Horse Terms Explained

For those who are new to the horse world, it may seem as though equestrians speak a different language. There are many unique words and phrases we use to describe our horses and how we ride.
Think about phrases such as "that horse has a lot of action" or "put your leg on." When we are accustomed to these terms we use them every day without even noticing, but some of what we say sounds pretty strange to an outsider to someone new to the horse world!
In today's video, I share a list of commonly used terms and what they really mean.
For more riding and training videos visit www.crktraining...

[@bethanyjennings6365]

Here are some others! Backed: Usually used when referring to horses that are in the process of being broken-in. If a horse is backed it means it has been mounted and sat upon. Backing a horse means that for the first time, the horse is having someone sit on him. If a horse hasn't been backed, it pretty much means it has never been ridden before. Cribbing: An abnormal behavior exhibited by horses out of boredom. The horse grabs a solid object (such as a stall door or fence rail) with its teeth and pulls against it, at the same time sucking in air. It gives the horse a sort of "high". Head Shy: When a horse is uncomfortable or unsure about having its head be handled. (Like when it is being bridled) Scope: A horse that is "scopey" is a horse that has good form when going over a jump and clearing it easily. Bascule: The word describing the "arch" a horse makes when going over a jump.

[@cf3482]

Bethany J Equestrian a

[@anitaankarlou3789]

It's so funny when people ask me what I'm talking about😂

[@atayawelch5842]

Nitis_ Contess yeah I think that

[@annasxgotabigwilly]

100th like

[@lollyyamp]

Sameeee

[@user-zn7he5rm5t]

I was like "horses can't be sound, thems solid!"

[@FightCommentaryGrappling]

I needed to do some quick research for a video I was doing, and your video helped me so much. Thank you!

[@cacatr4495]

Do you have a video that plays the vocalizations a horse makes, what those sounds are called, and what they mean? A detailed video for that is needed. Please reply. What is a nicker? What is neighing? Etc. The different kinds of whinny. Those wanting to learn about horses need to know these.

[@JustAgirly0]

hi can you please make a video about choosing bits and going through all the rubber and basic snaffle bits and tell a bit about the diffrence between eggbutt D snaffle and loose ring- which is softer which is more direct and clear etc that would help me a lot

[@RainbwoahReallyAintRainbow]

"Yeah we have some green horses also..." "Really?!?" "Yep, we have three" "Do you have any purple horses!!!?" "what?" "you have green ones...why not purple...?" *equestrian moment*

[@HeatSeekingMouse]

I love "Barn Sour" lazy horses

[@molliereeves5686]

+Rachel Moore thanks that helped I feel more under control

[@jeanettewaverly2590]

Very informative. Thanks!

[@skippingalong769]

Thanks for you video

[@yousefalkhalil9895]

Here's a tip if your at a jumping or hunting show and the horse get nervous just tap your saddle or saddle pad 3 to 5 with the whip time just a tip you need to now for shows

[@glenbarton2983]

Great video! How bout parrot mouth, pig eyed,ewe neck, calf knee these can be tricky.

[@AB-nd6lo]

Those are related to conformation. She needs to have a video and show different horses and point out their flaws, i.e. winging, weak stifles, long back, crooked legs, straight horse, possibly foundered in the past, well balanced, pleasing to look at, club foot. List goes on and on.

[@waterdragon5418]

If I missed this sorry, but what does gaited horse mean?

[@ariellewilson730]

A gaited horse is a horse that can do gaits that non gaited horse cannot do. A Tennessee Walking Horse can do the running-walk, for example.

[@jeffbobinski5766]

Hunt seat : the chair in a deer stand. Hunt seat equation: doing arithmetic while in a deer stand. Getting your horse collected: Walk out to the pasture. Put a halter on the horse. Lead him back to the stall. You have just collected your horse.

[@jerricho11]

What's the opposite of tacking up? Tacking off, down? what???

[@angelrealpe3867]

It's called untacking.

