[Points of the horse][Common terms][Identification of horses][Colours][Colours specific to breeds][White markings][Head markings][Leg markings][Non-white markings][Brands][Blood typing][Photos, tattoos]
One of the easiest ways to make a fool of yourself when talking horses is to use the wrong terminology. As with most other specialist areas of interest or occupation, the horse industry has its own unique jargon. For instance, one of the worst clangers you can make is to refer to the “servicing” of mares. You might get your car serviced but you get your mare served.
Language differences between countries also cause complications. Australia’s horse ethos was largely inherited from the Old Country (Britain), but of later years, and particularly since mass infiltration by American TV programs and the advent of the Internet, it is becoming more and more Americanised. A universal language and jargon would be no bad thing, but that time has not arrived as yet. So for now we have to cope with, e.g., horse box (English), trailer (American) and float all meaning a vehicle for the transport of horses.
Then there are differences between the various branches of the horse industry itself. A breastplate becomes a chest strap if you are talking racing. A roping collar in Western events serves virtually the same purpose. A running martingale becomes “rings” in racing terminology, and so on.
The first horse-speak to come to grips with is that used to describe the points of the horse. Luckily, apart from minor differences, these terms are fairly universal. But first of all, it is necessary to define near and off side. Most photos of horses are taken from the near or left side. The other side is called the off or right. An easy way to remember the difference is that in Australia the near side is the same as the passenger side of a car. It stays the same, irrespective of which way the horse or car is facing. The near side is the one from which you usually mount and, in fact, do most things with horses, at least once they are fully educated.
5. Back.
This is where the saddle sits. Short backs are stronger.
18. Barrel (chest, rib cage, ribs). This area encloses the heart and lungs
and a big barrel probably does mean a slightly larger heart and lung capacity in
relation to size, but this is of no benefit to a performance horse unless all
else is equal, including soundness of limbs. A good girth means a horse is well
rounded and deep through the barrel, so will take a large girth.
20. Cannon. There is no muscle in this part of the leg. It is taken up by the
cannon bone and various strong tendons, also two smaller bones on either side of
the cannon and closely attached to it called the splint bones, thought to be
remnants of the second and fourth toes.
28a. Centre of gravity. This is an imaginary perpendicular line from the top
of the withers to the ground. The theory is that if a horse could somehow be
suspended over this point, the weight would be evenly balanced front and back.
The most efficient way to carry weight is to have it over the centre of gravity,
which is why the forward seat is adopted in race riding and jumping where the
rider or jockey is virtually perched over the horse’s withers.
30. Cheek (jowl). The cheek reflects the flat slab of the lower jaw bone
beneath. Just up and underneath the angle of the jaw against the inner surface
is where you feel a horse’s pulse.
26. Chest (breast). A well-muscled area below the neck and above the front
legs which is a good site for intramuscular injections.
34. Chestnut. Horses may have one or more of these flattish horny areas,
usually confined to the inside of the foreleg above the knee or on the inner
surface of the hock. They are thought to be remnants of the first toe and
definitely not where the legs of the foal were joined together before birth. The
pattern on the surface of chestnuts is unique to each horse and impressions can
be made of them using fingerprint technology. However, they are easily altered
surgically, so are no longer recommended for identification purposes.
15. Coronet (coronary band). A slightly raised band around the top of the
hoof wall which is the equivalent of the nail cuticle in other animals and
produces the horny material of the hoof.
3. Crest. The top curve of the neck, which may be quite thick in stallions.
7. Croup. This is the topline of the hindquarter. Length in the croup is
desirable. Unless the horse is very fat, a slight rise should be noticeable
between the coupling and the croup, which is called the point of croup.
9. Dock. The fleshy part of the tail, from which the tail hair grows.
19. Elbow. The very back part of this joint is a bony point called the point
of elbow.
14. Ergot. A horny lump at the back of the fetlock from which the feather
grows. The feather is a collection of longer hairs which are barely noticeable
in some breeds but abundant in others. It should not be shaved off because it
keeps water away from the back of the heels.
32. Face. The face is the whole area of the front of the head from the
forelock down between the eyes to the muzzle. The part above the eyes is the
forehead, while that below the eyes can be called the nose and it may be
straight, dished (the “jibbah” of Arabians) or bowed out (roman-nosed).
23. Fetlock. Wholly above the pastern, this joint is equivalent to the human
knuckle. At the back of the fetlock joint are the small sesamoid bones, which
are prone to fracture in racehorses, in fact any horse working at speed.
17. Flank. A soft part of the abdomen which has no bony protection
underneath, so is very vulnerable to penetration injury. A serious stake wound
in this area can result in the release of abdominal contents.
25. Forearm. Like the gaskin, this upper area of the front leg should have a
robust look about it, though in keeping with the horse’s overall type.
33. Forelock. The extension of the mane which falls forward between the ears.
It is long enough in some horses to help keep flies away from the eyes.
