White Syndrome: A genetic disorder that afflicts foals of primarily overo lineage. Foals are born all or mostly white, and the syndrome is always fatal. For more information: Lethal White Syndrome Linebreeding: Breeding together two animals that are related to a lesser degree than Inbreeding, in an attempt to capture desirable characteristics. Compare to Inbreeding and Outcrossing. For more information: Inbreeding vs. Linebreeding. Liverpool: An obstacle containing a water element. Lope: A slow canter, used mostly in Western disciplines.
Maiden: A mare that has never been bred. Manège (Dressage) : An area for training horses. A dressage arena. Normally a rectangle or oblong area usually measuring either twenty metres by forty metres, or twenty metres by sixty metres. Mare: An adult female horse or pony over age four. Martingale: A leather strap that goes from the girth to the bridle underneath the chin which prevents a horse from throwing his head up. Medium walk (Dressage) : Normal walk in which the horse is kept on the bit and in a correct frame for his current level of training. Mucking a stall: Cleaning out the manure and soiled bedding in a stall. Mule: The hybrid animal produced when a male ass (Jack) is crossed with a female horse (mare). A Saddle Mule is bred from mares of riding horse breeding. A Pack or Work Mule is bred from mares with some draft blood. A Draft Mule is the largest mule, bred from draft mares such as Belgian, Percheron, Clydesdale, and Shire.
Navicular disease: A disease of the navicular bone (a small bone at the end of the leg) which leads to lameness. Caused by improper shoeing and excess stress on the hooves. Near Side: The left side of a horse. Neck Rein : A method of guiding the horse by placing the rein against its neck, moving the horse in the opposite direction. Both reins are held in one hand.
Off course: A deviation from the course as outlined on the posted diagram. Off Side: The right side of a horse. Also called the "far side". On the bit (Dressage): When the horse has a rounded back, has accepted the rider's weight, has engaged hindquarters, has accepted the contact in the mouth and has an arched neck. The horse's face is essentially vertical. On the forehand (Dressage): The horse is carrying itself and the rider with its balance and weight over the two front legs. Open Advanced: Divisions in which competitors are not restricted by previous winnings. Optimal time The time in which any phase of the endurance test of a three-day event must be completed. Finishing under the optimal time is not rewarded, but exceeding the time results in penalties. Open Bridle: Bridle without blinds or blinkers covering the eyes. Outcrossing: Breeding two animals together that have no common ancestry. Compare to Inbreeding and Linebreeding. For more information: Inbreeding vs. Linebreeding. Over at the knee: A conformational fault in which the foreleg is bowed forward at the knee. Overo: The pinto coat pattern having uneven/irregular splashes of white. For more info: Coat Patterns. Oxer: A single fence composed of two or three parts to produce a spread, or width, effect. A "square" oxer is equal in height in both the front element of the spread and the back.
Palomino: A gold colored horse with blond or white mane and tail. Passage (Dressage) : A movement in trot with an extended moment of suspension. The horse's quarters carry more weight and propel him forward. Pastern: The area between the hoof and fetlock joint on all four legs. Pelham bit: A bit that include a chain that goes under the chin. Two sets of reins are used with this bit. Piaffe (Dressage) : A movement in trot (alternate diagonals). A proud and rhythmic movement performed nearly on the spot. Piebald: A pinto horse or pony that is specifically black and white. Pigeon-toed: A conformational fault in which the hooves are turned in towards each other. Pinto: The body coat pattern of a horse or pony having a dark background with random patches of white. The background can be any of the standard equine colors: black, bay, sorrel, palomino, etc. The white patches vary in shape and size and can be located almost anywhere on the body. Also called a paint. Points: The areas from the knees and hocks down, the mane and the tail. Typically used when referring to the black "points" on a bay or buckskin colored horse. Sometimes includes the nuzzle. Point Team: The team in back of the lead team in an eight horse hitch. Pony: A full grown horse that is 14.2 hands or under. Pommel : The foremost section of a saddle that fits over the withers. In a Western saddle, this is the "horn" which the rider can rest his hands on. Posting: A way of riding the trot in which the rider sits and rises in rhythm to the horse's trot strides. Preliminary: A jumper at the first level of development, who has won less than $3,000.00. Produce/Progeny: The offspring or descendants of one or both parents.