[@jerricho11]

@@angelrealpe3867 That sounds just as made up as my guessing but ok, I'll believe you.

[@thedeadlysin7984]

A western rider, never heard of the term "flake" for hay, we call them "bats" it's the same thing in a different name

[@annaryeng6616]

I’ve been taking lessons for a few months, and I know a lot of general things about horses. But, I’m struggling understanding what my trainer means when she said use your “outside leg” or “inside leg” when I’m riding the trot. Could someone help me out?

[@traetrae11]

Inside leg is the leg closer to the center of the arena or if you’re going on a circle the inside of the circle. Outside leg is the opposite. It’s the one closer to the outside of the arena or the outside of the circle.

[@annaryeng6616]

CanterOn! thank you so much!

[@traetrae11]

@@annaryeng6616 You're welcome. Good luck with your lessons and enjoy your lessons. I'm having a hard time finding a new instructor close enough for me to drive to lol.

[@annaryeng6616]

CanterOn! Thank you 😄 Best of luck to you! I know how it feels. It wasn’t easy finding a stable around me, either!

[@connorsyt9486]

I love when people ask what does it mean when i say my horse has good conformation

[@Medeamagic]

Another term, "soften your hands" anyone have a good description for that

[@sophieburr3030]

Softening your hands is a term used to tell the rider to loosen the reigns and not hold the horse so tightly in the bit.

[@Kelly_Ben]

Pretend you're holding a baby bird in your hands. You don't want them to escape, but you don't want to crush them.

[@millie649]

Loosen your reins a little??

[@smallnoisybird1450]

Don't clench or hold the reigns as tight

[@Lordkills124]

I'm only watching this to understand my friend a little more :)

[@matthiasweiss1144]

As a beginner, I love your videos. Just swap the "i" and "e" to make it "weird" in this one. :)

[@horsesanimalsandeverything4960]

I always watch videos like this even though I've been riding for almost seven years😂. Why though??? You did a great job explaining these things that took a little while to grasp for me when I was a beginner.

[@Liv-gl6fw]

Thx so much

[@samicakes7051]

This helped me so much! I have only been riding for 5 months and knew barely nothing! Thank you so much for making this video!!

[@aubreyr.s.1296]

Sami Cakes Update on your riding?

[@unicorncrazy1052]

Were I come from we call a flake of hay a biscuit of hay

[@georgiar1371]

Unicorn Crazy10 same

[@nisadenehy5680]

I know what leads are but I would like to know more about them like left and right leads

[@Ally8382]

I never realised how pretty she is😍😍😍

[@Liv-gl6fw]

Half hult

[@juliecramer7768]

Ahhh..behind the leg. Now I know what my instructor means. When she explained it , it seemed to hard to grasp. Thanks.😊

[@cacatr4495]

Julie Cramer. Not a good instructor then. Good teachers are able to make things clear and understandable. I hope you are not using a bit. Horses don't need bits, bits are used by people that can't handle a horse without imposing pain. Bits do damage to the mouth, and they're painful. Watch the YT channel called Think Like A Horse to learn and see a Mustang from the wild be ridden only using a rope-halter and reins (and a saddle), never a bit. This was a Mustang, had been a stallion, that had been returned to BLM, for being a so-called " difficult horse" all because people really don't know how to build trust and interact with horses according to real understanding and trust. Many owners and riders are now riding bitless, not using bits, not using spurs or whips or pain of any kind. Bits are painful for a horse. On the second horse often shown on that channel, the palomino, that horse has NEVER known a bit his entire life, and handles well. We need to learn how to communicate with a horse by understanding them, not by pain/bits. These are things the horse industry doesn't teach and can't do. Learn from someone who can, who does, watch that channel. It's eye-opening. It'll empower you and give you much understanding about horses, how they think, how and why they react or respond as they do, their needs, their instincts, their behaviors as the prey animal they are.