11. Gaskin. This part of the leg above the hock should be sturdy and strong.
A thin gaskin makes a horse look very weedy indeed. A good length of gaskin is
also desirable, particularly in jumpers. Hock. This prominent joint is the
equivalent of the human ankle and is made up of several small bones.
22. Hoof (foot). The hoof is covered by a tough horny shell and has a bone
within it called the coffin bone, as well as blood vessels and other sensitive
material. It is equivalent to the last bone of the human middle finger or toe.
29. Jugular groove (jugular furrow). A distinct groove running down the lower
part of the neck on either side. It carries the jugular vein just beneath the
surface, also the windpipe and oesophagus are in the same vicinity. Food or
water may be seen passing down the oesophagus as the horse swallows.
24. Knee (carpus). Actually this joint is the equivalent of the human wrist
which makes calling it a knee seem strange, but that is the terminology. The
knee consists of several small bones and is a site of injury in racehorses due
to overextension.
6. Loins (coupling). An extension of the back and it should also be short.
Too much length in the loins (“weak in the coupling”) is a fault.
2. Mane. Long hair along the top of the neck which ideally hangs down all on
the same side. Many horses have split manes, but a mane can be trained to stay
all on one side or the other.
31. Muzzle. This includes the nostrils, lips and chin. The nostrils are
capable of great dilation, essential in horses because they cannot breath
through the mouth.
21. Pastern. The part of the lower leg wholly above the hoof and wholly below
the fetlock. A pastern of medium length and slope is desirable for the most
efficient stride pattern.
12. Point of hock. This highest and most rearward part of the hock should be
in line with the very back of the quarter (point of buttock).
27. Point of shoulder. The large rounded bump of the point of shoulder can be
felt just beneath the skin. This is usually the first point of impact if the
horse runs into an obstacle.
1. Poll. Bony ridge between the ears. It is the very back part of the skull.
10. Quarter (buttock, thigh). When viewed from the rear, both sides of the
hindquarters together are called the quarters. Buttock can be synonymous with
quarter, or it may just mean the most rearward part of the quarter. Generally,
the thigh is the part immediately above the gaskin. Haunch is another word
sometimes used to describe the whole hindquarter area.
8. Rump. The broad flattish area of the hindquarters on either side of the
croup, which may be quite rounded in some horses, meaning the croup becomes a
furrow.
28. Shoulder. The broad slab-like area of the shoulder reflects the flat
shoulder blade beneath, which is well covered by muscle. It should slope at
about 45 degrees to give maximum anticoncussive effects. A horse with a
correctly sloping shoulder will “girth up well back”, though if too far back, a
tight girth may restrict breathing.
16. Stifle. This largest joint in the horse’s leg is the equivalent of the
human knee and has a smaller bone riding on top of it called the patella (knee
cap).
4. Wither(s). The area above the shoulder blades behind which the saddle
sits. Horses are measured from the top of the wither. A wither slightly higher
than the point of the croup is desirable.
Many pages could be written on horse terminology alone, but the following should be representative of the common jargon in use across the various horse sectors.
Action.
Describes how the legs move. It may be high or extravagant (flexes knees and
hocks excessively), low or daisy cutting (the hooves skim the ground) or
collected (short and controlled strides).
Aged. Over 7 years of age.
Agistment. Paying someone else to board your horse on their property and
in Australia usually refers to paddock or grass agistment.
Aids. Aids to controlling horses. Natural aids are the legs, hands, seat
and voice. Artificial aids include whips and spurs.
Barren mare. A mare that will not breed, usually due to some medical
problem. Also called an infertile mare.
Bedding. The material spread on the floor of stables. It may be sawdust,
shavings, straw, compressed paper or a combination of materials, including
synthetics. Low dust and high absorption are key selection criteria. Rubber
bedding mats are now available which are claimed to be more comfortable for the
horse, dust free, non-allergenic and very easy to clean.
Bleeder. See Bleeding/EIPH under Inherited Unsoundnesses in
The sound horse.
Bleeding. An old treatment whereby a pint or two of blood was taken from
a horse to improve performance. Rarely used nowadays, though there is some
thinking that the practice stimulates the erythropoietic system, but certainly
not because “bad” blood is removed as the old timers will try to tell you.
Blemish. A scar due to a healed injury usually on the legs, though eye
blemishes may occur, the result of healed ulcers. Blemishes cannot be inherited
so it is unfortunate when they are marked down in the showring while poor leg
conformation is often overlooked.
Blinkers (winkers). Eye shields fixed to a bridle to prevent a horse
seeing sideways or backwards. A “set of winkers” can refer to the whole bridle,
particularly the heavy bridle used on draft horses. Blinkers are most commonly
used on horses being driven, but racehorses often wear them too in the form of a
lightweight buckle-on hood that prevents backward vision. Pacifiers are a
gauzed-over version.
