Many horses have white markings
on their faces. All these markings all have special names. These
names are used by horse people to identify different horses which
may otherwise appear the same in color. The markings
themselves may vary in shape, but bear a similarity on most
horses.
Star - found high up between
the eyes - often a diamond shape.
Snip - small mark on
the muzzle
Stripe - long straight
marking down the horse's nose.
Race - long wavy or
irregular stripe.
Bald Face - marking that covers most of the
horse's face.
Blaze - broad marking down
the front of the horse's face.
Star and Stripe - star which continues down to join a
stripe.
Star, Stripe & Snip - marking which extends all the way
down to the horse's muzzle.
First
beat - left hind Second beat - left fore Third beat - right
hind Fourth beat - right fore
The trot is a two beat gait.
First beat - right hind and left fore (left
diagonal) Support phase Suspension - all feet are off the
ground Second beat - left hind and right fore (right
diagonal) Support phase Suspension - all feet are off the
ground
Trot
Canter
The canter is a three beat gait.
First beat - right hind Second beat - diagonal
pair (left hind and right fore) Third beat - left fore ('leading'
foreleg) Fourth beat - pushing off with left fore Suspension -
all feet are off the ground
The gallop is a very fast
gait.
First beat - right hind Second beat - left hind Third beat
- right fore Fourth beat - left fore Pushing off - left
fore Suspension - all feet are off the ground
Can you imagine having four long legs to coordinate
together all at the same time? Most horses weigh between 900
and 1,200 pounds, and it takes some exceptional skills to make all
their 2,000 parts work together! Humans can walk,
run, skip and jump just like horses can walk, jog, lope and
canter. Horses' movements are called gaits. You can
learn the different gaits by watching a horse's hooves and the order
in which they hit the ground. Just for kicks, practice this
exercise to learn more: Hold out your right
hand. Put the tips of your thump, your first finger, middle
finger and your fourth (ring) finger on the top of a desk or
table. You'll use all of your fingers except your
pinky. Put your first finger in front of your thumb
and your middle finger in front of your ring finger.
By doing this, your first finger becomes the horse's left front
leg. Your middle finger is his right front leg, your ring
finger is his right hind leg and your thumb is his left hind
leg. Got that? A horse's walk has
four beats. Even when a horse walks fast, each hoof hits the
ground one at a time. To walk with your "horse fingers", take
a step forward with your thumb. Now, take one with your first
finger. Next, step with your ring finger, then your middle
finger. That's how a horse walks! He starts
with his left hind leg, and then moves his left front leg.
Next is his right hind leg, and last is his right front leg.
If you start to get confused, just think back to your "horsey
fingers," and practice on your desk! The jog or trot
has two beats because of the way a horse's hooves hit the ground.
Are you ready to trot? Take a step
with your first and fourth fingers at the same time. Move your
thumb and middle finger at the same time. Now
you are a professional trotter! The lope or canter
has three beats. The order in which the horse's feet hit the
ground depends what lead he's in. Let's start with a lope in
the left lead. Start by stepping with your fourth
finger. Next, move your thumb and middle finger at
the same time. Then, move your first finger. The right
lead is just the opposite! Try the gallop on your
own!
Article from The American Quarter Horse Journal -
July 2003
A horse's tail is very important to him. Not only
does it act as a fly swatter in summer, it keeps his "bottom" warm
in winter! The area between a horse's hind legs is the only part not
kept warm by hair, so it loses the greatest amount of warmth if left
exposed by too much trimming.
From a horse's point of view, the best tail is a natural
tail.
Some horses have thin ragged tails, while others have tails so
thick they cannot be braided for formal riding events and shows. To
make the best of their appearance, thick or thin, different tails
are treated in different ways. Some styles even go in and out of
fashion!
Banged Tail A "banged" tail
is cut straight across the bottom to give it a neat appearance. It
makes a scraggly tail look thicker.
Natural Tail The natural
tail is left thick and long if possible. (It's the horse's favorite
style!)
Docked Tail Often inflicted
on harness horses to prevent their tails being caught up in the
harness. Tail docking is illegal in many places as it's considered
cruel.
Pulled Tail The hair around
the dock area, at the top, is pulled out to give the tail a more
refined look. Show horses often have pulled tails.
DID YOU KNOW?
Horses will often stand "tail to tail" and shelter each other
from annoying flies by swishing their tails for each
other!
Some breeds are renowned for their tails. For example
Appy's often have sparse (thin), tails while Friesians and Morgans
are known for their long luxuriant tails.
As well as using them for fly swatters, horses use their tails to
send signals to each other about how they are feeling.
Braided Tail The tail is
first thinned at the top and then braided neatly around the dock for
showing. Both manes and tails are usually braided for hunter
classes.
Starting at 2 years of age the horse's front teeth (incisors) are
the way to tell age. There are three sets of incisors, central,
intermediate and corners. Open the horse's lips and look to see if
all are baby teeth or adults. The central pair are adult (permanent
at 2 - 2 ? years., the intermediate at 3 - 3 ? years and the adult
corner incisors at 4 - 4 ? years. At 4 ? - 5 ? years of age some
horses (mostly males) grow canine teeth which is that fang-like
tooth just behind the incisors.
Now starting at six years old, you need to look at the flat
(table) surface of the lower incisors. There is a pit called the
infundibulum that is easily seen in the center of each incisor's
flat surface. At six years of age the pits of lower central
permanent incisors are worn out (disappear). At 7 years the lower
central incisors lose their pit and the upper corner incisor
develops a hook off the back edge. By 8 years, all the lower adult
incisors have lost their pit but a new small depression (dental
star) appears in the lower central incisors. At 9 years of Age, the
horse's lower central and intermediate and intermediate and upper
central incisors will have a dental star but the infundibulum (pit)
of the upper corner incisor is still present - they do not disappear
until the horse is eleven years old.
From the age of eleven on, the incisors become more triangular
and the teeth begin to project out toward the front of the mouth
more with each additional year. The best way to get good at aging
horses is by practice. Look at as many horses of know age and test
yourself. Some day you'll save a friend from buying a 1980 model
that he thought was brand
new!
Thanks to Dr. Kim Ragland and University of
Kentucky, College of Agriculture's Agripedia for use of the horse
anatomy images. Images Copyright ? University
of Kentucky College of Agriculture
Can you match these names to
the correct color description?
To a "non-horseperson" horses may seem to come
in just an endless variety of colors. But each color actually has a
special name which describes it. Below is a sample list of
colors.
A. BAY
B. BLUE ROAN
C. BUCKSKIN
D. CHESTNUT
E. CREMELLO
F. DAPPLE GREY
G. GREY
H. PALOMINO
I. PIEBALD
J. SKEWBALD
K. SORRELL
L. STRAWBERRY
ROAN
1. reddish brown coat with same, (or lighter) mane and tail
2. golden coat with white mane and tail
3. white horses are referred to as this
4. black and white patches
5. mixture of chestnut and white hairs
6. reddish brown with black mane and tail
7. pale cream color with cream mane and tail
8. another name for chestnut
9. brown and white patches
10. cream/caramel coat with black mane and tail
11. white or grey with 'rings' of darker grey hair