[@JuliaN-fi9zw]

CA Catr I ride with a bit bit my horse is trained to listen to leg aids and me just setting his reins on his neck. Though when he acts up and doesn’t listen to me I use the bit to apply pressure. Bits aren’t always bad if you aren’t becoming bit reliant

[@mariannejensen349]

Some dressage terms would be nice to get informed about as well, as a non-English native speaker. I'm from Denmark, I know a few horse-terms myself in English, far more in Danish. I get curious now. Rein, if one speaks about left or right rein, does that define also what side shoulder, you have towards the middle as the Danish "volte" does? Or does such term even exist?

[@sketchalater4656]

Why am I watching this, I know all these terms

[@manjariprakash9099]

Thank you very much! I am a new equestrianne and sometimes feel embarrassed I dont know all. This is saved. Happy Olympics! 2024

[@tay4019]

Thank you! I started riding last year so this helps a lot

[@JaviTheDeliMan]

Dr. Katie Martin from MIT taught me that chairs are indeed actually horses!

[@jv-ib5rc]

What does "in the pocket" horse mean? I think I understand the concept, but not 100% sure.

[@alanapiner7744]

can you give us a video on up horses and ground horses if you haven't heard of this saying it means ground horse:very sweet horse on the ground up horse:a horse not good with people riding on his or hers back

[@Noooxsjsh]

I would get so confused when my trainer would say leg this helped soooo much

[@Sarah-ok4qe]

sometimes a flake is called a slab, ik over here in australia we call it a slab of hay. Same with a halter, other people call it a head collar.

[@MyBonejangles]

Hi Kelly: Thanks for all these videos. They´re very helpful, especially for people like me who doesn't know anything about horses. I'm an English teacher from Argentina and I have a couple of students who ride and have their own horses. So I decided to use your videos to prepare a special class. However, it took me a bit of time to be familiarized with the terminology, so it would be a good idea in the coming videos to see how the words or expressions are spelled. I'd like to see them written in the video. I had a bit of trouble with, for example Buddy sour (I heard BODY sour) jaja. With wikipedia I fixed this little problem, but it would have been nice to see them written in the video and save a bit of time. Thanks a lot !!!

[@theprancingpony6075]

Great video 👍🏻

[@lillydowney2480]

I recently got a new horse and he is super hot and forward and I don’t really know what to do

[@abdulazizalhamar_]

You are the BEST ❤️

[@madisonandamira2723]

Have you ever talked to a none rider and say Palimino, grulla, bay, or fleabitten grey.😂😂😂

[@cacatr4495]

Tack also includes all that would be used for attaching a horse to a carriage, buggy or wagon,for pulling. Harnesses, britchen, etc.

[@blondbrain275]

"Buddy sour" is normal its not a problem, every horse is "buddy sour"

[@katem360]

+Blond Brain Not true. My mare is buddy sour only when she's left in the pasture. When I take her for a ride and leave my gelding, she has no problem. My gelding? He could care less where my mare is.

[@blondbrain275]

Kate M I guess so, who likes staying alone?! Especially horses. Some horse are just not as bad but if they have a bond try keeping them apart.

[@theve1vetsun]

+Blond Brain you're right - horses are herd animals, they all naturally want to be with other horses; I would call it "buddy sour" when it causes them to misbehave or be disobedient (ie becomes a problem)!

[@elliemccarthy5672]

Every horse needs and enjoys social interaction with other horses, but some horses couldn't care less if they are say, in an empty arena or on a trail ride alone. Others show outward signs of distress when they are alone, and are called "buddy sour" since they have some separation anxiety

[@cacatr4495]

Ellie McCarthy. For horses, there is safety in numbers because they are prey animals. The herd is important to them, more desirable to be around than humans. They are social animals, and they can bond to their companion which is normal and healthy. Anxiety is not healthy, and humans feed that anxiety by separating them and by causing the horse fear through mishandling that creates pain and isolation. It's natural that they want to be with their herdmates. It is Man that doesn't understand the horses needs and instincts. Also estrogen feels less secure while testosterone, even a gelding, feels more secure, more independent.