Blister. An agent rubbed into the skin to treat certain lamenesses.
Depending on strength, blisters cause mild rubefacience through to severe
blistering and pain. Their aim is to convert a chronic condition into an acute
one thereby stimulating healing, or so the theory goes. Aside from the ethical
issues, their efficacy is doubtful and they have been all but phased out.
Box (loose box). The same as a stable. Stall is also used, but usually
means a more open stable in which horses are cross-tied at race meetings or
equestrian events.
Break-in. The education and training of a horse to accept a rider or be
driven in harness. It is not unusual for thoroughbreds to be broken in at 18
months or even younger, but most horses are left until they are between 2 and 3
years of age. See also
Horse welfare and breaking-in.
Brood mare. A mare used for breeding.
Buck. A violent head down, back arched and heels in the air movement used
by the horse in play or in an effort to get rid of a rider or equipment. Pigroot
and crowhop are milder forms.
Bumpers. Another name for the ergot region, usually of the hind legs in
gallopers. A horse “getting down on the bumpers” is overflexing the fetlocks
allowing the ergot to contact the ground, which results in bruising.
By. If a horse is “by” a certain stallion, it means that stallion is the
horse’s sire.
Cast. Being cast in a stable means that the horse has rolled against the
wall and cannot get up. A cast horse will struggle and kick to get away from the
wall and can be injured in the process. Most horses learn not to get cast after
the first few times.
Castrate (geld, cut). To surgically remove the testicles of the male. It
is extremely cruel to perform this operation without using an anaesthetic.
Colt. An entire (uncastrated) male horse three years of age and under.
Cowkick. Horses usually kick backwards but a few can kick out to the side
like a cow. Some can kick as far forward as their ears and cowkick as well.
Cribbiting (cribbing). A stable vice (stereotypic behaviour) caused by
the stress of confinement combined with lack of grazing activity and adequate
roughage in the diet. It can lead on to the more serious condition of
windsucking. A cribbiter is also called a woodchewer, which sums up what these
horses do. They become obsessed with chewing at any wood they can get their
teeth into in the stable or yard in an effort to replace grazing, which in
nature occupies horses for up to 18 hours a day.
Cut proud (proud cut). Geldings that act like stallions even to the point
of trying to serve mares are referred to as being cut proud. Sometimes they are
actually rigs and a testosterone test can be done to check this if there is no
visible testicle, but in true geldings it may be because part of the epididymus
was left behind when they were gelded. Other cases may be due to the development
of castration cells elsewhere in the body that produce low levels of
testosterone-like substances.
Dam. The mother of a horse.
Dock. The fleshy part of the tail. Some draught horse breeds and others
used to have their tails docked, a practice that is now illegal in Australia.
Dry mare. A brood mare without a foal at foot, meaning she is not
lactating ("dry"), though she may be in foal.
Empty mare. A brood mare not in foal, though she may have a foal at foot.
Entire. Another name for a stallion.
Equine. From the Latin equus for horse and refers to all members of the
horse family.
Equitation. The art of horse riding.
Farrier. A more correct name for a blacksmith or horse shoer.
Filly. A female horse 3 years old and under.
Firing. The application of hot irons under anaesthetic to a site of joint
or tendon injury. For welfare reasons the practice is illegal in many countries
and jurisdictions, including New Zealand and some states of Australia, but there
are still horses around that have been fired. Firing scars are considered
blemishes in the showring, also they are an indication that the horse has had
tendon or joint problems. Pin firing leaves a series of dots over the knee or
fetlock joint, while bar firing scars appear as lines over the tendons at the
back of the cannon.
First of August. The official birthday (in Australia) of most registered
horses, irrespective of their true calendar age.
Float. A vehicle for the transport of horses, which may be built onto a
truck body or towed. It also means a tooth rasp.
Foal. A baby horse, may be a colt foal or filly foal.
Galloway. A height classification, which varies from 14 to 15 hands.
Gait. Describes the pattern of foot fall. The natural gaits that a horse
is born with are the walk, trot (jog), canter (lope) and gallop. Artificial or
acquired gaits have to be taught, often with the assistance of special shoeing
or gear, and include the rack and pace.
Gall. A hardened, hairless area of skin usually in the vicinity of the
girth, though galls can occur anywhere the saddle or girth or other items of
harness are rubbing. Galls are painful initially and begin as reddened abrasions
which may be oozing or bleeding. There is no excuse for having galled horses, it
is always the fault of badly fitting or poorly maintained gear.
Gear. Another name for tack or harness.
Gelding. A castrated horse of any age. Horses can be gelded as young as 4
months but are usually left until into their second year. Some authorities
believe that horses gelded prior to puberty may be more prone to musculoskeletal
problems later in life.
Get. Similar meaning to progeny but refers more to the stallion. The get
of a stallion are the foals or offspring he has sired.
