Horse Glossary

Bloodstock: Thoroughbred horses used for racing.
Brood mare: Mare kept for breeding.
Bronc (bronco): Wild or half tamed horse used for bucking in rodeos.
Brumby: General term for wild or feral horse.
Bucking horse: Horse guaranteed to buck when ridden in rodeos.
Collar shy: Horse that does not like a collar put over its head.
Colt: Young entire male usually less than three years old.
Draught: Horse breed or type used for pulling loads.
Endurance horse: Horse kept for long-distance travel.
Eventing horse: Horse kept for the sport of eventing (dressage, cross country and show jumping).
Filly: Female usually less than three years old.
Feral horse: Horse that has gone back to the wild from domestication.
Foal: Juvenile of either sex up to weaning (4-6 months old)
Gelding: Castrated male of any age.
Hack: General-purpose horse. Used to be a horse for hire
Hand: Height measurement of a where one hand is four inches or 100mm.
Hands high (hh): Height measurement of a horse, taken as height at the withers.
Harness: Equipment worn by a horse for control or to pull loads.
Hinny: Offspring from a Jenny (ass) mare and a horse stallion.
Horse: Mature entire male. Used as a general description for the species.
Hunter: Horse used for hunting with hounds. Strongly built, 16hh. Often thoroughbred x heavy horse (e.g. Clydesdale).
Mare: Mature female of any age.
Mule: Offspring from a mare mated to a donkey (ass) sire.
Pacer: Competitive horse which races with a pacing gait.
Pack horse: Horse kept to carry loads.
Polo pony: Horse, usually a small thoroughbred used in polo games.
Pony: Horse of any sex at 14.2hh (147.5cm) or under.
Saddle bronc: Horse kept for rodeo which is ridden with a saddle.
Saddle horse: Horse kept for riding.
Sport horse: Horse bred for horse sports, eg eventing.
Stallion: Mature entire male kept for breeding.
Teaser: Pony stallion kept for checking if mares are on heat.
Thoroughbred: Strain of horse bred specially for racing.
Trekking horse: Horse kept for long distance travel.
Trotter: Competitive horse which races with a trotting gait.
Windsucker: Horse that chews on wood and sucks in air at the same time