Equine Production & Health Management – Core Vocabulary

120 essential vocabulary flashcards covering anatomy, genetics, coat colors, terminology, breeds, and management concepts from the Equine Production & Health Management lecture.

Scientific name of the domestic horse.

Equus caballus

The biological family that includes horses, donkeys, and zebras.

Equidae

The order of odd-toed ungulates to which horses belong.

Perissodactyla

Scientific name of the ass or donkey.

Equus asinus

Scientific name of the mountain zebra.

Equus zebra

Hybrid produced by a female horse and a male donkey; usually sterile.

Mule

Hybrid produced by a female donkey and a male horse.

Hinny

Hybrid of a zebra stallion and a donkey jenny.

Zonkey (Zebronkey)

Earliest known ancestor of the modern horse, lived during the Eocene Epoch.

Eohippus (Hyracotherium)

Three-toed early horse ancestor with a larger brain and vestigial fourth toe.

Mesohippus

Miocene ancestor that resembled a modern pony and had running adaptations.

Merychippus

Direct predecessor of modern horses with tall, complexly folded teeth.

Pliohippus

Oldest living wild horse species, native to Mongolia; endangered.

Przewalski’s horse

Horse of either sex under one year old.

Foal

A nursing foal.

Suckling

Foal that has been weaned, usually 5–7 months old.

Weanling

Horse between one and two years old.

Yearling

Male horse under four years old.

Colt

Female horse under four years old.

Filly

Female horse four years old and above.

Mare

Intact (uncastrated) male horse four years old and above.

Stallion

Castrated male horse of any age.

Gelding

Horse type noted for speed, spirit, and endurance (e.g., Arabian, Thoroughbred).

Hot-blood

Draft horses and some ponies bred for slow, heavy work.

Cold-blood

Sport-horse type created by crossing hot-bloods and cold-bloods; used for riding.

Warmblood

Equestrian discipline sometimes called “horse ballet,” emphasizing balance and obedience.

Dressage

Competition where horse and rider jump 10–13 obstacles against the clock.

Show Jumping

“Equestrian triathlon” combining dressage, cross-country, and show-jumping tests.

Eventing

Timed race over distances up to 160 km, testing stamina.

Endurance Riding

Western riding sport involving patterns of circles, spins, and sliding stops.

Reining

Unit for horse height; 1 hand = 4 inches, measured at the withers.

Hand (measurement)

Largest muscle in the horse; transfers force from hindquarters through the body.

Longissimus dorsi

Rubbery, triangular structure in the center of the sole that aids shock absorption.

Frog (hoof)

Area where the hoof wall meets the sole.

White line (hoof)

Callosity on the inner side of a horse’s leg; considered a vestigial toe.

Chestnut (Night-eye)

Small callosity on the underside of a horse’s fetlock.

Ergot

Dark line appearing on the chewing surface of incisors as a horse ages.

Dental star

Dominant gene that restricts black pigment to points, producing bay coloration.

Agouti gene

Gene that controls black pigment production; recessive form (ee) yields chestnut.

Extension gene (E/e)

Red pigment responsible for reddish-brown hair in horses.

Pheomelanin

Black pigment responsible for black hair in horses.

Eumelanin

Reddish-brown body with black mane, tail, ear edges, and lower legs.

Bay

Horse with black hair coat, points, and usually dark brown eyes.

Black

Mostly brown coat with tan areas, produced by modified black pigment genes.

Brown (Seal Brown)

Reddish-brown coat with mane and tail the same or lighter; no true black hairs.

Chestnut (Sorrel)

Horse born and remaining white; unpigmented skin, caused by dominant W alleles.

White (dominant white)

Fatal condition in foals homozygous for the frame overo allele; causes non-functioning colon.

Lethal White Syndrome

Dilution gene lightens body color and leaves darker points with primitive markings.

Dun

Blue-gray dun on a black base coat with black points and dorsal stripe.

Grullo

Light tan coat with reddish points; chestnut base plus dun gene.

Red Dun

Coat that progressively depigments with age; controlled by dominant G gene.