Green. A green horse is one that has been broken in but is new to a
certain discipline and requires patient and sympathetic handling while learning.
Hack. Any horse used for normal riding, formal or informal. A hack event
at a show is a formal competition for ridden horses judged on type, presentation
and performance. To “hack along” means a slow and easy canter.
Hand. The unit of measurement of horses and supposedly the width of a
man’s hand, about four inches or ten centimetres. Horses are measured from the
top of the wither to the ground. If a horse is fifteen and a half hands tall,
this is written as 15.2 hands (2 inches being half a hand). It is incorrect to
write it as 15.5 hands, because between 15 and 16 hands, the only increments
possible are 15.1, 15.2 and 15.3 hands. Although it is not an exact conversion,
an easy rule of thumb to convert hands to centimetres is to add a zero. A 16
hand horse is roughly 160 cms.
Harness. Strictly speaking, any equipment used on horses to ride or drive
them, but usually restricted to driving gear.
Hood. See blinkers.
In work. A horse that is “in work” is in training for competition.
Thoroughbreds “go into work” to condition them for racing some 10-12 weeks
later.
Irons. Colloquial expression for stirrups.
Lead (of legs). When cantering or galloping, the foreleg that strikes the
ground first is called the leading leg. Most horses naturally lead with one leg
in preference to the other, but will change leads as they tire or in response to
aids from the rider. There is also a leading hind limb.
Lunge (longe). To work a horse in a circle on the end of a long rope.
Voice commands are used. Lunging is a convenient way of exercising horses at
times provided it is not prolonged. Continual working in a circle can predispose
to leg problems such as splints, also it can make horses sour.
Maiden. A maiden mare has not previously been to stud. A maiden eventer
has not previously had a win in that event, e.g., a maiden hack. A maiden race
is for horses that have never won a race.
Mare. A female horse four years of age or over.
Mount. To get on a horse is to mount. A stallion mounts a mare to serve
her. The horse itself may be referred to as a mount. Mounts on a saddle are the
girth, surcingle, stirrup leathers and stirrups.
Mouth. To mouth a horse is to accustom it to a bit. Horses have a good
mouth if they respond well to the bit.
Muck out. English term for cleaning out a stable. “Doing” or “cleaning” a
stable are more common expressions in Australia.
On the toe (toey, up on the toe). All of these expressions mean the horse
is eager to work or go faster. Toey horses champ at the bit, take very collected
steps and often prance and dance sideways (sidle) until they are allowed more
rein.
Out of. If a horse is out of a certain mare, that means she is the dam of
the horse.
Points. Any animal will have its good and bad points. Points can also
mean the extremities, usually used in reference to colour - a bay horse has
black points, meaning the mane, tail and legs from the hock and knee down are
black. Points are also the conformational landmarks described under Points of
the horse.
Pony. A pony is essentially a small version of a horse, but many pony
breeds have characteristics of type and temperament that make them subtly
different from horses. Height limits vary, but the general definition is that a
pony is 14 hands and under.
Progeny. The offspring or foals by a certain stallion or out of a certain
mare. Stallions can potentially have many hundreds of progeny, while few mares
would have more than a dozen foals in their lifetime.
Quidding. Dropping a bolus (quid) of partially chewed food from the
mouth, usually an indication of tooth problems.
Rear. Act of standing on the hind legs, which may be in play, rebellion
or an attempt to dislodge equipment or a rider. Habitual high rearers should be
avoided at all costs for they can topple over backwards severely injuring a
rider.
Rig (cryptorchid). A horse with only one visible testicle, the other
being up inside the abdomen or inguinal canal. Rigs cannot be gelded in the
normal way and should not be bred from as the condition is inherited. Rigs that
are partially gelded retain the characteristics and behaviour of stallions but
are infertile, unless the retained testicle has almost descended. Most colt
foals are born with two testicles present, but if not, up to 18 months should be
allowed before declaring the colt a rig.
Rising. If a horse is rising a certain age it means the horse will be
that age next official birthday (1 August in Australia for most breeds). A horse
rising five is a four year old that will be five next August 1.
Saddle marks. White patches of hair usually in the wither region, an
indication of pressure from an ill-fitting saddle.
Sire. The father of a horse.
Shy. Act of taking fright at something and jumping sideways or backwards
very suddenly. Some horses that are habitual shyers may have a vision problem. A
shy breeder is a mare that is difficult to get in foal.
Spell. This means giving a horse a rest, which may be at a spelling farm
in the case of racehorses. A meaningful spell is anything from a fortnight to
three months or even longer if recovering from injury.
Spraying. Inspection and/or prophylactic spraying for cattle ticks is
carried out at the border or a designated tick treatment facility when moving
horses interstate or between different tick zones in the one state in Australia.
Stallion. An entire (uncastrated) male horse four years old and over.