Rack: A single-footed, extremely rapid and smooth four-beat gait unique to the American Saddlebred and the National Show Horse. Rails: The horizontal wooden poles used to create an obstacle. Ratcatcher: The riding shirt worn under the hunt coat or jacket. Rearing: A vice in which the horse stands on his hind legs with both forelegs in the air, usually to unsettle a rider or rid himself of irritating tack. Refusal: When a horse stops before an obstacle or runs out to the side ("run-out") to avoid negotiating the obstacle. Refusals are considered the fault of the rider and incurs faults. Registry: The breeding organization in which a horse has registration papers. Rein - Feel the rein (Dressage): To take a contact that is soft and giving. Rein - Pull the rein (Dressage): To take the rein backwards towards the rider's body. In classical dressage this must never be used. Rein - Soft rein (Dressage): To take a contact that is soft and with feel. Rein - Take the rein (Dressage): To momentarily close the figures on the rein to 'block' or to 'not give' or 'not to be light'. Rein - To ask with the rein (Dressage): Give and take the rein to create bend or flexion. Never a pull, always an invitation. If you horse is being disobedient or hard in the mouth, a persistent invitation. Rein back (Dressage): The horse moving backwards on the riders command. Reining: A Western style of riding demonstrating tremendous agility in turning, stopping, lead changing and more. Relative Straightness (Dressage): In dressage terms this means a horse is going straight when the inside hind leg follows the track of the inside foreleg. Renvers (Dressage): Work on three tracks. The horse's quarters are to the track with the forehand away from the Roach: A shaved mane. Usually found on the Three-Gaited American Saddlebred and Western horses. Roan: A color of horse that has white hairs mixed with black (blue roan), bay (red roan),or chestnut (strawberry roan). Round: Or "go" or "trip". A rider's turn in each class or event, usually in a jumping class. Roundness (Dressage) : The way in which the horse travels with his back "lifted" into the saddle rather than hollow.
School movements (Dressage): A series of known and predefined exercises in the manège. Schooling: Practicing or warmup session of a horse before a jumping competition. Scope: Colloquial; refers to horse's athletic ability, usually in terms of jumping. A "scopey" horse has much jumping ability. Scotch Collar: The decorative housing over the collar of a draft horse show harness. Scratches (Pastern Dermatitis): A chronic skin condition found in the pastern area. For more information: Pastern Dermatitis in Horses Self carriage (Dressage): When the horse is able to carry itself in balance through the various school movements without any support from the rein. Shoulder-in (Dressage): Work on three tracks. The horse's forehand is brought in off the track so that the outside hind leg creates one track, the outside foreleg and inside hind leg (diagonal pair) create the second track and the inside foreleg creates the third track. Sire: The father of a horse. Skewbald: A pinto horse or pony that is any color other than black and white. Such as sorrel and white, bay and white, etc. Slow Gait: A single-footed gait performed by the American Saddlebred and the National Show Horse. Similar to the rack, it is performed at a much slower speed with great collection. Snaffle bit: A simple bit, consisting of one bar or two bars linked in the middle. Rings at each end attach to the reins. Usually used in English riding styles. Snip: A white marking between the nostrils. Sock: White extending up to the fetlock. Spavin: A bone enlargement of the hock resulting in lameness in one or two hind legs. Splay-footed: A conformational fault in which the hooves are turned away from each other. Sport Horse: A large, muscular horse bred especially for show competition of jumping, eventing, or dressage based on the performance records in the lineage of sire and dam. Breeds include Dutch Warmblood, Hanoverian, and Selle Francais. Spread fence: Or "oxer". A jump with width. A horse must jump out as well as up to clear the fence. Stallion: A male horse that has not been gelded(castrated). Also called 'entire' and in the West, a 'stud' horse. Standard: The upright section that holds the rail is called a "standard." Star: Any white marking above or between the eyes. Stocking: White extending up to the cannon. Straightness (Dressage): This is when the spine is parallel to the straight line or long side of the mènage. Stride: The amount of ground the horse covers in one "step". Stripe: A narrow white stripe down the face. Stud: A stallion that is kept for breeding purposes. Submission (Dressage) : The horse's attention and confidence, harmony with rider, lightness of movements, and acceptance of the bit. Swing Team: The middle-team in a six horse hitch, or the team in front of the wheel team in an eight horse hitch.