[@janelloyd7601]

Every horse is not 'buddy sour'. Whilst horses (in general) obviously are happier with their herd, 'buddy sour' horses suffer from a form of separation anxiety. This isn't normal.

[@rylanaustin8837]

I have 0friends that ride horses and I use this language all the time. I ride western/English. I have been riding for 10yrs (ever since u was 3). This helped my friends understand me 100%

[@jaylynam23]

me riding for 3 years knowing what all of these mean ,this is the perfect video for me

[@eezhan2579]

This is random but...I’ve just started horse riding lessons and have just completed my first. It was a small group since many people didn’t know about the extra lessons they were doing since a birthday party took up on of the riding lessons time on Saturday. Whenever the instructor asked us if we know how to walk, trot, halt (too lazy to list everything we learned x-x) I was being honest and said, “no” since it was my first time ever controlling a horse but no one else seemed to reply. I’m not sure if both of those girls were just shy or your supposed to stay quiet whilst an instructors talking to you? I feel like I was ‘talking back’ if you know what I mean when I think back to that lesson now... So are you *supposed* to stay quiet when the instructors talking and waiting for what seemed like an answer? Because I’m a *legit beginner* who just had her first riding lesson controlling a horse by herself 5 days ago.

[@someonesomewhere9115]

Autumn Foox Sounds like you need to find a new trainer. Most places require your first few lessons with them to be just you and the trainer, even when you’ve been riding for years. This is to so they can get an idea of where you are in your riding. Special attention should be paid to beginners because they have to be taught how to control the horse, so, red flags flying, and I would definitely find a new place to ride. When it comes to asking questions, don’t be afraid to - you’re paying them to teach you. If they’re not gonna let you ask questions, they shouldn’t be training. As far as when to ask, as long as you don’t talk over your instructor, you should be able to ask any question you want whenever you want.

[@angelrealpe3867]

@@someonesomewhere9115 I agree with you 👍

[@lauramerylherring]

Callie, I'm sometimes confused by standing versus running martingale and the use of the two. Thank you for these lovely vid's !

[@katebrits3461]

A push button horse...is a horse thats very sensitive

[@livingthesummerlifex]

Title typo (weird***)

[@Charlotte-do9gk]

Sophia B. Huh?

[@WKTRIA]

"Aids" Me: Dafq?

[@NEONARDODiCAPRiO]

Your teeth say i ride horses

[@netoortega]

You are amazing !lol

[@boo9067]

Thank you so much! Recently my bf took me to have a horse walk (last time I rode a horse was when I did my equestrian lessons between 5 to 10yo, ps: I love horses) and it incinerated my asleep passion, so now 19yo finished school and working looking forward to slowly enter the equestrian world again as a hobby and who knows even compete someday 😍 this video helped me so much too 😊

[@nataliechristensen420]

I rode a mare for about a year and she was picky with her riders. Very few people could ride her. She only needed very gentle rein direction. When you have kids pulling on her head she’s get pissed off and do what she wanted because of course she was getting mixed signals.

[@balgiskader6367]

This video is very helpful.

[@Jeggie20]

Tell me why I’m watching this after riding on and off since 2013 😂

[@molliereeves5686]

my horse doesn't listen! he has made me fall of so many times because he just decides to go into canter or do jumps which scares the hell out of me what do I do!

[@rachelmoore1516]

Keep on a tight circle and relax, as long as you have a solid position you can always stop him eventually.