Strike. A defensive lashing out with one or both forelimbs, which can be
quite unexpected and very fast and cause serious injury to someone standing in
front of the horse. Always stand to the side when handling a horse’s head in an
unfamiliar or uncomfortable way, such as when administering a paste wormer. Even
quiet horses can strike very unexpectedly.
Stud. A farm where horses are bred. Also it is a word that can be used
for a breeding stallion.
Tack. A general term for all handling, riding and driving equipment used
on a horse. All tack was once leather, and still is for many formal events, but
synthetics are widely used as well.
Three year old. A horse is a three year old on 1 August of the third year
following its birth.
Two year old. A horse is a two year old on 1 August of the second year
following its birth.
Unbroken. An unbroken horse is one that has not been broken in to saddle
or driving harness, though it may have been handled and taught to lead.
Weanling. A foal removed from its mother. Foals are usually weaned about
six months of age.
Weaving. This is a stable vice (stereotypic behaviour) caused by the
stress of confinement and restriction of grazing. Weavers stand with head over a
stable door and constantly move (weave) from side to side with alternate lifting
of the forelimbs, which can be quite forceful. Horses in nature constantly move
and graze, move and graze for a good part of their day and weaving may be a
displacement activity to replace the constant movement associated with natural
grazing. Some authorities say that the vice satisfies the need to have a
continual side-to-side movement of images across the retina, as occurs when
grazing. Some horses will continue to weave in a yard but usually cease the
activity if turned out in a paddock.
Wet mare. A nursing (lactating) mare, i.e., one with a foal at foot.
Windsucking. Vaginal windsucking is a cause of infertility and is
discussed in the Anatomy and Physiology section of
Horse welfare and breeding. Oral windsucking is a
stable vice (stereotypic behaviour) caused by the stress
of confinement and/or is a displacement activity for grazing. Windsuckers
usually start out as woodchewers then advance to hooking their top teeth over a
ledge or rail, arching their necks and gulping down great mouthfuls of air,
though there is evidence to suggest this air does not reach the stomach, that it
goes no further than the pharynyx and oesophagus. Unfortunately most windsuckers
continue the habit on fence posts or stumps in the paddock. Some even manage it
without gripping anything, though this is rare. It is accompanied by a lot of
grunting so it is not a good idea to have a windsucker in a paddock adjacent to
your bedroom window. Paddock windsuckers are seldom in good condition and a
personal observation is that they are a bit dim-witted, though whether this is
cause or effect is not known. There is a surgical operation for windsucking,
also neck straps are available that help prevent it. Increasing the roughage
component of the diet helps considerably, as it does for other stable vices. It
is best of course to prevent it ever occurring by not stabling horses so
intensively and allowing them to graze or always have access to hay. It is a
condition of some breed auction sales that windsuckers be notified.
Woodchewing. See cribbiting.
Yearling. A horse is a yearling on August 1 following foaling and remains
a yearling until the next August 1.
[Colours][Breed-specific colours][White markings][Head markings][Leg markings][Non-white markings][Brands][Blood typing][Photos, tattoos]
Horses need to be accurately described and identified for registration and insurance purposes, record keeping and as proof of ownership. This is done initially though a description of colours and markings, and brands where present. Other identification methods include tattooing and blood typing. Microchipping is widely used in other animals and could well be the identification method of the future for horses, in fact is already being tried in some parts of the world.
Note: This information was accurate in the year 2001 for official colour descriptions in Australia. Colour nomenclature can change with time and according to the dictates of different registration bodies.
Albino.
True albino horses do not exist. Albino animals of other species have a total
absence of skin and iris pigment, resulting in pink skin, white hair or fur, and
red eyes and have difficulty surviving in nature. The only type of albinism
recognised in horses is pseudo-albinism (cremello and perlino), where some
pigment is retained.
Bay. Can vary from a light reddish brown to quite a dark brown, but the
points are always black.
Black. Black is black. However, most black horses are actually brown.
Also there is a type of black known as fading black which, as the name suggests,
fades to brown in the sun. This may be genetically controlled, because some
black horses never fade in the sun.
Blue dun. See dun.
Brown. A uniform brown though the points may be darker. Brown is also the
correct description for horses that look black but have tan muzzles and flanks.
Brown/black, brown/bay. These are descriptions used mainly when trying to
decide what colour a foal is. This can be difficult in the brown/black/bay range
until the foal has lost its foal coat.
Buckskin. See dun.
Champagne. Champagne is a colour as well as a colour registry. This rare
dilute has been around for a long time but previously it was simply included
with the other dilutes, particularly cremello, because the foals of both have
blue eyes, but the true cremello retains its blue eyes throughout life, while
the eyes of the champagne have changed to amber by the time the horse is twelve
months old. Champagnes also have a wheaten skin and may have skin pigmentation
known as mottling and speckling, and a type of dappling that is particularly
noticeable when wet. They often have a metallic sheen or gleam to the coat. The
Champagne registry recognises four main shades - amber champagne, gold
champagne, lilac champagne and ivory champagne, the result of the champagne gene
acting on bay, chestnut, black and palomino respectively.
