06/11/2026
Horse World Terminology
I have had a few questions lately about some common terms in the Horse World. It is never a bad thing to go over the meaning of things so we can always be clear.
*Full Care Board -All that means is that you do not have to come feed your horse. Hay and water are provided and the labor of feeding the horse daily. Some places do provide grain. Some don't. This means your horse is looked at once or more often twice per day. This usually means the horse also has a stall. Turnout times very greatly from no turnout to full turn out unless bad weather. Some barns charge for blanket changes, feeding supplements, extra bedding, changing fly masks and trailer parking. Or may or may not do those things. As expenses go up, make sure you pay for things your horse breaks (water tanks, feed tubs, water buckets, stall doors or walls, fence boards etc ) These costs are not built into
anyones board..
*Pasture Board - horse lives out 24/7 on a pasture often times in a group usually with a run in shed. Hay is provided in winter usually in the form of a round bale. Often grain and graining the horse is not provided. Or maybe once a day. No stall and often times no ring .
*Self Care - you pay for a dry stall or a pasture and you do all the labor and provide grain, hay, bedding, buckets etc.
*Co-op Board - most often you get a stall and pasture. The boarders have a schedule where they take turns feeding all the horses / turn out etc. You are usually responsible for buying your own hay , grain and bedding as well as cleaning your stall. Many advantages to this. One big disadvantage is having experienced enough boarders that recognize a problem in the horses.
*Lease - you pay to lease a horse . Maybe $5000 to $50,000 per year to ride that horse. You then pay for its care. You would insure the horse for its value. Advantage...you get to ride a horse you could not afford to buy , improve your riding and showing skills etc.
*Care Lease - You do not pay a fee to lease the horse but you take care of all of its expenses from board to vet and farrier etc.
*Green Horse - a horse with very little training which needs an experienced, calm and confident rider.
*Schoolmaster- A horse with a lot of training and usually has shown to a certain level that can teach you the ropes. It is a tolerant horse which will put up with mistakes without losing its training or its mind.
*Professionals Horse - a horse that is very sensitive and athletic that demands precision riding.
*Lesson Horse - a tolerant horse who can guess what you mean when you apply beginner aids . Usually they become a bit dull in their job
as it is often monotonous and many are over used.
*Red Ribbon in the Tail - means the horse kicks. There are other ribbons that signify various things . A good rule to follow...ribbon in tail means steer clear.
*Ring Etiquette -pass left shoulder to left shoulder OR call out your line of travel in advance ( outside, inside, circle, vertical jump etc ) The person going faster does the passing.
*Red Mare - a derogatory term for a female horse that is pretty parallel to an independent woman. A personal pet peeve of mine. Horse color and s*x has nothing to do with loyalty, trainability or athletic performance.
*She is Being A Mare- complaining about a horse going through heat cycle and how it acts. Think about how mad it makes you when a man says that about you ! If your mare struggles....give her regumate.
*Amish Warmblood - a horse that is usually a mixture of all or some of the following breeds : Friesian, Dutch Harness Horse, Morgan, Draft Horse, Standardbred . Usually lovely horses both in their mind and athleticism.
*Bridle Horse - a western Horse that is very trained and wears a shank bit that is rarely touched. The horse is very sensitive to small movements. The English counterpart would be a dressage horse in a double bridle.
*Frame- the outline of the topline of a horse under saddle. For example a long low frame would mean an elongated topline with the head low. Uphill frame would mean that the horse is moving with its haunches clearly lowered and its poll the highest point.
*Framed Up - a more stock type term meaning the horse is submissive to the bridle and can bring its nose in and yield its neck.
*On The Bit- a horse who moves fluidly over the back because the hind legs are under and carrying. This horse is also soft and supple through the neck and jaw but with clear connection. Not intimidation. A horse who makes forward motion from its back not just the legs.
*Bad Hands - A riders hands who are pulling or especially holding. I have yet to see a rider that doesn't occasionally pull. ( there is no pulling in good riding ) . A rider who uses the horses mouth for balance. A rider who doesn't have control of their hands and they bounce, hurting the horses mouth. An aggressive rider who hurts the horses mouth because of the lack of skills in their other aids ( leg and seat ) or a lack of patience.
*Half Halt- an aid to the horse that says " get balanced onto your hind legs. The combination of a driving aid and a restraining aid. Each half halt is unique. Half halt signifies to the horse get balanced because a change us coming ( a change in gait, bend, straightness, direction or balance ) . If your half halt is pulling on both reins at once ....please do some research.
*A Good Rider - any rider who is trying to become better both for clearer communication with their horse and for the love of the horse.
*Horseman or Horsewoman - a long time horse person who has gained a lot of knowledge through both education and experience. This is a wider view of the horse life and not only includes training horses, understanding caring for the horse, ailments / injuries / diseases / handling emergencies , understanding how the horse thinks, how the horse is made and moves. Usually they are low energy people with a lot of patience and a clear way of thinking. Also a person who is always seeking more knowledge.
*Horse Girls - independent, strong, blunt
I am sure I can put together a part 2 .... but for now this will do ! I'd love to hear your feedback or terms you would like to bring up . Pictured are 2 of my home breds and also maternal brothers Consider Me and Qrush On Me
