Equine Behavior

When were horses first domesticated?

4,000 - 6,000 years ago in Ukraine

What part is the poll?

Top of head behind bears

What is the throat latch?

Point at which windpipe meets head

What is the forearm?

Area of the front leg between knee and elbow

What is the cannon bone?

Front/hind leg bone

What is the fetlock?

Rotary joint with high degree of ROM

What is the pastern?

Between fetlock and hoof

What is the girth?

Measure of body

What is stifle?

Knee joint

Hock

What is the croup?

Lumbosacral joint to tail (Rump)

What are the withers?

Ridge between shoulder blades

What is a mare?

Adult female

What is a filly?

Young female

Colt

Young Male horse

Foal

Newborn

Stallion

Adult intact male

Gelding

Castrated male

Stud

Breeding stallion

Mule

Offspring of horse and donkey

Hand

Unit of measure in horses (1 hand = 4 inches)

Hot blood

Arabian or Thoroughbred horses, riding horses

Cold blood

Light heavy built horse for draft work

Warm blood

Mix of cold and hot bloods

Where did hot bloods originate?

Middle East/ Egypt/ Northern Africa

Where did Warm Bloods originate?

EU

Where did Cold Bloods originate?

Northern EU

Bay

brown body with black tail, mane and legs

Chestnut/ Sorrel

Reddish brown, mane darker or lighter than body color

Buckskin

Tan body, of various shades, with black mane, tail and legs

Palomino

Golden colored body with white mane and tail

Gray

Various shades, some with dark mane and tail, grays often born dark and lighten with age, some become white with age

Appaloosa

 Several patterns of appaloosa coat color including leopard, blanket, snowflake

Roan

Solid coat color with white hair dispersed throughout a “blue” roan has  a black base color with white hairs throughout

Pinto/ paint

Solid colored body with large blocks or spots of white in various patterns covering body

What does a whinny vocalization indicate?

Greeting one another or when seperated

What’s a nicker?

Low rumble emitted through the nostrill

Whats a chirr

Nicker like sound mares make to foals

What does a squeal indicate?

When one horse does not like another

What does a snort indicate?

Indicates fear and alerts herd to dange

What does ears pricked forward indicate?

Attention focused forward, may indicate interest or fear

What does ears pinned back flat indicate?

Anger, ready to bite or kick

What does ears turned slightly back indicate?

Focus on something behind horse

What does ears split indicate?

Focus on front and back

What does ears splayed out to sides indicate?

Relaxation

What does eyes wide with whites showing indicate?

Fear, excitement, anger

What does eyes bright focused forward indicate?

Curiosity

What does upper eyelids furrowed indicate?

Worry

What does eyes partially shut indicate?

Resting, possibly pain