Chestnut. A reddish colour that varies from almost yellow to liver.
Points may be the same colour, slightly darker or lighter - very light, in the
case of the chestnut with flaxen mane and tail. Sorrel is used in some breeds,
particularly Quarter Horses, to describe a very clear red chestnut with points
of the same shade or lighter. The mating of two chestnuts always produces a
chestnut foal, though a chestnut can result from the mating of non-chestnut
parents.
Cremello. A very pale cream, almost white horse with blue eyes due to a
double dose of a dilution gene acting on chestnut. Also known as pseudo-albino
but never albino, because true albino horses do not exist.
Dun. The various shades of dun are due to dilution genes acting on the
basic colours. Yellow dun is a diluted bay and is a very ancient colouration in
horses (eg the Przewalski), it varies from very light yellow to a smutty brown
with dark points and a dorsal stripe, usually with a dark face mask, ear frames
and primitive leg barring. Buckskin is similar but without the dorsal stripe,
face mask and leg barring. Blue dun or grulla is a diluted black with dark
points and a dorsal stripe and usually other dun factor markings. Red dun is a
diluted chestnut with a dorsal stripe and points that are clearly darker than
the body colour. The Buckskin colour registry caters for all these dun
variations.
Grey. Greys are never born grey but some other colour, the only possible
exception being if the foal also carries one of the pied genes in extreme form
and is born white for this reason. But normal greys start out as chestnuts,
bays, browns etc and gradually move through the various phases of transitional
grey as more and more white hairs mingle through the coat. A foal born bay may
be blue as a two-year-old, dapple grey at five or six, and finally a pure grey
(white) as an eight- or nine-year-old. Once the horse is over ten, the coat may
again show flecks of a darker colour - the flea-bitten grey. Chestnuts that turn
grey graduate through some wonderful rosy colours. Two greys do not necessarily
produce a grey offspring but a grey must have at least one grey parent. An
indication that a foal is going to turn grey is white hairs in the upper eyelid.
Grulla. See dun.
Medicine hat. This is one of the pied or “pinto” patterns. The ideal
medicine hat is an almost white horse with a hat of colour over the ears and
forehead, or perhaps only a few coloured hairs between the ears. However, any
pied pattern can be referred to as a medicine hat provided there is a distinct
hat of colour in addition to the other pied markings.
Overo. A pied (“pinto”) pattern characterised by white patches on the
belly, sides, neck or flank of the horse extending upwards but not including the
topline. Borders around the white patches are jagged, splashy and indistinct,
the head exhibits plenty of white and usually all four legs are coloured. Some
overos, particularly frame overos, have an up to one-in-four chance of producing
a lethal white foal, i.e., a snow-white foal which is born dead or dies shortly
after birth due to an incomplete digestive tract.
Frame overo. The white patches are mainly on the sides of the horse
including the neck, and are “framed” by the base colour.
Sabino overo. A speckled, roany pattern which can be extreme making the
horse appear pure white, or quite minimal. Most sabinos have white legs which
can extend well above knee and hock (“high white”), and extensive white facial
markings. This gene is probably responsible for the white body patches, high
white leg markings, blue (glass) eyes and the roaning effect known as rabicano
and/or skunk tail occasionally seen in Arabians and their derivatives. It is
common in Clydesdales and to a lesser extent in Shires. The pure white foals
that occasionally crop up in these breeds and others may be due to extreme
expression of the sabino gene.
Splash white overo. This pattern looks literally like it was splashed on
the horse from above, though the white patches have distinct edges like a
tobiano. Almost all splash whites have blue or silver eyes and some are deaf.
It is the opinion of many that selection for excessive expression of any of the
pied genes should be avoided. It is well known in all animals that excessive
depigmentation, including that due to certain of the pied genes, is associated
with genetic disorders.
Palomino. Palomino is a colour as well as a colour registry. It is a
beautiful golden colour due to the action of a dilution gene on chestnut. The
mane and tail are white, silver or ivory. There is only a 50% chance of getting
a palomino foal from the mating of palomino parents, the other possibilities
being a chestnut or cremello foal.
Perlino. Due to a double dilution of bay or brown, perlinos have a dun
body colour with a rusty mane and tail and blue eyes. Also called pseudo-albino.
Piebald. An obsolete term for black horses with white patches
(pied-black). Replaced now by tobiano, overo and related terms.
Pied. A broad description for any horse with patches of white against
some other colour. The word is combined with the horse’s base colour, thus
pied-chestnut is a general term for a chestnut with white patches irrespective
of whether the pattern is tobiano, overo or related. Similarly for pied-bay,
pied-black, pied-brown and so on.
Pinto. If spelt with a small “p”, pinto is a colour pattern which in
America has the same meaning as pied. Pinto with a capital “P” refers to the
colour registry.