Grey

Golden coat with white mane and tail; one copy of the cream dilution on chestnut base.

Palomino

Horse with large, irregular patches of white and any base color.

Pinto

Pinto pattern with white crossing the topline; typically all four legs white.

Tobiano

Pinto pattern where white does not cross the back between withers and tail.

Overo

Overo variant with horizontal white, blue eyes, and possible deafness.

Splash White

Pinto pattern featuring high white legs, belly spots, and extensive face white.

Sabino

Even mix of white and colored hairs that does not lighten with age; governed by Rn gene.

Roan

Roan on a black or dark bay base, giving a bluish appearance.

Blue Roan

Small, clearly defined white spot on the forehead.

Star (marking)

Narrow band of white running down the bridge of the nose.

Stripe (strip)

Small white patch on the muzzle or lips.

Snip

Broad white stripe down the face to the lips.

Blaze

White covering most of the face, often extending to cheeks and eyes.

Bald Face

Narrow band of white covering the coronet band just above the hoof.

Coronet (leg marking)

White extending from the coronet up to and including the pastern.

Pastern (leg marking)

White reaching midway up the cannon bone.

Half Stocking

White extending to and including the knee or hock.

Full Stocking

Adult height not exceeding 34–38 inches; kept as companions or guide animals.

Miniature Horse

Argentinian miniature breed, averaging 25–34 inches tall; world’s smallest horse.

Falabella

Hardy British pony under 10.2 hands, used for riding and driving.

Shetland Pony

Smallest type of Welsh breed, known as the Mountain Pony.

Welsh Pony (Classification: A)

Irish sport pony (50–58 in) valued for athleticism; prone to hoof wall separation disease.

Connemara Pony

Turkmenistan breed noted for metallic coat sheen and endurance.

Akhal-Teke

Color breed combining Pinto pattern with Quarter Horse or Thoroughbred blood.

American Paint Horse

Pure Spanish horse; compact, strong, and elegant war horse.

Andalusian

Spotted U.S. breed with mottled skin, striped hooves, and white sclera.

Appaloosa

Ancient desert breed famed for endurance, dished face, and arched neck.

Arabian

English light-draft horse always solid bay in color.

Cleveland Bay

South American breed with exceptional stamina and low metabolism.

Criollo

All-black Dutch draft-type horse with long mane and feathers.

Friesian

German warmblood famed for show jumping; identified by crown-H brand.

Holsteiner

Slovenian Baroque horse, born dark and turning gray; used in classical dressage.

Lipizzaner

First U.S. light breed, descended from stallion Justin Morgan; versatile and compact.

Morgan

Free-roaming feral horse of the American West, descended from Spanish stock.

Mustang

Largest U.S. breed registry; powerful hindquarters, excels at sprinting short distances.

Quarter Horse

British racehorse breed bred from three Arabian foundation stallions; noted for speed.

Thoroughbred

Scottish draft breed known for feathered legs and Budweiser hitch fame.

Clydesdale

French draft horse, usually gray or black, popular in the early 1900s.

Percheron

Britain’s largest draft horse, standing 16.2–17.2 hands.

Shire

Rare U.S. draft breed with cream coat, pink skin, and amber eyes.

American Cream Draft

Dental Formula (Permanent)

3-1-3(4)-3 / 3-1-3-3 = 36–44 teeth in adult horses.

Primary fermentation chamber in the hindgut; about 12–15 % of GI volume.

Cecum (horse)

Handy Rule for Foal Weight

Weight (kg) ≈ (Heart girth cm – 63.7) ÷ 0.38 for foals under six weeks.

Most accurate method for determining a horse’s body weight.

Weigh Bridge

Judging a horse by its own conformation, action, and soundness rather than pedigree alone.

Individuality (selection)

Indicates roughly 15 years of age when groove reaches mid-tooth.

Galvayne’s Groove Halfway

Natural upward curvature of the rear upper and lower jaws in horses.

Curve of Spee

Portion of a horse’s tooth that has not yet erupted through the gum.

Reserve Crown

Transfers propulsion from hindquarters to forehand, crucial for collection.

Longissimus Dorsi Function