Tack: The equipment worn by the horse including saddle and bridle. Tandem: Referring to a team of horses hitched with one horse directly in front of the other. Tempi changes (Dressage): More than one flying change put together to form a movement (e.g. four time tempi changes is a change of leg every fourth canter stride). Thoroughbred: These days 'Thoroughbred' is a distinct breed of horse, (first studbook published: 1791), said to be descended from 3 Arab stallions brought to Britain in the 17th century. Thoroughbreds average 16 hands. Most racehorses are thoroughbreds. Thoroughbreds make excellent hunter/jumpers. Time limit: Twice the optimal time, in the endurance phase of a three-day event of horse trials. Exceeding the time limit results in mandatory elimination. Tobiano: The pinto coat pattern having smooth/regular patches of white. For more info see Coat Patterns. Tovero: The pinto coat pattern which is a combination of the tobiano and overo patterns. For more info see Coat Patterns. Travers (Dressage): Work on three tracks. The horse's quarters are brought into the school so that the outside foreleg creates one track. The inside foreleg and the outside hind leg create the second track (a diagonal pair) and the inside hind leg creates the third track. Trot: One of the four gaits of a horse. One foreleg and the opposite hindleg are on the ground as the other foreleg and opposite hindleg are moving forward. This is faster than a walk but slower than a canter or gallop. Twitch: A metal clasper applied to the top lip that is used to temporarily restrain a horse, usually for medical treatment.
Unicorn: Referring to a three horse hitch with two horses hitched as a pair (side by side) and a third horse hitched in front of the pair. U.S. Equestrian Team: Organization that fields teams to represent the United States in international competition in show jumping, eventing, dressage, driving and endurance on behalf of the American Horse Show Association (ASHA) for the United States for all major international competitions, such as the World Equestrian Games (world championships) and the Olympic Games.
Vaulting: Gymnastics on a moving horse. Vertical: A fence with no spread, requiring the horse to make a steep arc in its effort to clear the obstacle. Vetting a horse: Paying a vet to examine a horse to provide a report on his health and soundness. A horse is said to have "vetted" if the vet returns a report of good health. Volte (Dressage) : A small circle - six metres in diameter. Voluntary withdrawal: Decision by the rider not to continue on a course and to exit the ring or course, usually indicated by pulling up and tipping the hat to the judge.
Wall: A type of jump that simulates an actual brick or stone wall. Walleye: An eye that has no pigment or a blue tint. Vision is not affected by the color of the iris. Warmblood: A horse type, often also referred to as sport horses. The are the result from crossing heavier draft-horse (cold bloods) breeds with lighter Thoroughbred or Arabian "hot-bloods". They became an entire class of horse as well as breeds, such as the Swedish Warmblood. All coach horses are warmbloods, draft horses are too slow, and even for a curricle, an Arabian or Thoroughbred is too light. Water Jump: In three day eventing, an obstacle that includes a large pool, about 18" deep, into which the horse jumps and gallops out of, usually after landing from an initial jump. In show jumping, an obstacle, usually a shallow water-filled ditch approximately 10-14 feet in length, over which the horse jumps. Weanling: A weaned foal. Western: A style of riding that includes many sports such as reining, roping, pleasure, trail and cutting. Characterized by the cowboy style saddle with a large pommel. The rider holds both reins with one hand, and steers the horse moving both reins towards the direction of the turn. Wheel Team/Wheelers: The team on the pole or tongue, hitched directly in front of the rig or wagon in a four or more horse hitch. Withers: The slight ridge in a horse's back just before the mane starts. This is where height is measured on a horse. WNV (West Nile Virus): A virus spread by mosquitoes that causes encephalitis. It can be transmitted to birds, animals, and people. For more information: USDA - West Nile Virus Work in hand (Dressage): The horse is trained or exercised from the ground. The rider is not in the saddle. The trainer is normally close enough to reach with ease any part of the horse with the long/dressage whip.
Yearling: In the year after the birth year. Incidentally, a yearling is too young to ride! Most saddle horses aren't worked hard until they're at least four years old, though breaking and training may start earlier.
|