Rabicano. See roan.
Red dun. See dun.
Red taffy. See taffy.
Roan. A mixture of white hairs with any other colour, present from birth
and not changing markedly throughout the life of the horse. Roaning can vary
from a few white hairs in the flank region to extensive involvement of the whole
body, though the head and legs usually remain dark. All roans are heterozygous,
the roan gene being lethal in its homozygous state. Rabicano is the type of
roaning occasionally seen in Arabians and their derivatives, but it may be due
to the sabino gene rather than the roaning gene.
Sabino. See overo.
Silver dapple. See Taffy.
Skewbald. An obsolete term for pied horses that are any colour besides
pied-black.
Sorrel. See chestnut.
Taffy. The taffy gene only dilutes black pigment, it has no effect on
chestnut. It acts on a black/brown horse to produce the colour known as silver
dapple, a chocolatey brown varying from light to dark and usually with lighter
dapples. The mane and tail are diluted to a creamy white. On bay, the taffy gene
dilutes only the black points and the resultant colour, sometimes called a red
taffy, retains the bay body colour but the legs will be chocolatey brown and the
mane and tail cream. Chestnuts with flaxen manes and tails can be confused with
red taffies and vice versa.
Tobiano. This is the commonest pied (“pinto”) pattern and can occur with
any basic coat colour, so a horse can be described as a chestnut-, bay-,
black-tobiano and so on. The white patches have distinct, smooth borders and the
legs are usually white and the head coloured except for standard white markings.
The tobiano gene is dominant and there is a test now to determine homozygosity.
A homozygous tobiano will produce all tobiano foals.
Tovero. A combination of tobiano and overo patterns on the one horse.
White. This very rare colour, also known as dominant white, is due to a
gene that supposedly is lethal in its homozygous state. As distinct from greys
and cremellos, foals are born white and have normal coloured eyes. Some
authorities say that dominant white does not exist, that all such horses are
actually extreme sabinos. An understanding of genetics indicates that this could
well be true.
Yellow dun. See dun.
There are some breeds in which certain colours predominate - lippizans (mainly grey), cleveland bays (bay), friesians (black), percherons (mainly grey), haflinger (chestnut), to name a few. Then there are the colour registries which are not really breeds at all, simply collections of horses of unusual colouring. Appaloosa is of course a thorny one, for it can be a colour registry or a breed and the appaloosa genes are not confined just to American Appaloosas. As for certain colours only occurring in certain breeds, probably only in Icelandic horses/ponies does this situation truly exist. Over 40 colours have been identified in this breed, some of which are very rare, even unknown, in other horses.
There are some breeds that recognise all the mainstream colours but not the dilutes or pieds. Such is the case with Arabians and their derivatives, in which the dilution genes are said not to occur. Yet the odd dun, palomino and cremello has cropped up in these breeds, or at least near approximations of them - and perhaps that is the key, that these colours are not true dilutes at all but rather due to shading genes or some other genetic process not yet fully understood, which causes extreme lightening of the coat. Of course there is the possibility that dilution genes were introduced accidentally or even fraudulently to one of the Arabian and/or Thoroughbred strains many years ago, before blood typing made such practices impossible. A problem clouding the issue is that these “dilutes” were seldom if ever recorded as such but rather as the nearest officially acceptable colour, thus palomino and cremello or their approximations were simply called chestnut, while dun and buckskin were recorded as bay.
It was also once said that none of the pied (pinto) genes occur in Arabians and their derivatives, yet white body patches, high white stockings, rabicano roaning and blue (glass) eyes are not unknown in these breeds, and it is now accepted by most authorities that the sabino overo gene is responsible. There have been cases of “excessive white markings” and blue eyes being associated with deafness in Arabians. Whether this is due to the sabino gene, another pied gene or some other process is not known. The sabino gene does not appear to be associated with deafness in other breeds.
The term “white markings” refers to the white leg and face markings displayed by many otherwise solid-coloured (non-pied) horses. These markings always have pink skin beneath them so remain visible even in grey-gone-white horses, particularly when wet. They do not change in shape and position throughout the life of the horse so are excellent for identification purposes, particularly registration.
Most breed societies stipulate that horses be registered before they are weaned. Aside from pedigree details and birth date and so on, the registration process usually requires white markings to be filled in on a form (in black or red ink) accompanied by a written description. Normally a near and off-side horse outline is provided, also a front-on view of the head and sometimes a back view of the lower limbs and a separate drawing of the muzzle and lips. The live horse or foal should be viewed from all angles and the markings recorded as seen. Care should be taken to ensure mud is not covering some part of a white marking, because if later on the white markings do not match those on the registration papers, it raises doubts about the identity of the horse.
Most white head markings can be categorised according to one of the following descriptions. However, if the marking is only a few white hairs, this should be stated rather than use the terms star, stripe etc. Some registration forms will have space for a separate description of lip, muzzle and chin markings.
