Horses Dictionary

farrier: A person specially trained to care for and treat horses' hooves.

filly: A 4-year-old or younger female horse.

flehmen response: The curling of the upper lip.

foal: Any male or female horse that is less than 12 months of age.

feathers: Flowing hair on the fetlocks of a horse.

fetlock: Portion of a horse's lower leg that lies above the pastern.

forehand: A section of the horse's anatomy going forward from the heart girth.

forelock: The growth of hair that lies on the forehead and between the ears.

frog: A shock-absorbing pad on a horse's hoof.

hackamore: A bit-less bridle.

gaited horse: Breeds, such as the Tennessee Walking Horse, that have a highly distinctive gait.

gall: A swollen spot or a sore.

gallop: A full-speed gait.

gelding: A castrated male horse.

hackamore: A bridle without a bit.

hand: Equal to four inches, this unit of measurement is taken at the highest part of the withers on a horse.

headstall: Also known as a bridle.

heart girth: A measurement of a horse just behind its front legs around the barrel.

herd-bound: A negative behavior in which the horse wants to bolt for the stables or join other horses. Also called "barn sour."

hunter: any breed of horse that is trained to hunt.

inside: In a show room or any enclosed space, such as a pen, the side of the horse that faces the center.