when
one part of the body moves toward another (such as a horse's legs)
Adulticide: medication used to kill adult worms
Advanced Horse: a horse that is well trained
Afterbirth: placenta,
surrounds the foal in the uterus and transfers nutrients between mare and
foal. Also removes waste
Age: the age of
the horse, computed from January first on the year the horse was born
A Good Length Of Rein:
a neck that is nicely in proportion to the body, and not too short; also
well set on a good shoulder
Aged: a horse that is
fifteen years or older (or nine, depending on who you ask. There are
different definitions of this word.)
Agent: A person authorized to act on the behalf of
a jockey or owner. Generally refers to a jockey's agent who lines up rides
for him or her
Aging: estimating
the age of a horse by its teeth
A.I.: Artificial
Insemination. the mechanical introduction of semen into the mare's
reproductive system.
Aid: a signal given to the
horse by the rider such as aids for the canter, asking the horse to canter
Airs:
Movements, usually used in formal dressage
Airs Above The
Ground: exercises of the High School of classical equitation which
result in either both forelegs, or forelegs and hind legs, leaving the
ground
Akhal-Teke: an ancient breed
of horse originating in the Turkmenistan area, north of Iran and east of the
Caspian Sea
Albino: the term
used to indicate lack of pigment. True albino horses have pink skin, white
hair coat and pink eyes
Alfalfa: A leguminous plant used mostly for
hay, usually high in protein and calcium
Allele:
the alternative form of a given gene. For each gene there are two alleles, one
on each chromosome of a chromosome pair. One allele is inherited from the
mother, the other from the father
All Out: a
horse who is trying to the best of his ability
Allowance Race: a
race where weights and eligibility to enter are determined by conditions set
by the racing secretary
Alpha Horse:
the dominant horse in the
herd that has first access to anything which is
scarce in the environment, and can threaten any other horse in the herd
Also-Eligible: a horse entered in the race but who
cannot start unless another horse is scratched
Also-Ran: a horse who finishes out of the money
Alter: sometimes used to refer to gelding a
stallion
Amatuer:
rider over eighteen that does not get paid for riding.
Amateur-Owner: class open to horses whose owner or
member of owner's immediate family is the rider
Amble: A smooth, fast lateral gait; a less
vigorous version of the pace. Both hind leg and foreleg on one side move
forward at the same time, then both legs on the other side, and so on.
Amino Acid: the main component of protein that the
horse breaks proteins down to for absorption
Amnion: the placental membrane immediately
surrounding the foal
Anal Sphincter:
the circular
band or ring of muscle that controls the release of feces from the anus
Andalusian:
an elegant
breed of horse originating in the Iberian Peninsula,known
in Portugal as the Lusitano
Anestrus:
when a mare is not in heat or cycle
Anhidrosis: the inability to sweat. First
reported in Thoroughbred racehorses who were taken from temperate to
tropical climates, but occurs in any breed of horse. This can be deadly, as
the horse cannot regulat its body temperature and can result in overheating
Animule: a old, crippled horse. British origins,
used by the Mountain People of Central Pennsylvania
Ankyloblepharon: the failure of one or both eyelids of the newborn to open
at the appropriate time
Anorexia: a
lack of appetite, usually caused by a disease. The horse will refuse to eat or
will eat little, loose weight rapidly, act dull and lifeless, and will have an
unhealthy physical appearance. If not treated, the horse will die
Anthelmintics: the
name given
to the various deworming medications used to control equine internal parasites
Antigen:
substance, often in protein form, that the body's immune system will react to
by producing antibodies
Antiseptic:
a chemical that inhibits the growth of microorganisms without killing them
Antitoxin: a
substance that acts against specific toxins. it produced by the body and
carried in the bloodstream
Anvil: a
farrier's tool: heavy iron or steel base for shaping horse shoes
Aorta: a
large artery in horses and all mammals that carries blood to arteries of the
limbs and organs except lungs
Appaloosa:
an American light horse breed that was bred by northwest Indian tribes near
the Palouse valley. It is known for its spotted coat, wispy mane and tail,
striped hooves, and white sclera (area around eye). It is very common and is
very versatile, used from everything from dressage to rodeo
Appendix:
a horse
that is registered in the Appendix of the American
Quarter Horse Registry. Quarter Horse/Thoroughbred cross
Appointments:
tack, equipment, and attire
Apprentice: a rider who has not ridden a specified
amount of winners within a specific time period. These riders get weight
allowances on all their mounts based on the number of winners they have. 10
pounds until the fifth winner, 7 pounds until the 35th winner and five
pounds for one calendar year after the date of the 5th winner
Appuyer: old French word describing a movement
where horse goes forward and to one side. In America it is known as
'two-tracking' or travelling on two paths
Appy: abbreviation for 'Appaloosa'
Apron: a garmet made of leather or ballistic nylon
worn by farriers to protect their legs from hot shoes or horseshoe nails
Araappaloosa: cross between an Arabian horse and
an Appaloosa horse
Arab: abbreviation for 'Arabian'
Arabian:
an
ancient and graceful breed of horse, originating in the deserts of the
Middle East and having a strong influence on many other breeds, including the
Thoroughbred
Arena: a
large indoor or outdoor riding area usually fenced, and with soft footing
Arm and Hammer:
A brand of forged farrier's anvils produced between 1900 to 1950
Armlets:
numbered armband worn by a racehorse's groom or person leading a racehorse
Artificial Aids: object by which the rider gets the horse to respond, such
a with spurs or a whip
Artificial
Insemination: the act of impregnating a mare without bringing her in
contact with a stallion. Semen is collected from a stud, then shipped to the
mare owner, and the mare is impregnated by a vet with the semen received from
the stud
Artificial Vagina:
a
mechanical device with a
rubber liner used to collect semen from the stallion
Arthritis: inflammation of the joints
Ascarids: roundworms
Ascaris (plural ascarids): large white intestinal
parasite; in the horse the common ascaris is Paracaris equorum
Aspirate:
to pull back slightly on the plunger to draw back fluids into the plunger to
check whether the needle has entered the blood vessel
Astride: when a rider sits on a horse with one leg
on either side of the horse
At Grass: a horse that has been turned out in a
pasture or field
Atlas: the first vertabrae in the horse's neck
Atrophy: a deterioration of body tissue
Attire:
the rider's clothes
Aural Flat Warts: skin warts that
are found on the ears of horses greater than a year of age; caused by a
papillomavirus
Avascular Necrosis:
a bone disease seen in young, sometimes
overworked, horses where the bones die and deteriorate from lack of blood.
This disease also goes by other names: aseptic necrosis, osteochrondritis,
and ischemic bone necrosis
Average: rodeo term. The scores in all the 'go rounds' (person's turn
in an event) plus the score of the 'short go' (championship round).
Aversion
Conditioning:
when a horse learns
avoidance of unpleasant situations, such as an encounter with an electric fence
Axis (axial):
farrier's term. The central line of a body part, on or close to the line
where the structure would rotate. The center pivitol point
Azoturia: a condition in which the horse experiences prolonged muscle
contractions during exercise. Exercise-induced myositis. Also known as
tying-up and Monday Morning sickness, because the condition often appears in
fit horses following a period of rest
Azteca Horse: the Azteca Horse is a
relatively new breed of horse, developed in Mexico
by crossing Andalusians, Criollos and Quarter Horses
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