Star.
Any white marking between or above the eyes.
Stripe (strip). Any white marking down the front of the face within the
confines of the nasal bones. It may be called a broken or interrupted stripe
where it is not continuous.
Snip. Any isolated white marking between or just above or below the
nostrils.
Star, stripe and snip conjoined. A star, stripe and snip are all present
and joined continuously down the face. Numerous variations are possible if the
markings are not continuous, e.g., “Star. Stripe and snip conjoined” or “Star
and stripe conjoined. Snip”. Some countries use the word “connected” instead of
“conjoined”.
Blaze. A broad white marking to at least the edge of the nasal bones,
which may begin above the eyes and extend down as far as the upper lip.
White face (face, bald). An extensive white marking extending well beyond
the confines of the nasal bones, often covering the eyes and forehead as well.
White leg markings are known colloquially as socks and stockings, a sock being to halfway up the cannon, a stocking to the knee or hock. Some breed societies do accept these descriptions, but with strict definitions of their extent. Most white markings do extend around and up the leg in sock or stocking fashion but they seldom end evenly or at the same height. Almost invariably they begin at the coronary band and it is rare for them to go higher than the knee or hock. Only occasionally are detached white markings seen, i.e. those not beginning at the coronary band. If a written description of white markings is required in addition to diagrams, then they are described according to the highest point they reach on the leg. This is where a thorough knowledge of the Points of the horse terminology becomes very important. E.g., white markings may be described as “half pastern” or “full pastern in front, fetlock behind” or “full cannon” or “fetlock” and so on.
Sometimes there are small patches of black hair in the coronet region of a white marking. These are called ermine or distal spots and their position should be indicated on registration forms. The hoof below a white marking is usually pale but will have a dark pigment stripe below an ermine spot.
Whorls (cowlicks). These are
small areas about the size of a 50 cent piece where the hair grows in a tight
swirl pattern. Their position and number are aids to identification, and they
are usually shown as a very small circle with a half arrow above or below
indicating the direction of the swirl. Commonly they occur on the crest, but may
appear elsewhere.
Patches. Isolated white body patches in any horse probably indicate the
presence of a pied gene, but in some breed societies the horse is still
described according to its base colour rather than as one of the pied patterns,
and the patch drawn in and separately described. Sometimes horses have spots or
patches of darker coloured hair, which should also be indicated on registration
forms.
Scars. Permanent scars are useful for identification purposes and are
commonly indicated as a cross on registration forms.
Prophet’s thumbmark (dimple). This is a small muscle indentation seen on
some horses usually on the lower neck. It is usually shown on registration forms
as a very small circle with a cross in it.
In Australia, branding is not compulsory in all states, though it is a requirement of most breed societies, also any horse intended for public sale should be branded whether registered or not. Either fire or freeze branding can be used, with freeze branding being much less cruel, also easier to read because the brands seldom end up a blurred mess. Freeze branding is now the only method used by most of the major breed organisations.
Brands must be registered with the Department of Primary Industries. There are rules governing their size and position and no two properties in the same geographical region can have the same brands. The standard stock brand is three piece, but horses can be branded with a smaller symbol brand registered concurrently. Some breeds have their own brand, e.g., Warmbloods and Australian Stock Horses.
In addition to a stock or symbol brand, most registered horses will carry number brands, often called drop numbers or age numerals. There are usually two, one below the other, indicating the year of birth and an arbitrary foal number. Commonly horses are branded on the near or off shoulder with the age numerals underneath, or the numbers may be on the opposite shoulder. Other acceptable branding positions include the thigh and quarter. Station horses sometimes carry brands in unusual positions, such as under the saddle or on the neck.
Standardbreds have their own unique system of freeze branding called the alpha angle system, which utilises the corners of a square as well as horizontal and vertical double dashes to indicate numbers from 0 to 9. Standardbreds are branded on the crest of the neck, according to their registration number.
In addition to markings and brands, most of the major breed organisations now require horses to be blood typed for identification and proof of parentage. A sample of blood is taken under veterinary supervision and sent to a laboratory for mapping of the blood proteins. Possible combinations of these blood proteins run into the hundred million, so that the probability of two horses having the same blood profile is most unlikely. An even better method of parentage verification is now available through DNA testing, also materials other than blood can be used, e.g., hair roots. Blood typing combined with DNA testing make it virtually impossible to accidentally or deliberately falsify pedigrees - an issue of enormous importance when one considers the millions of dollars that can change hands often based on pedigrees alone, particularly in the case of yearling Thoroughbreds.
The colour registries require photos for registration purposes and several photos may be required over a period of time to establish a horse’s exact colour. Tattooing is another system used in some breeds, though not widely practised in Australia. Tattoos if present will be on the inside of the upper lip. They are very easily altered, they may disappear entirely if applied to a horse under two years of age, and often fade anyway with age.