[@Trineea]

Mollie Reeves : I'm not an expert, but have been doing many horses and also taught for many years. Before I got sick myself ... But I think he has found out that it can do .. that he has taken over. If I was you, I would start all over again. Longere him until he listens, pay attention etc etc and also trust you and that it is you who decides. When it's okay. Then start riding in small circles as you long. And when he behaves properly, move on agitatively. Each time there is a problem. Go one step back and start over. Get where it went well. When it's in place. Then take the step further. He should not be allowed to continue just to throw away. By the way, he can also feel if you are nervous if he scares you etc. and he is not allowed to. He must know who decides. He must show respect for you and you must also show respect for him. Maybe you could see some videos quite basic which are really good. Made by .. Ron Jacobs .. he talks a lot about why the horse reacts like it does in some of his videos etc. I thought he's really good .. another I also watch many videos with you .. Warwick Schiller and for example .. Clinton Anderson .. they are all very skilled horse trainers .. and start watching the videos where they go back from the start .. Somewhere between you usually ride and your horse suddenly found out It can decide to scare you and throw yourself away .. something went wrong. And in my opinion. Can it start from scratch often helping both horse and rider to get to know each other better and to respect each other. Right now you have a horse that does not respect you at all. Hmm or throw it away because it has a backache for example. That the saddle is wrong, is wrong, and so? .. there can be so many reasons .. but often it's because the horse has suddenly found out that it can decide and it should not be allowed. Hope you could use these tips for something :)

[@christina-mz1lp]

Mollie Reeves i say to try hunters! Its realy fun and nothing to be scared of, just keep your heels down.

[@rylanaustin8837]

Mollie Reeves be harder with your commands and use more power in the reigns. SCREAM TO THE FRICKIN HORSE IF YA HAVE TOO!!!!!!!!!!!! Lol

[@meredithw1515]

I was texting my best friend the other day and mentioned tack and she asked me what that meant and I was literally shocked, I never knew it was a term some people don’t understand😂

[@Chloe-sn2we]

i’m watching this video because i’m going to ride on a beach in ireland but since i’m french i don’t know any english horse vocabulary

[@horseygurl143]

Well done.

[@barbarawitt1049]

the concept of a "soft" horse, one who yields willingly and readily.

[@johnfetzer9637]

you are always so helpful !!!(I have my student watching you as well as how you ride) !

[@brigidoavelar6922]

Thank you for all your hard work. Please share how many breeds of horses are in the world.

[@rajinbin]

Anyone else laughed at the snail picture lol @ 4:48

[@crycrycrystalx1368]

This was really helpful thank u

[@WarriorBeans]

What does “chip in mean”? 😅

[@ariellewilson730]

Chip/Chip In - In Jumping, if the horse does not start at the correct distance away from the fence, they have to take an extra half stride right before the jump to avoid taking off too early or jumping from underneath the fence.

[@WarriorBeans]

@@ariellewilson730 thank you so much! I truly couldn’t find the definition anywhere! 😌

[@maxchen4418]

Hulk is green.......

[@missminx6984]

Very clear and consise

[@ninam1466]

Hi Could someone please tell me what does a half halt and a gaited horse means? THANKS

[@rebeccaredfearn6134]

A half halt is when you apply pressure to the reins as well as with your leg. You are asking the horse to slow down, generally when they are rushing (moving to fast) A gaited horse is a horse that either has naturally or been trained to have more baits then the regular walk/jog/trot/lope/canter/gallop. There are compitions for gaited horses if you want to search them up on youtube. Hope this helps!

[@ninam1466]

@@rebeccaredfearn6134 Thank you! It really helped me!

[@janetlis2613]

Bits are no good for horse. No metals no whips you need to READ the horse. It's ALL about the horse NOT the human.

[@chasememesnotdreams3739]

That’s argueable

[@08StreetGlide]

A Hot Horse can also be described as a woman...."reactive, and very excitable....often a little more bit difficult to ride".....

[@someonesomewhere9115]

08 Street Glide Sounds like it describes YOU pretty well too, you sexist asshole.

[@redneckgirl3326]

A coworker mentioned shooting off horseback while hunting. I said he needed a bombproof horse. A citified coworker told us she was picturing an armored blanket to put on a horse so it could withstand an explosion.